#Kieran Valentine x reader

[freakyfrye]

˚₊‧꒰ა 𝕸𝔬𝔫𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝕳𝔦𝔤𝔥 𝕸.𝕷𝔦𝔰𝔱 ໒꒱ ‧₊

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐲𝐬: 𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐭¡𝐜𝐚 💦 | 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭 🃏| 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 🪼| 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ☘️ | 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭🍦| 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 💉 | 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 2 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 🎻 | 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 🔌 | 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 🧸

𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪?

𐚁ᥫ᭡. 𝔎𝔦𝔢𝔯𝔞𝔫 𝔙𝔞𝔩𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔢

♡ 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔰/𝔰𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔟𝔩𝔢𝔰 ♡

𝘿𝙪𝙙𝙚. 𝘿𝙪𝙙𝙚. 𝘿𝙪𝙙𝙚. 𝘽𝙖𝙗𝙚. 𐚁ᥫ᭡. 𝔇𝔢𝔲𝔠𝔢 𝔊𝔬𝔯𝔤𝔞𝔫

♡ 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔰/𝔰𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔟𝔩𝔢𝔰 ♡

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙡𝙛 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚!

𐚁ᥫ᭡. ℭ𝔩𝔞𝔴𝔡 𝔚𝔬𝔩𝔣

♡ 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔰/𝔰𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔟𝔩𝔢𝔰 ♡

𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣, 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣, 𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙮!

𐚁ᥫ᭡. 𝔍𝔞𝔠𝔨𝔰𝔬𝔫 𝔍𝔢𝔶𝔨𝔶𝔢𝔩𝔩/ℌ𝔬𝔩𝔱 ℌ𝔶𝔡𝔢

♡ 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔰/𝔰𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔟𝔩𝔢𝔰 ♡

𝙃𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙛𝙛, 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚? 𐚁ᥫ᭡. ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔅𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔰

♡ 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔰/𝔰𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔟𝔩𝔢𝔰 ♡

𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚

𐚁ᥫ᭡. 𝔊𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔱𝔬𝔫 𝔚𝔢𝔟𝔟𝔢𝔯

♡ 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔰/𝔰𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔟𝔩𝔢𝔰 ♡

𝙃𝙚𝙝𝙚…𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣 𐚁ᥫ᭡. 𝔑𝔢𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫 ℜ𝔬𝔱

♡ 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔰/𝔰𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 ♡

♡ 𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔟𝔩𝔢𝔰 ♡

main group will be added soon, will include genderbent versions. artwork is not mine, taken off of Pinterest.

[yandere-wishes]

i know you did the monster high one a long time ago (the yandere) but could you do it with the boys?

ABSOLUTELY (I think I actually got another ask for the Mansters a while back) I always liked the guys and felt like they needed a bit more love.

The lineup would be

Deuce, Clawd, Jackson/holt, Heath…

But I'm conflicted on one thing (and desperately want to talk about it)

When I was 5-6 I had the BIGGEST crush on Valentine (and Clawdeen but, that's for another time) he was just so perfect and I was utterly infatuated with his brainwashing of Draculaura and wanted so badly to be in her place. Anyway, all this to say, should include him? Like I can do GN reader (and I've seen other blogs do that) but I really don't want to get harrassed and sent hate mail about it Yk?

[sleepingdeath-light]

tall male s/o hcs ; kieran

requested by ; smor3-m0nst3r (19/05/22)

fandom(s) ; monster high

fandom masterlist(s) ; here

character(s) ; kieran valentine

outline ; “May I request somethin? It's Monster High related. Kieran Valentine x tall manster male reader?

The reader is the new ghoul (or in this case. Manster) at school. And he's heard of the things about Valentine and how he used to play with other girls. BUT Valentine is learning to be better. Miscellaneous thing, Reader has a sister as well (younger or older is up to you. BUT shes shorter than the reader)”

warning(s) ; none, just fluff!

you knew about kieran long before you transferred to his school — with him having been involved with a few old friends over the centuries and you having played witness to the direct fallout that came with his presence in someone’s life

so, needless to say, you were more than a bit wary of him when you first met (having been paired up for an assignment in one of your shared classes)

he seemed friendly enough — charming, certainly — but still you remained guarded and even hostile, threatening him to stay clear of your sister when he asked about her

(you didn’t even know how he knew about her but you certainly didn’t want her to get hurt)

but when he reacted with genuine hurt rather than playful dismissal, you started to lessen your hostility towards him bit by bit — actually starting to form something resembling a friendship with him as time went on

teasing him about his past playfully — something to make him bristle and fluster and stammer rather than spiral into a

taking his books and holding them over his head to make playful jabs about him being shorter than you — in the same way that he’ll lovingly tease you about your height

jabs and remarks that become more loving and affectionate as more time passes until those nicknames become pet names and you’re becoming more touchy with each other without realising

pranking each other, leaving notes, constantly texting and flirting but you swear it’s all a joke and not serious

but it is

and your sister can see it

and draculaura can see it

and his friends can see it

and everyone but the two of you can see it

vehemently insisting that you’re just friends and kieran stating very firmly that he’s not just trying to flirt with and hurt you like he’s done to others in the past

but eventually someone slips up and you kiss and you decide to cautiously enter a relationship

he’s smiling and awkward but no less charming or mischievous for it as he teases you in his next statement — which you return just as quickly

and you find yourself thankful that you decided to give this energy vampire the benefit of the doubt after all

[peoplesgraves]

Kieran valentine with sucubus readerrrr plz? :D

Yandere Kieran Valentine X Succubus Reader Headcanons

•At first his obsession with you was…less than loving. He felt threatened and strangely inadequate. While he had to plan and manipulate for love you got it so freely. You didn’t even have to lift a finger and suddenly everyone was showering you in affection and praise, it made the painful ache of Kieran’s empty heart even worse. He decides then and there that he would do whatever it takes to get you to love him, perhaps you were the answer to his hearts sorrows.

•His plan is quickly proven fruitless. He attempts to get you under his spell are met with what could only be described as an emotional brick wall. Your heart is behind armor, some most likely due to your heritage but not all of it. As he gets closer to you he can see a pain in your eyes that mirrors his own. He learns just how similar you two are, both unsatisfied with the artificial love you’d had up to then and starved for the real thing. Two sides of the same coin.

•From then on Kierans obsession with owning your heart is rivaled by his obsession with giving you his. All he thinks about is how the two of you are made for each other, only he could truly understand you. He’d be completely vulnerable and open with you hoping that you’d eventually feel comfortable doing the same. He tells you all about his initial feelings and how he was sure his love was true.

•Kieran is like a kid, he’s so excited by the prospect of you that he simply can’t contain his love. He slips beautiful poems and handwritten letters in your locker every day, takes any opportunity he can to compliment you and has notebooks filled with lovesick babble and drawings of you.

•He’s aggressively soft with you because he can be. With everyone else he’s still cruel and manipulative but he’ll cry into your chest or lay his head in your lap without fear. He can bear his heart without fear of it being broken.

•Please give him hickeys, cover him in lipstick marks or even a collar. He wants everyone to know that he’s yours, that out of everyone who loves you, that you love him. He is needy and insecure but having a constant reminder that you chose him, visible to everyone, makes his chest swell with pride. Anything else he ever was or ever could be pales in comparison to being yours.

[snookienthusi4st]

hi! so nice to meet you!

!𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝟑𝐃𝐎𝐒 𝐃𝐍𝐈 𝐃𝐍𝐈 𝐃𝐍𝐈!

request rules(open!)

note: all characters are aged up if needed! idc if it’s not implied, they are all aged up, i do not support any type of minor x reader stuff

masterlists under the cut!!

who i write for:

* = only sfw white txt = i don’t write for them anymore/taking a break frm writing for them

marvel:

• bruce banner

• thor*

• deadpool/wade wilson

• wolverine/logan howlett

• pyro/john allerdyce

ouran hs host club:

• takashi morinozuka

• kyoya ootori

• tamaki suoh*

• honey morinozuka*

monster high:

• deuce gorgon

death note:

• light yagami

• l lawliet

• nate river/near

• mihael keelh/mello

• mail jeevas/matt

• misa amane

studio ghibli:

• haku*

• chihiro*

• howl pendragon

• ponyo*

• sosuke*

• fujimoto

disastrous life of saiki k:

• kusuo saiki

• kokomi teruhashi

• aren kuboyasu*

• shun kaidou*

kamisama kiss:

• tomoe

inuyasha:

• inuyasha

• sesshomaru

• sango

• kagome*

spiderman/spiderverse:

• miguel ohara

• hobie brown

• miles morales

• miles morales 42

• peter b parker

2000s sonic the hedgehog:

• shadow the hedgehog*

• amy rose*

• cream and cheese*

naruto:

• naruto uzumaki

• kakashi hatake

• sasuke uchiha

• itachi uchiha

• shikamaru nara

• ino yamanaka

• sakura haruno*

• hinata hyuga*

also don’t be a weirdo and post my work without crediting me and if you do you have a small weewee and a loose kitty

feel free to like and reblog tho, it’s always appreciated!

byee :3

[f1nalgirlz]

Valentineseve | Jack Thurlow

[ This one is porn w/o plot so if you want fluff it is NOT here ]

˗ˏˋwarnings´ˎ˗ fem pronouns, fem anatomy, implied cheating, unprotected sex, sex with a stranger, Y/n is morally gray, Jack is basically an asshole lmao, slight age gap but it's only mentioned once i think?

˗ˏˋcontent´ˎ˗ car sex, creampie, Y/n is sad, Jack is married, a **LITTLE** angst because ofc there is

1 hour ago, Tuesday, February 13th

Y/n jammed her hands into her jacket pockets, a sigh leaving her lips as she cut down the Valentines aisle. She wasn't exactly looking forward to the holiday, and her mood was not helped by the many other visitors that were crowding the aisle, looking for the perfect gift for their lover. Y/n had nobody to shop for, and didn't intend to change that anytime soon. She only came here because she needed some chocolate to drown her sorrows.

As people filed out of the aisle, she worked her way further into it, chewing her lower lip as her eyes examined the tall shelf in front of her. The shelves were all stocked full, and Y/n had the pick of the litter. There was a wide variety from the different brands, but they all had the same effect on her, memories of her last relationship flooding her mind with bitter feelings. She had no intention of ever getting into a relationship again, but she liked chocolate too much to let an opportunity like this pass.

Y/n scanned over the many chocolates as her mood grew more somber. What did she really have to look forward to anymore? She let out another long sigh, and tried to focus on the task at hand. She scanned over the shelf again, and tried to pick one at random, but the variety was honestly overwhelming. Her sadness slowly faded away and was replaced with annoyance as the realization finally set in. She had no clue what to pick.

With a sigh, Y/N took a step back, hoping to get a better look at the contents on the top shelf, but she was met with something sturdy hitting her back. She quickly turned her head to look behind her, where she was met with icy blue eyes staring back at her. She'd just bumped into someone. Heat rose to her cheeks and her stomach twisted in embarrassment. "i'm so sorry." she said to the man.

The man she had bumped into was tall, his long messy brown hair framing his pale face. He was attractive, and seemed to be a few years older than her. He had a sharp look in his eyes, like he was trying to determine her state of mind. Yet, there wasn't any hint of anger on his face. His eyebrows relaxed and a small smile worked its way onto his lips. "it's fine, accidents happen." he said warmly. All remnants of embarrassment melted away and she smiled.

Present, Tuesday, February 13th

Y/n's chest heaved against the seats of the dark haired man's car, the man whose name she came to find out was Jack. Lewd sounds filled the car, the sound of skin slapping skin as well as the wet sounds coming from her cunt. A choked moan escaped her throat as Jack pounded into her, his hand gripping her hair. After a few more thrusts, a gasp slipped her lips at the feeling of his cock being pulled slowly out. She felt strong hands grasping her skin and moving her body, flipping her over. As her back hit the seats, she was staring up at Jack, whose blue eyes were trained on her red face. He looked more disheveled now, brown strands sticking to his slightly sweaty forehead. Without a word his hands were lifting her legs to rest on his shoulders, once they were firmly in place, he used his index finger to tug her wet panties to the side once again. He smirked down at her, wet doe eyes staring back up at him, before thrusting his cock back inside without warning, punching a moan out of her. A husky moan filled her ears.

She heard a few expletives escaping Jack's lips in mumbles as he started pumping in and out of her already soaked hole. Y/n's head tipped back, falling against the seat, her hair bunching up under her. She only glanced down when she felt hands gripping her hips, fingers digging into the soft skin of them as he hammered into her with fervor. Her eyes actively avoided the gold band that Jack sported on his left hand, instead choosing to focus on the way he was currently hitting every right spot inside her, sending chills down her spine. Lithe fingers found their way into Jacks messy hair, tugging slightly as he continued his eager thrusts, leaning forward to catch her lips in an aggressive kiss. Teeth nipped her lip before being soothed over by his tongue, it felt like he wanted to devour her whole, and she'd let him.

Jack pulled apart after a few moments, a string of spit connecting the two. Y/n's body felt hot, a familiar tug in her lower stomach as her cunt clenched uncontrollably around the taller man's throbbing length. She sucked in a shaky breath, eyes growing watery as she looked up at Jack hovering over her. "you gonna cum?" he asks, almost teasingly with a smirk, before a grunt leaves him. Y/n nodded quickly, head falling back against the seats once again, a guttural moan being forced out of her as Jack kept his pace, fingers finding her clit with ease. Tears pooled her eyes Jack pounded her cunt, using his left hand to abuse the sensitive bundle of nerves. She forced her eyes open, looking up at Jack through blurry eyes. "Gonna cum..." she choked out, hips rolling into his movements lasciviously, earning a chuckle from him.

"Yeah? Cum for me." he whispered into her ear with a smirk, that's what sent her over the edge. Y/n's body shook at the intensity of the orgasm, Jack never stopping his pace, letting her fully ride out her orgasm. A few low moans left him at the way her cunt pulsed around him. That's all it took to send him over the edge, one last sloppy thrust and he was releasing into her, teeth sinking into her collar bone making her roll her hips against him. He groaned, throwing his head back as his hips slowly came to a still. Y/n was still coming down from her high, chest heaving with each breath as she laid there with her eyes closed. Soon, she felt fingers pulling her panties back into the correct placement, opening her eyes she looked up at Jack who was already cleaning himself back up. Y/n took the hint and sat up. She began slipping her pants on and pulling her shirt back into place. "I have to go... but i'd really like to see you another time." Jack's voice pulled her from her autopilot. She nodded at him, allowing him to help her out of the car, stealing one last glance at the inside, not being able to stop the way her eyes caught the bag of Valentines gifts in his passenger seat.

Jack pecked her cheek one last time before climbing into the drivers side seat and starting the car. Y/n walked away, a sick feeling pooling in her stomach.

R: this is not proof read yet, it's probably ass but😰 i'm keeping my word and doing BOTH since that was the result of the poll.

i don't own the two dividers used creds to: @gigittamic

[doveabovetheworld]

Kieran Valentine x Male OC

Request: request from and OC made by @Smore_Monster

Tw: none just a touch of angst at the ending though

Summary: Ozzy Moo-ller just became the new kid at Monster High. He meets Kieran Valentine and develops a blossoming friendship with him, not knowing what his past was. Everyone told him what Kieran did trying to warn him about the vampire but he did what he wanted to do.

Word count: 5156

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walked into my school for the first time with the feeling of anxiety going through my body. I moved from the south all the way to New Salem where my new school is at. I looked and saw monsters of all kinds walk through the Coffin Corridor. Everyone looked super nice but I still couldn’t help but feel a little scared.

I had to meet up with someone named Clawd Wolf since he was going to show me around the school. A tall werewolf with sweet golden eyes came up to me.

“Hey!” He started, “I’m Clawd Wolf. You must be Ozzy Moo-ller, am I right?”

He put his hand out to shake it. I took his hand and we started to walk around the school. He showed me around and let me know where the hotspots for fangouts were. He was really chill and he said that If I needed anything I could ask him.

The rest of the school day went on and I have to say, everyone is super nice. I think I’m definitely gonna enjoy it here.

~

After a few weeks of moving to Monster High, I made a few friends.

I was walking to Study Howl with my two friends Johnny Spirit and Operetta when I accidentally walked into someone.

“Oh my ghoul!” I said helping him up, “I’m so sorry.”

I looked in his bright rosy eyes for a second, fazed with a feeling of butterflies in my stomach.

“You’re fine.” He said as he walked away, his shaggy dark brown and red hair falling in front of his enchanting eyes before he moved it away.

I stood there for a second taking in the feelings I felt until Operetta shook my shoulder.

“You alright, hon?” She asked me.

“Yeah, I’m good.” I said turning to her and Johnny, “Who was that?”

“Trust me, you don’t want to get mixed up with him.” She said as we started walking.

“That’s Kieran Valentine. He’s awful.” Johnny spat in.

“Why? What’d he do?”

“You should ask Claw what happened.”

We walked the rest of the way to class while Johnny and Operetta would talk about music. I was quiet the whole time. I just couldn’t get his captivating eyes out of my mind. He seems so nice. I don’t know how he could be a bad monster.

~

After Study Howl I met up with Clawd and Dracularua, his ghoulfriend, to talk about Valentine and what happened between them. Clawd and Dracularua told me how he came to Monster High to steal Dracualrua’s love for power. I couldn’t really believe what they were saying… I mean he didn’t seem like the type of monster to do that.

I said thank you to them and left. On my way to my locker, I saw him again. He was standing by my locker reading a book.

“Hey!” I yelled, trying to get his attention.

He looked up with a puzzled expression. When he saw me, he closed his book and walked over to me.

“Hello,” He started saying, a fake southern accent coming out, “I was waiting for you.”

“What? Why?”

“You dropped this,” He held out one of my pins. I must’ve dropped it when we bumped into each other… He gave it back to me and started to walk away.

“Wait!” I spoke. He turned around. Those beautiful eyes looked back at me. “Do you maybe wanna walk with me to your next class?”

“Oh,” He started blushing and looked surprised that I asked him my question, “You want to walk with me?”

“I mean… yeah. That’s why I asked.”

“Well then I would love too.”

We walked and started talking about random things like where we use to live and things we liked. He was actually super chill.

~

It’s been about a couple months since Valentine and I became friends and I’ve been getting a lot of warnings from my friends saying how I should stay away from Valentine.

I know what he did in the past and I even talked to him about it. He told me exactly what Clawd and Dracularua told me and how he’s changed. He feels bad about what happened in the past and how he tried to make up for it. He did change, it's just no one would give him a chance.

Valentine and I were walking home from school when we saw Clawd and Draculaura. Clawd and I got into an argument a couple days ago because he found out how Valentine and I became friends.

Clawd started giving us glaring looks. Valentine seemed to be very uncomfortable and upset about how Clawd was looking at us. I know he tries his best to keep his distance from him.

We passed each other and kept walking. Valentine was quite the rest of the way. When we got to his house, he started to open his front door until I yelled his name. He turned around and I immediately remembered how beautiful and charming his eyes were.

“I want to tell you something, Valentine.” I uttered.

“What is it?”

“I really like you man. Like more than a friend should. More in a romantic way and I understand if you don’t like me back but I can’t help how I feel about you.”

“Oh…” He mumbled as he looked down. “Ozzy, I’m sorry but I’m dating someone already. I’m sorry if I led you on or anything.”

I looked at him and felt crushed.

“Who is it?” I asked, trying to keep my tears down.

“Spelldon Cauldronello…”

“Are you happy with him?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Well that’s all that matters then,” I said giving a sad smile. I walked away before he could say anything else to me.

I knew him and I wouldn’t be together. No matter how much I like him it wouldn’ happen. I knew it all along and yet I still made myself feel heartache. I guess it’s karma for how idiotic I was, right?

[reds-fluff-extravaganza]

Kieran x reader

A little something I was thinking of. Happy Valentine’s Day folks.

You’ve heard of the old rumor from Galar about giving an Applin to the one you have feelings for, and seeing as today was a very special day, you knew you just had to go for it, as there was a special someone you wanted to give an Applin to.

Since you arrived in Kitakami, you’ve become close to Kieran and his sister, Carmine, but more so with Kieran. Over time, you and him have gotten closer and closer, and you may or may not have developed a little crush on him. Carmine had figured it out, since she is his sister after all, and she’ll often tease you about your crush on her brother, which always flustered you to no end, so you’ll occasionally just try to brush it off or leave if it gets to be too much.

So when you remembered the rumor with the Applin, you just had to give one to Kieran! However, you wanted it to be a special one, one that he wouldn’t ever forget. So you had spent hours, and hours, days before this certain special day, before you had finally found it. Now it was time to give it to him.

“Kieran!” You called out to him as you approached him, waving to him with a smile on your face.

“Oh! Hey, Y/n.” He looked over as you walked up to him. “Did.. did you need something?” He tilts his head slightly in a curious manner.

“No, not at all! I was just wondering if you would like to hang out with me.”

“Oh, uh, sure, I don’t really have anything else to do… that I can think of anyway.”

“Great! Let’s go!” You grabbed his hand and the two of you were off! You two went to several places around Kitakami, including the loyalty plaza, the apple hills, and wherever else you could think of, just talking and enjoying each other’s company. Kieran would occasionally ask you how your Pokemon were doing, and what other plans you had in mind. You honestly weren’t too sure, really, but you answered his questions as best you could, as well as asking him questions as well.

“Have you ever wanted to travel to other regions, Kieran?” You looked over at him as you walked beside him, him tapping his chin in thought for a few moments before he shrugged in response.

“I.. have thought about it, but I don’t want to leave Carmine and my family.. but.. the idea of seeing other regions does sound like fun.”

“I see..” you smiled softly, nodding. “I know what you mean. I would love to travel to other regions, see all sorts of places and Pokemon!”

“Would you.. perhaps want to.. travel together?” Kieran asked you, playing with a piece of his hair, which you always thought was kind of cute.

“You… would want to travel together with me?”

“W..well, yeah, I would. We’re so close, and I wouldn’t want to travel with anyone else. I mean, yes, Carmine is my sister and all but… I just enjoy spending time with you more than her.” He shrugged in response.

“That.. really means a lot, thank you, Kieran.” You smiled faintly, then stopped suddenly, him stopping as well.

“Is something wrong, Y/n?” You shook your head, before reaching into your pocket. A pokeball. You take Kieran’s hand into your own, placing the pokeball into his hand.

“For you, Kieran.”

“For.. for me?” He seemed a little confused, yet intrigued. He then let the pokemon out of the pokeball. It was a beautiful shiny green Applin. Kieran’s eyes widened at the sight, gently picking it up.

“You.. you got them for me?” You nodded at this, hoping that he liked it.

“I love it, Y/n,” he smiled faintly, the Applin let out a happy cry as it rubbed its face against his cheek. “Oh! That reminds me, I have something for you, too.”

“Oh..?” Without a word, Kieran handed you a pokeball. “I, um, hope you like it.” You let out the pokemon from its pokeball, and in its place… was a shiny Applin. Yet this one was bigger than the one you gave Kieran, and it seemed a little timid, yet friendly.

“It seems we had the same idea, haha.” Kieran rubbed the back of his head.

“It seems that way.” You smiled faintly, holding his hand once more.

“I love you, Kieran.”

“I.. I love you too, Y/n.” He glanced away from you, and you noticed a faint blush on his face. You smiled softly and kissed his cheek softly, which caught him off guard, as his face turned a little more red.

“Th..thank you, Y/n. Come on, it’s getting late.” You nodded and the two of you started heading back towards his place, holding your shiny Applin in your arms.

[marksbear]

can i request like literally any character/ set of characters x a male reader who based off of looks/his style, doesn't look like he'd have a southern accent or something like that, but does

idk if you know much about monster high, but yk kieran valentine? basically like him 💀 (bro is a handsome vampire with a southern accent like??? 💀💀) (also if you don't know what i'm talking about, here's a reference https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRsuuprH/ )

(also also, if u wanna narrow down what character(s) to write this for, i suppose anyone from cod, overwatch, or the boys)

Please I had the biggest crush on him. And because I'm cool like that I wrote one character for each fandom listed.

Tittle was gonna be long as hell, so heres a short version. Its gonna be Homelander, Simon (ghost) Riley, and Sigma.

HOMELANDER X SOUTHERN MALE READER

-Homelander is a judging person. He likes to criticize and study people. So when it came to you he didn't suspect you had an accent.

-In Homelander's defense you didn't dress like you were from the country. Or really like the southern stereotype.

-But once you spoke with your accent it caught him WAY off guard.

-Most definitely stared at you funny. I mean it's not everyday when he hears an accent like that.

-If you have a thick southern accent he'll always listen to your voice no matter how busy the room is or quiet. Your voice interests him so much to the point he wants to be near it.

-When (if) you both start dating he wants to be near you all times to hear you talk. Even when you read a stupid children's book he'll want to hear you read it.

-he hears your voice when hes injured or something It's like medicine to him. "Jesus darlin. You all bloody'ed up." Y/n says looking at Homelander's suit. "Only some were mine, but there's nothing to worry about."

-If you tease him or flirt with him he's already weak in the knees.

-Simon had a feeling you were different from the rest of them, but you were hiding it well.

-You were like a chameleon. You acted and dressed like you were from one place The next minute you dress like you're from another one.

-But once Ghost heard your accent his jaw would have been on the floor if he wasn't wearing a mask. At first he thought it was one of your little fakes, but once he heard it more and more he realized it was natural.

-Everyone he'd met so far in war had their share of accents, but yours stood out to him. He hasn't heard an accent like that in a good minute.

-With your accent he can hear it over the gun shots or shouting. It just keeps standing out for him. He listens to your words when he isn't even realizing that hes listening until you're done talking.

-He heard Soap call you "cowboy" And the nickname stuck with him. "Cowboy..." Simon mumbles under his breath looking at you. "What is it darlin?" Y/n says looking at Simon.

-He glares at someone whenever they make fun of your accent or they look at you funny.

-Don't even start trying to tease him about him having a thing for your accent. He would be so red under his mask and embarrassed.

-The way you dress and act doesn't give him the slightest thought that you have a southern accent.

-Sigma isn't the social man, so don't expect him to be all over you because you're new or something. But if you are different from the other people in your class he would watch and study you from afar. But honestly to catch his eye you at least gotta do something he doesn't see everyday.

-Once you two start hanging out more. And once he hears your accent it would music to his ears.

-Sometimes if you're shorter than him he would use his powers to lift you up in the air so he can hear you talk. Your accent enhances/ hypnotizes him.

-He doesn't find it as annoying as Cassidy's (Mcree) but hey gotta start somewhere.

-Sure he may be crazy for your accent, but it would be the healthy lie amount of it.

-Asks if you can sing to him. If you don't know how he'll teach you. Gives you a whole lesson about singing and music and how you can use your voice to make music to make it even better.

-He loves everything about your accent. He would study where you were born and the place history to understand your background more.

The end!

[adayinthelifeofyn]

Valentine - (Kieran Duffy x Reader)

Type Of Story: Fluff/Lyric Fic

Song: Valentine by Laufey

I've rejected affection

For years and years

Now I have it, and damn it

It's kind of weird

(Y/N) had a hard life having to learn to steal and distrust from a very young age. The years hardened their heart until it was nothing but stone becoming harsh and deadly in order to survive the harsh lands of the Midwestern. 

It surprised no one when they eventually joined a gang in their 20’s. They seemed to fit right into the rest of the misfits that was the Van der Linde Gang yet there was one person that caught their eye…..and it seems they have caught his too.

He tells me I'm pretty

Don't know how to respond

I tell him that he's pretty too

Can I say that? Don't have a clue

When those words left his mouth (Y/N) was stunned for a moment.

“You're very pretty.” the gang's whipping boy had said to them one day. No one had ever called them pretty yet the camp's prisoner, Kieran Duffy, had said it as if it was pure fact. 

“You're just saying that to butter me up for something.” they had said back not believing he actually meant his words.

He looked like a kicked puppy when he heard that making (Y/N) for once feel a bit of guilt for their words.

“I don't mean any disrespect…..I think you're the prettiest person i've ever seen….” he said in a quiet tone now before he was called off to do something else. What he said stuck with (Y/N)....more than they would like to admit. 

With every passing moment

I surprise myself

I'm scared of flies

I'm scared of guys

Someone please help

'Cause I think I've fallen

In love this time

I blinked and suddenly, I had a Valentine

From that moment on (Y/N) couldn't help but keep a close eye on Kieran. From that they realized he wasn't a bad guy.

He was sweet and mean well enough. They started to hang around him more. Talking and quickly becoming protective of the Irish man. Something that didn't just surprise everyone in camp including Kieran but themselves as will. 

Slowly they noticed their heart start to beat faster when he was around…..

What the hell was happening to them?

What if he's the last one I kiss?

What if he's the only one I'll ever miss?

Maybe I should run, I'm only 21

I don't even know who I want to become

I've lost all control of my heartbeat now

Got caught in a romance with him somehow

I still feel a shock through every bone

When I hear an "I love you"

'Cause now I've got someone to lose

It was almost a year to the day now.

And they know it was now….or they would chicken out again. 

Tonight was the night they were going to tell Kieran how they felt for him. Just as they had taken a deep breath and went to leave their tent to go talk to Kieran they had run into him just as he was about to call out to them from outside their tent.

Before they could get any words out and with his face like a fire he cut in saying as quickly as he could how deeply he was smitten with them.

From their smile to being able to beat up someone twice their size he said he loved everything about them and more. 

And once he was done…he quickly turned to leave as if to avoid whatever their answer was. Only for them to grab his arm and pull him back. 

Say their grace and seal it with a kiss.

The first one to ever like me back

I'm seconds away from a heart attack

How the hell did I fall in love this time?

And honestly, I can't believe I get to call you mine

I blinked and suddenly, I had a Valentine

[giggly-squiggily]

Candy Heart Valentine Event 2024 Masterlist (M-Z)

Here's part two of the Candy Heart Valentine Event Masterlist! :D

Moriarty The Patriot

"Hey, do you like raspberries?" + "I haven't even touched you yet!" + "What a brave thing to say for someone so ticklish!" (William x Reader)

"I know all your weaknesses!" (Lee!William, Ler!Sherlock)

"I know all your weaknesses!" (William x Reader)

My Hero Academia

"Hey could you...you know?" (Lee!Tokoyami, Dark Shadow, Ler!Tsu)

"Is this a bad spot?" + "Look how red you are! How cute!" (Lee!Aizawa, Ler!Mic)

"No way! I didn't know you were ticklish!" (Aizawa x Reader)

"Oh that is IT! Come here!" + "Is this a bad spot?" (Lee!Hawks, Ler!Dabi)

"Where are those giggles I love so much?" + "You like being tickled, don't you?" (Hawks x Reader)

"When's the last time you smiled?" + "Not there? What about here?" (Lee!Mirko, Ler!Hawks)

"You like being tickled, don't you?" (Lee!Bakugou, Ler!Aizawa)

"You like being tickled, don't you?" + "What's so funny?" (Lee!Todoroki, Ler!Bakugou)

Pokemon

"Brave thing to say for someone so ticklish." (Lee!Drayton, Ler!Kieran)

"Hey could you...you know?" + "Do you want me to tickle you?" (Lee!Morty, Ler!Eusine)

"Hey, do you like raspberries?" (Rika x Reader)

"Hey, what are you- give that back!" (Cilan x Platonic!Reader)

"I'm gonna get you!" + "Keep your arms up!" (Tulip x Reader)

"I know all your weaknesses!" (Arven x Reader)

"I know all your weaknesses" (Lee!Clavell, Ler!Cyrano)

"Look how red you are! How cute!" (Crispin x Reader)

"No way! I didn't know you were ticklish!" (Carmine x Reader)

"Oh? Is someone ticklish?" (Tulip x Reader)

"Oh, is someone ticklish?" + "Not there? What about here?" + "Is this a bad spot?" (Ingo x Reader)

"Oh that is IT! Come here!" + "I didn't know you were ticklish here!" + "What a brave thing to say for someone so ticklish!" (Lee!Nemona, Ler!Iono)

"You can't hide from me, I can hear you laughing!" (Cilan x Reader)

"You can't hide from me, I can hear you laughing!" (Lee!Archie, ler!Maxie)

"What a brave thing to say for someone so ticklish!" (Switches!Emmet, Ingo)

"What a brave thing to say for someone so ticklish" (Lee!Archie, Ler!Maxie)

"When's the last time you smiled?" (Lee!Kieran, Ler!Drayton)

Sk8 The Infinity

"Keep your arms up!" + "No way! I didn't know you were ticklish!" (Lee!Karou, Ler!Kojiro)

"Where are those giggles I love so much?" + "When's the last time you smiled?" (Lee!Miya, Lers!Matchablossom)

"When's the last time you smiled?" + "I just want a hug!" + "What's so funny?" (Lee!Reki, Ler!Langa)

Spy x Family

"Oh that is IT! Come here!" + "I didn't know you were ticklish here!" (Franky x Reader)

Tokyo Revengers

"Hey, do you like raspberries?" (Lee!Hinata, Ler!Takemitchi)

"Hey what are you- give that back!" (Lee!Mikey, Ler!Draken)

"I haven't even touched you yet!" + "Oh that is IT! Come here!" + "Look how red you are! How cute!" (Lee!Baji, Ler!Draken)

"Not there? What about here?" (Lee!Chifuyu, Ler!Baji)

"Stop squirming!" (Lee!Chifuyu, Ler!Mitsuya)

"When's the last time you smiled?" (Lee!Takemitchi, Ler!Chifuyu)

"Where are those giggles I love so much?" + "Oh? Is someone ticklish?" (Mitsuya x Reader)

Toilet Bound Hanako-San

"What a brave thing to say for someone so ticklish!" (Lee!Nene, Ler!Hanako)

Vinland Saga

"I know all your weaknesses (Lee!Askeladd, Ler!Bjorn)

Yu Yu Hakusho

"Don't stop? If you say so!" (Kurama x Reader)

"I could do this all day" + "Not there? How about here?" (Kurama x Reader)

"I just want a hug!" (Lee!Hiei, Lers!Kurama, Yusuke)

"Oh? Is someone ticklish?" (Kurama x Reader x Hiei)

"Oh that is IT! Come here!" (Hiei x Reader)

"When's the last time you smiled?" + "Do you want me to tickle you?" (Lee!Yusuke, Ler!Kuwabara)

[gothicgender]

Navigation🕸

Salutations, welcome to my blog. I'm Blake but you can call me blaky or Liu aswell, however you prefer ! To say something about me I use they/them or neutral pronouns and want to become a writer. I may have bad grammar because I'm not english.

Requests - open

Request rules :

I will write for my fandoms because I'm more used to them.

The fandoms I'll write for are Hazbin Hotel, creepypasta, monster high, harry potter and maybe teen titans.

I am comfortable writing fluff, smut, angst, romantic, platonic and other stuff requested...tho I won't write smut that is too freaky or with weird kinks that I'm no comfortable with.

I can write fem, male and gender-neutral reader.

I can write headcanons or small fics about ships I also like because find it more easy then to write a ship I don't see happening or that I personally don't like.

I wouldn't like to be rushed with requests because it can be really stressful !

Do not be afraid to request and be specific with it !

Characters I will write for !

Hazbin hotel :

Chalie

Vaggie

Alastor

Angel Dust

Husk

Sir Pentious

Cherry Bomb

Rosie

The overlords (expect Valentino)

Lucifer

Lute

Adam (probably)

Mimzy (probably)

Katie Killjoy

Tom Trench

Ships I accept :

Charlie x Vaggie

Husk x Angel Dust

Valentino x Velvette x Vox (I believe they are poly)

Sir Pentious x Cherri Bomb

Carmila and Zestrial

Creepypasta :

Jeff the killer

Ben Drowned

Homicidal Liu

Bloody Painter

Ticci-Toby (probably)

Jason the toymaker

Candy Pop

Eyeless Jack

Hobo Heart

The puppeteer (maybe)

Kagekao

Laughing Jack

Nathan the nobody

Jane the Killer

Nina the killer (both versions)

Rogue

Kate the chaser

Nurse Ann

Suicide Sadie

Judge Angels

Clockwork

Zero

Lulu

Laughing Jill

Nemesis

Ships I accept :

Jane the killer x Mary (her canon wife)

Kagekao x Suicide Sadie

Bloody Painter x Judge Angels

Nurse Ann x Dr. Smiley

(other you can suggest)

Monster high (gen 1 or 2) :

Clawdeen Wolf

Draculaura Vike

Frankie Stein

Cleo de Nile

Lagoona Blue

Ghoulia Yelps

Abby Bominable

Jinafire Long

Iris Clops

Operetta

Robecca Steam

Rochelle Goyle

Scarah Screams

Skelita Calaveras

Spectra Vondergeist

Toralei Stripe

Purrsephone and Meowlody

Twyla Boogeyman

Venus McFlytrap

Marisol Coxi

C.A. Cupid

Casta Fierce

Elissabat

Clawdia Wolf

Viperine Gorgon

Deuce Gorgon

Clawd Wolf

Heath Burns

Holt Hyde

Invisi Billie

Jackson Jekyll

Neighthan Rot

Garrot du Roque

Kieran Valentine

Manny Taur

Ships I accept :

Clawdeen x Draculaura

Clawd x Draculaura

Cleo x Deuce

Abby x Heath

Ghoulia x Sloman

Frankie x Jackson

Spectra x Porter

Rochelle x Garrot

Scarah x Billie

Iris x Manny

Harry Potter :

Harry Potter

Ron Weasley

Hermione Granger

Fred and George Weasley

Percy Weasley

Alicia Spinnet

Lavender Brown

Parvati Patil

Dean Thomas

Neville Longbottom

Ginny Weasley

Lee Jordan

Angelina Johnson

Blaise Zabini

Pansy Parkinson

Tom Riddle

Theodore Nott

Daphne Greenglass

Millicent Bulstrode

Cho Chang

Padma Patil

Luna Lovegood

Marietta Edgecombe

Penelope Clearwater

Michael Corner

Hannah Abbott

Susan Bones

Cedric Diggory

Ships I accept :

Harry x Ginny

Ron x Hermione

Neville x Luna

Molly x Arthur Weasley

Bill x Fleur

Draco x Astoria

Angelina x Alicia

Teen Titans :

Robin (Dick Grayson)

Starfire

Raven

Beast Boy

Cyborg

Bumblebee

Blackfire

Terra

Madame Rogue

Chesire

Punk Rocket

Ships I accept :

Robin x Starfire

Raven x Beast Boy

Jinx x Kid Flash

This is all so far ! Thank you for visiting my page.

[my-st0ff]

Love and Paranoia

Chapter Two

Fandom: Red Dead Redemption

Pairing: Kieran Duffy x female reader

Chapter Song: Dress - Taylor Swift

You'd spoken what you know to be thoroughly with the stable master in Valentine. But to Kieran's ear, you two were blabbering and not getting down to the important things about buying a horse. You were just being friendly with a man you see fairly regularly. He seemed in high spirits this morning. Your orders were accurate. The only issue in this situation was Kieran's chronic nervousness / worrying - which you could see becoming exasperating.

"You just wait there, I'll go out back and see what I've got"

You smile and thank the man before taking a seat on a rickety wooden bench, brushing off a stray few pieces of hay before doing so. The barn smell infected every inch of the area.

You: "Sure is fresh smellin', huh?"

You smile in an attempt to dampen Kieran's disheartened thoughts and feelings.

Kieran: "Yeah, sure is"

He answers promptly in a tone that leaves you with slimmed eyes, wondering why the hell he didn't seem sarcastic.

You: "I was- you like the smell of horse shit?"

He sits silent for a moment.

Kieran: "I'm... used to it"

His voice pitches up in a reasoning tone. You can't help yourself from bursting into laughter.

You: "Oh, boy"

You chuckle. You calm yourself down a bit and peer over at Kieran again. He sat awkwardly smiling in an attempt to not let you notice how unfunny this really was to him.

You: "Hey, what's the matter wi'chu'?"

Your smile completely faded.

Kieran: "Nothin Mi- y/n"

You: "It's alright. Now your a free man, sort of"

You grumble at 'sort of'.

You: "You can go and have yourself a nice long soak in the lake, can't ya'? No more menuire smell"

You smile grimly in a teasing manner.

Kieran: "Oh, I don't know about that"

You: "Why?"

You shuffle in your seat to face him, who is sat beside you. You boot stomps on the ground when doing so, making Kieran jump ever so slightly.

Kieran: "I don't really feel like gettin' out all my bits in front of everyone"

He huffs in laughter.

You: "No, dummy. Someone'll take you a bit away from camp and so you can do it there. I'm sure. That's what everyone else does, heads off a bit and bathes in the lake. Other than Bill and Uncle, maybe"

You chuckle.

You: "You'd just have to be supervised is all, for obvious reasons"

Kieran hums in displeasure and grimices at the idea.

You: "Fine, whatever"

You brush away your moment of helpfullness and face forward once more to carry on waiting.

"Just getting some tacking and whatnot"

The stable master calls from the yard. You wait for a few moments longer, fairly peaceful until the trembling hands of Kieran enter your peripheral. You turn your head and blatenly stare at them. Kieran obviously notices.

Kieran: "Sorry, my hands are shaking from all of this silence and patience"

He huffs in laughter but speaks in an apologetic tone.

You: "You nervous?"

Kieran: "Yes, y/n"

You: "Well, I must say. I ain't never seen a grown man desperately waiting for anything like this... you really love horses, don't ya'"

Kieran: "I just-... what if he screws me over?"

He whispers, under the assumption that the stable master who was all the way across the barn from you both was going to be able to hear him.

You: "What? Christian? He'd never screw me over, you kiddin'?"

You answer with a volume that makes Kieran utterly uncomfortable.

Kieran: "I-"

He hesitates, whipping his head over to Christian, who is contently whispering as he gathers supplies. He then looked back into your eyes with deep brown and emotional ones. His eyes were always full of feeling. It was as if he felt every emotion more intensely than others.

Kieran: "Not us, he might screw me over. You saw the dirty looks he was giving me, surely"

You slap a hand down onto his knee in an attempt at compassion.

You: "He, now, I get it, kid. It's tough being different from everyone around ya'. Either for being a woman in a gang a' stinkin' men"

You smirk and laugh.

"Or for being... well... kind hearted"

You peer to the ground beside him for only a moment, gathering yourself after a small flutter of joy emerged in your core. One that carried realisation that Kieran Duffy was nothin' but nice.

"They key - you just gotta act confident. Be strongheaded, ya' know? Everyone thinks that they know us, but they don't know the first damn thing, kid"

Kieran: "All due respect, you make it look easy"

He lets out a sort of relieved huff of laughter.

You: "It ain't"

You add, finally reeling your arm back in and leaving it at your side. You face forward again. That's when Christian calls.

Christian: "You're lucky, few breeders tried to take this fella' off my hands a few days ago. He's got one hell of a coat, if you don't mind riding a pretty boy of the horse world"

He chuckles, bearing yellowed and chipped teeth. A tall and wide animal led beside him, one with a muscular build that still carried a healthy and warm amount of chub. This horse had a lightly coloured torso. This colour stopped abruptly at his cheeks and some spots of his legs, replaced by a golden brown. His eyes lay half-lidded. He was not aware of his magnificence and never would be... damn, maybe I'm starting to get why Kieran loves these stinkers so much. You ponder. Kieran peers over at you for some sort of permission. When you shoot him a look of reassurance, he approaches Christian and the horse.

Kieran: "Can I take him off your hands?"

He asks politely, and Christian passes him the reigns. Kieran brings the palm of his right hand to meet the horses forehead and softly rubs the spot.

You: "Wow, Christian. You sure?"

Christian: "Course, just if you by any chance have him breed with a mare, I'd love to take a look at those little golden eggs"

He grins.

You: "You got it, sir"

You give him a firm and dominant handshake.

Kieran: "Those markings are just amazin', really amazin'"

He pipes up, yet his focus remains on the horse.

Christian: "Sure are, you better take care of him, son"

He almost threatens.

Kieran: "Don't you worry one moment, sir, I'll give him the best life you could imagine"

You could hear the giddiness he was doing his very best to conceal in his voice. Resulting in one of the corners of your lips to curl upwards smugly. You felt quite... proud? Of yourself for bringing such bliss to your otherwise rather miserable tag-along. Once you had collected all the things you needed for Kieran's new friend (best friend by the looks of things as he couldn't keep his affectionate touches away from the gentle giant), you eventually made your way out of the stable. You stood outside the front of the desolate stables together, divided by the horse, who looked contented enough to stand still for the rest of the evening.

You: "Right, now now the hard part"

You explain, walking around the the front of the horse and giving him a nose scratch.

Kieran: "Namin' him?"

He smiles, and you respond with furrow brows. He feels inclined to awkwardly mumble "joke" with a grin. You take a deep breath before breaking the momentary silence.

You: "Well, go ahead"

You take a few steps back, pinching the bridge of your nose. You'd felt a little sweet towards Kieran for a moment back there but had now remembered yourself. Kieran strokes the forehead of his companion. He whispers something with compassion and then moves to the side of the horse. He puts a foot into the closest stirrup and then pats the horses back before moving onto the next step. He pushes himself up with support from the saddle and flips his other leg over, successfully slipping it into the stirrup with the trouble. Kieran laughs in relief whilst petting the mane.

You: "Alright, this ain't his first rodeo for sure"

You erase the distance between you and the horse, from where you had stood back just in case. You stroll over with one hand comfortably on your hip. You utilise the other grab ahold of Kieran's reigns. Without warning, you begin moving at a considerate pace out of town. The horse doesn't seem to mind, but your tag-along decides to make a fuss anyway.

Kieran: "Hey!"

You: "Yeah?"

Kieran: "Weren't ready"

He mumbles.

You: "What was that?"

Kieran: "Nothin'"

He sighs.

You: "Just bought you a whole horse, it better be nothin'"

You'd rode gently through the forests near Valentine for barely that long, and it already felt like hours to you.

You: "God damnit, Kieran. Are we even close to the herbs?"

Kieran: "Matter a' fact, just across that swamp"

You peer up at him from where he sits upon his relaxed and obedient horse to see him pointing forward. Distraught is the only way you could describe your reaction. You crouch to rest your elbows on your legs, face in hands.

You: "Let me up on your horse"

You speak into your hands.

Kieran: "Huh?"

Your head whips up at him. You exclaim your demand through grit teeth.

You: "Let me up on your horse!"

Kieran: "Oh, uh, course"

He shuffles up the saddle. Upon approaching the saddle, you see the horse antsy for the first time. Hooves trotting in place and grunting uncomfortably as your long leather jacket brushes his leg.

Kieran: "Ah, ah, ah"

He gives soothed scratches to the horses neck. Each time you try to get close enough to the horse to get up, he shuffles to the side, away from you.

You: "What's the matter with ya', boy?"

Agrovation evident in your voice.

Kieran: "I don't think he likes the feel a' the leather"

You: "The wha-, oh c'mon. Don't be silly, boy, it's a god damn jacket"

You speak directly the horse.

You: "Just do it swiftly, he won't even notice"

You reach an arm up and pace towards him.

Kieran: "I- I ain't sure, y/n"

You widen your eyes, communicating urgency as you get close. He lets down an arm for you to grab, but his expression is the epitimy of anxiety. And his hands are shaking from all this, again. The horse freezes completely for a moment when you manage to sit flat behind Kieran, your hands on his waist.

You: "Ha!"

You exclaim in proud excitement.

You: "See, kid, what did I tell-"

Your speech is cut short when you shuffle and your jacket falls completely over the horses' thigh like a blanket. The animals screeches like it's in physical pain before sprinting forwards only to panic so much more when it's ankles are fully enveloped in thick mud, sinking a few good centimetres into the swamp that now sat around you. It's legs then tensed as it used all of its might to kick itself up from the mud and water. This inevitably knocked you both off. Your body made an unpleasant slap when it slammed down into sinking mud.

You: "Ow"

You whined in defeat.

Kieran: "I told you"

You hear Kieran speak. His voice travelled through the wind as he lay in a similar position from quite a bit away. The horse had retreated to a patch of grass on the other end of the swamp, to make matter so much worse.

You: "You what?!"

Your voice strains to a shout.

Kieran: "I told you he didn't like the leather!"

You: "Don't you talk back to me!"

You manage to get yourself halfway to a stand before falling ass first back into brown and mossy green sludge. Kieran, who's sat on a harder section of still wet mud holding his lower back, couldn't help but let out a few genuine chuckles.

You: "Somethin' funny?!"

Kieran: "Sorry, oh my- sorry"

He pushes out between intensifying laughter.

You: "Oh, that's it!"

Kieran just could not bring himself to feel any bit threatened for once as you pulled yourself finally onto your feet and cautiously made your way to him. The quickest you could as your legs were inches deep instantly when you took each step. As you finally got to where he was and towered over him, he brought his hands up in surrender.

Kieran: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I mean it now c'mon"

A small smile paints his rosey cheeks. You sigh and extend an arm. He takes your offer just so that you can pull him halfway to your level and then chuck his body back into the wetter part of the mud you had just trudged through. The wobbly shriek he lets out immediately knocks the anger out of you. You burst into laughter, having to bend over and support yourself with your hands on your bent knees as you watch Kieran flail about in the mud, doing all he could to stand up without one successful attempt. His entire body was covered head to toe in brown slime by the time he'd gotten up, out of breath.

You: "Oh, god, that is so funny"

You wheeze as you make slow steps towards where the horse casually grazed across the whole obstacle. Kieran trotted his way quickly beside you as you walked past a pool of dark yellow water. You pat his back with unintentional hardness.

You: "I'm sorry, kid, I couldn't help it"

You giggle.

Kieran: "Me neither"

He mumbles.

You: "Huh?"

Before another word, you are flung with one hard push into the ickiest collection of water you'd ever seen. Luckily, it's shallow enough to prevent any struggle in making your way to the surface. When you do, you find Kieran crouched near the edge, looking down at your helpless self. A dynamic you never thought would see the light of day.

Kieran: "You alright?"

He chuckles. You glare up at him for a second before the angry pressure releases and your lips curl into the smallest smile.

You: "You're a real shit, y'know that?"

He bellows out in laughter before extending an arm. You pull yourself up just to discover the two of you are now matching, covered head to toe in mud. Some of his now quickly drying to chips of flat earth on his skin that would crack at movement.

You: "I hope you know this is our first and last ever trip into town after this shit. You want more clothes, ask John to take ya', or Dutch"

You tease.

Kieran: "I think I'd rather walk around with a leaf covering my crotch"

You knees struggle to bend correctly in the swamp to make your way to the dry(ish) land. Kieran quickly notices and brings an arm up under your arms so that he can support you and you him as you mirror his action. Usually, you would shrug off the help of others, but you could not stand the thought of falling another time. You eventually, with many groans and heavy breaths between the two of you, made it to grassed over dirt.

Kieran: "Here, boy! Hey, c'mere ya' big moron"

He calls out to his horse and awkwardly waddles in it's direction, squelching noises emitted from each step. You take this time to yank off each of your boots and tip the water along with a few clumps of dirt out onto the ground. You almost regretted doing so when the horrible cold dampness meets your socks upon sliding them back on. Soon enough, Kieran returns to you with an unbothered horse trailed behind him by the reigns. His half-lidded eyes as they were before, and his jaw moving up, down and side to side slowly and lazily as he grazed. Kieran fiddles with a satchel attached to the saddle before figuring our how to unclip it.

Kieran: "Right, they grow in little clusters"

He searches the perimeter with his gaze, then angles his head down to face his feet.

"Like this"

He adds, leaning over and bunching more than a dozen small thin stalks covered in light blue pearls of herb in his fist before yanking them out of the soft earth. You observe the plant, then take a look for yourself around where you stand, only to be met with not a single dash of blue among the emerald green of tall forest grass.

You: "Oh, c'mon, this is gonna be impossible"

Kieran raises his eyebrows, packing the satchel with the contents he had just acquired.

Kieran: "It ain't"

He extends his vowels.

Kieran: "I found some just now"

He attempts to convince you.

You: "That"

You point at the satchel.

"Was lucky"

A good quarter of an hour passed whilst you busted your back bending over to pick out blue plants. Kieran did the same. Though he enjoyed the simple task, you took a moment to stretch out each limb after filling the satchel a bit higher with a load that you had found. Whilst doing so, you observed Kieran, who had just now discovered a large deposit of herbs that collected around the base of a tall, thick royal tree. He plopped himself next to the group of herbs, and with crossed legs, he began to carefully pick out the healthiest ones. A look of bliss glazed over his eyes and his skin shon in the now retreating sun.

You: "Alright, time out for me"

You yell over. Kieran does not flinch nor cower. He nods with a small smile, only gracing you with a split second to look into his chocolate brown eyes illuminated to a honey colour by the sunshine before bringing his attentions back to the patch of pretty plants. You decide to take this time to make up with Kieran's horse. You approach the animal slowly, It only looking up at you for a moment before lazily dipping its head back to continue grazing.

You: "Hey, boy. What d'you say us two have a little chat?"

You speak quietly. Some of the hidden browns in the horses eyes that would be usually covered by a sooty colour shon through to the surface of his glimmering eyes.

You: "Yeah, your alright, ain't ya?"

You ask rhetorically before placing your right palm on his forehead and stroking down his long face. But when you reposition your hand to scratch his cheeks, part of your leather sleeve brushes his short, smooth fur - pulling a grunt out of him.

You: "Woah, you don't like the feeling of leather, huh?"

The horse whines softly as if he can understand you.

You: "Well, you're gonna have to get used to it, boy, you're my ride home"

Unexpectedly, Kieran speaks from beside you, you not even noticing his approach.

Kieran: "I'd just take it off if I were you, y/n"

You: "huh?"

You ask, a hand to your chest as you do your best to cover up being startled by his sudden presence. Kieran loads up the satchel with a massive bunch of herbs as he speaks.

Kieran: "Your jacket, just hold it on the way back"

An anxiety you hadn't experienced in longer than you remember stirs in your stomach.

You: "I'd rather not... he'll get used to it"

Kieran laughs softly.

Kieran: "That's what you said before"

He moves out his arms and looks down at his own body as an example as he speaks, caked in mud. You do the same.

Kieran: "Here, lemme' get it for ya'"

He says and moves behind your body, placing a hand on each one of your shoulders. You jolt away from his touch.

You: "I said I'm alright"

Kieran furrows his brows ever so slightly in confusion.

Kieran: "You alright, y/n?"

You: "I'm covered in mud. My boots are wet and cold, and my ass hurts from getting bucked. No, I ain't!:

Sounds of people are completely removed from the alive sounding environment you stand in for a few moments. Kieran's eyes dropping to the floor.

You: "Sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- look let's just get home"

You say quickly and turn to the horse, who scurries to the side and grunts a little when you approach him. You take a deep breath, peer back at Kieran (who is looking over at you and his horse with utter silent concern), and then groan in frustration. Balling your fists and then bringing your hands up to your jacket to shimmy it off your shoulders and folding it in your arms. As you do this, Kieran watches the (fair/tanned/olive/sweet chocolate) skin of your arms, untouched by mud, reveal with every inch of leather removed. His eyes jump over all of the big and small scars that dotted themselves all up and down your arms. Your head peers over your shoulder at him, your eyes vulnerable. Unable to portray the annoyed feelings you were experiencing as they were overwhelmed by nerves.

You: "What?"

You attempt to speak bluntly, but your voice comes out a tender sound.

Kieran: "N-nothin'"

His eyes flick away from your body immediately. You chuck your jacket to Kieran, who catches it and re-folds it attentively after your botched job whilst you push yourself onto a farther back part of the saddle.

You: "I fought a bear"

You side-eye him with a tiny smirk, breaking the tension as he resisted to ask anything about your hundreds of marks. He huffs in laughter, and your smile grows bigger. He strolls over and hands you back your jacket before straddling his horse and grabbing ahold of the reigns. Your hands loosely and gently clasp around his waist. When he begins the horse to a trot, he peers down at your wrist discreetly, analysing one of the whiter scars going down the top side of your arm.

Kieran: "Don't tell me, that's why you never take that thing off?"

He asks light-heartedly.

Kieran: "You look so cool, I'd be showing that off!"

His heart fills with pride and content when he hears a small laugh erupt from behind him. A flutter fills him from his abdomen to his chest as he looks into the sunset you ride towards paired with the sound of your gentle laughter. The sensation was something he could not label, similar to excitement. Either way, he likes the feeling.

By the time you make it back to camp, your eyes lay half shut, and the moon lights your way. Nobody seemed to be up, and lights were out. You made your way to your tent as Kieran hitched his horse.

Kieran: "Hey, y/n!"

He calls across camp. Making you tense up and shoot him a look of agrovated shock. Kieran mouths 'sorry' before quickly bouncing over to you whilst you chuck your boots and jacket into your tent.

Kieran: "I thought of what ima' name him"

He speaks low.

You: "oh, yeah?"

Kieran: "Branwen"

He smiles, you shoot him a confused look.

You: "Certainly unique"

Kieran: "Alright, negative nancy, I'll have you know that name actually means-m-"

He trips over his words and then fully stops in his tracks before clearing his throat and turning around once you suddenly pulk your white tank top off and chuck it into your tent also.

You: "It means?"

Kieran: "Uhh-"

You: "You going for a soak or what?"

You put casually, pulling off your trousers now. Kieran stood completely stunned as he stared at the sky. He remains silent other than infrequent 'uh's.

You: "What's the matter with ya', boy?"

Kieran: "I'll leave you to your uhh river- bath- whatever"

He says and then takes quick desperate steps away from you.

You: "Your sleeping like that?"

The dry mud piled on his skin is causing itchy spots over his body, and he is fully unsure of what to do.

Kieran: "I, um, well no, well yeah. I'll go in the morning"

You: "Alright, but everyone'll be pretty busy, so it'll be John who has to take ya' away from camp for it"

Kieran pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a long, shakey inhale when the thought is forced into him of John 'gun to his head' Marston watching him bathe himself.

Kieran: "I think I will actually-"

He says but stops when he turns to see you'd silhouette already close to the lake, wrapping a blanket around your body.

Kieran gently places the ragged blanket he had around his bare body on the sandy shore that contained spots of grass poking through the grains. He walks his way into the water as cautiously as he can to not make a sound. Gripping his fists into balls as he prays you don't turn around and see his entirely naked figure. Luckily, you only noticed the disturbance to the surface of the water when he was half submerged, the water stopping just above his naval. You turn instinctively away from the view of the dark horizon and shoot Kieran a small smile. Your heart beats faster as it's suddenly an uncomfortable atmosphere. Your body is sunk deep enough to only be exposing your shoulders and collarbone.

You: "Sorry we ain't got no soap out here"

You huff in laughter.

Kieran: "I'm just glad to have fresh water on my skin"

He sounds genuinely relieved as he sinks down further, still a fair distance between you both. You submerge your head fully to bathe your scalp, only to bob back up in a different spot, a bit further from Kieran and with your back to him. You take a deep breath and start to run the water up and down your skin, doing your best to complete this proficiently as you usually do. Though you can feel Kieran's resisting stare like a tickle on your back. You turn back around in a casual movement and see Kieran washing himself in your peripheral, currently trying to get dirt out of the shell of his ears.

You: "God, you're a jackass"

You break the silence with a smug remark.

Kieran: "Huh?"

He smiles.

You: "This is all your fault"

You laugh, your sarcasm was being taken completely seriously.

Kieran: "What is?"

You: "Why we're both covered in swamp"

You laugh.

Kieran: "Shut up"

He bellows a genuine laugh as you, more comfortably now, approach closer to him.

Kieran: "You ain't funny"

You: "Then why you laughin'?"

You chuckle. Kieran laughs as he brings his head down into the water and scrubs his hair back and forth. When he comes back up, he keeps scratching at his scalp, looking frustrated as he can't get any of the mud to slide off of his locks.

Kieran: "God damnit"

He mutters.

You: "What is the goal here?"

You tease, washing the last bits of dirt out of your own hair.

Kieran: "This stuff is stubborn. It's Inescapable, I'm not even gonna try"

You: "Hey, don't just scratch your head, jesus"

You huff and come closer to Kieran. You raise your arms out of the water, revealing a tiny bit more of your skin as you bring one of your hands to his hair and gently run the fingers through whilst you use your other to cup collections of water in your hand and pour it over his hair. This is most likely the closest you'd ever been face to face with Kieran, his skin glimmered with millions of beads of pure light from the moon's reflection on the droplets of water. The water around you illuminated with the face of the moon also. It felt like the light was focused on just where the two of you stood. It was like an aura. You did all you could to not peak down at his glistening collarbone and neck and pay attention to his hair. A sigh of content unintentionally fell from his lips when your fingers gently massaged where some of the dirt sat at the base of his scalp. His head bowed and eyes shut, sort of in embarrassment. For the next minute, you both stood in comfortable silence and took in the noises of the drips and swishes each time you moved your arms.

You: "There you go"

You speak low, almost in a whisper. Kieran's tired eyelids separated to reveal the look of pure bliss he was portraying. In this moment, you wished for the artistic skills of Hosea just for tonight so you could capture his expression forever. View it whenever you like. God, now why the hell am I thinkin' like that. Pull yourself together, woman, you think. You bring a thumb to his cheek and push the pad of it across his face to wipe a remaining smudge of dirt.

Kieran: "Thanks, feels a lot better"

He smiles. You're only just noticing his height over you, the discreet dimples that form in the transition between expressions he makes, how his skin looked so soft to the touch and how licks of his hair popped out almost every time he moved. Your entire body stiffens in place when his hand brushes and then clasps your lower arm gently beneath the water.

Kieran: "You alright?"

His brows stitch in concern.

Kieran: "You look worried"

You: "I'm just fine"

You muster up a small smile. Your whispered voices and close warm bodies all contribute towards the ever building tension around the both of you. Kieran other hand is balled up in his best effort to keep holding back from you.

You: "Um, today was actually real fun, Kieran"

Kieran: "Yeah"

He smiles and huffs a small laugh from his nose.

You: "You tell Dutch I said that and I'll skin ya', ya' know that?"

Kieran laughs.

Kieran: "Very irresponsible of you to be running around with an O'Driscoll, y/n"

You laugh a little before clearing your throat and, in a sudden coming to your senses, back off from Kieran, his hand slipping from your arm.

You: "I'll see you tomorrow, don't get yourself into no more trouble"

You say as you wade towards the land.

Kieran: "y/n"

You: "yeah?"

Kieran: "You're very pr-... you're beautiful... don't worry about hiding those battle scars you got"

He speaks with genuine tenderness. You had stopped in your tracks, your back to him as you now stood with your full top half exposed, but you did not look at him nor say anything. You'd rather just acted out a single nod. He watched you emerge for a moment before looking away quickly when your entire body was touching the air. You wrapped yourself in your blanket and shivered as you made your way back to your tent.

You'd gotten a head start on the sun this morning, being up and dressed before it had a chance to bathe the camp fully. A few of the gang were up, but a lot were still snoring in their tents whilst you waited for your piping hot cup of brown to chill enough to be drinkable. A familiar sound of footsteps haunted you as you sat under a tree by yourself. You knew who it was just by the sound of wicked large spurs clunking.

"Well, g'mornin', honey"

You: "Mornin', Micah"

You spoke monotone, gripping onto the slim hope he would for once in his life get the hint and leave whoever he's boring the hell alone.

Micah: "Glad to see your all clean"

You look up from your cup, staring straight forward whilst Micah leans on the tree.

You: "Huh?"

Micah: "I'll tell you what I was sleepin' like a baby till' you two got back last night. And I woke up just in time for a show"

He chuckles, disgusting you to your core.

Micah: "Don't worry"

He waves his hand in front of his face.

"I let you two get your privacy, I ain't no creep"

Sure

"But I saw enough to be able to make demands"

You: "to what?"

You glare up at him.

Micah: "See, they know nothing about you two's little adventure in the lake"

He points discreetly at a group of camp members sitting at a table.

You: "Oh, hell, Micah, we didn't- it's not what it looked like"

Micah: "Well, I only know what I saw, and what I saw is too naked folk touching up on eachother, now what would you label that as, y/n?"

You: "Get outa' here"

Micah: "In that case... time for some harmless gossip with Dutch"

You: "Wait"

You demand in a low and vexed tone.

Micah: "Yes, sweetheart"

You: "What do you want?"

You ask through grit teeth.

Micah: "I want a go at ya'"

He grins.

You: "Oh, for the love of god, Micah. Your disgustin'"

Micah: "Now I wake up by your side tomorrow, and my lips might not be so loose"

You: "Forget it"

Your tone rough and spikey. Micah inhales slowly through his nose.

Micah: "Fine"

Your head flips back and forth as you do your best to resist watching him smugly walk over to the group he had pointed to, with a hand on his belt. Most of the expressions you're catching are not so bothered, but when your eyes land upon Ms. Grimshaw, the look of pure outrage is enough to make a grown woman shit herself. You know, for a fact, she is on her way to speak to Dutch the moment he leaves his tent.

In your best efforts to make yourself invisible, you fold your arms and hunch over as you scatter to your tent. Making yourself physically smaller and subconsciously mirroring how puny you felt inside.

"Y/n!"

You hear the all too familiar voice of your troubles say your name and everything just stops. Including you, mid stride.

"Y/n, can you help me with Puncher, he don't wanna eat these her-"

You: "I'm busy!"

You snap back across the space dividing you. Mindlessly gaining even more side glances than you were already dealing with. Your visions does almost a full 360° as quickly as you can, it does not take long to soak in all the stares. You pace urgently towards Kieran, closing the gap.

You: "Gimme' those"

You hiss, snatching the balled up herbs from his gentle, long fingers.

You: "Wha- get outta' here"

Your teeth are grit as you growl under your breath, your heart thumping extraordinarily as more and more time passes where you are in the company of your assumed secret.

Kieran: "Sum'n wrong, y/n?"

You: "As a matter a' fact, yeah. You're in my god damn way!"

Your hand strikes outwards, gesturing towards your horse hitched up by your tent.

Kieran: "Right"

He momentarily complies, standing aside. But his leaving y/n alone streak of 2 seconds is broken when he turns around and plods after you.

Kieran: "Did I do somethin' to upset you?"

His tender, concerned little voice leaves you having to take in an outstretched and stuttered inhale before confronting him before your tent.

You: "I can't have you followin' me around like no damn puppy. I helped you out. You did the same for me. You made your mark on me and my reputation, now beat it!"

Kieran does not look in any other direction other than forward, but his eyes somehow still convey a perfect portrait of lowness, mixed with confusion and self-deprication. It wasn't, it couldn't have been. But it sure as hell felt like the camp was dead silent for those few moments.

Kieran: "Sure thing"

He musters without a single wobble or crack and makes his way back to his duties swiftly. You watch his figure grow smaller and smaller for a moment as the distance increases, with balled fists and frustrated lines upon your forehea, but soon, catch yourself. You shoot a threatening glare at the few folks that had been an audience to your encounter so that they turned away promptly in some terribly put-together false claim that they were never looking in the first place.

You lower yourself with a grunt beneath your breath next to your horse. You glanced into Puncher's somehow knowing eyes with suspicion before presenting him with the herbs that he apparently refused to accept. The animal, who was starting to regain his strength already, immediately nuzzled his snout into the palm of your hand. You kept your hand there so that Puncher could take his time and enjoy the plants. It was quite the mission to acquire them after all.

You: "Atta' boy... not eatin', my ass"

You mumble.

You: "You just not like him or somethin'?"

You smile and lean in close when you ask, under your breath like he was going to gossip back.

You: "Nah, you'd trust a starved dog starin' at ya' thighs, wouldn't ya'? Ya' big, dumb sweetheart"

The sun was coming close to the stage of setting where it is at peak magnificence. Just like how we saw it last night, you smile, watching the clouds near the sun morph. 'nough of that, you reaffirm in your mind and take your spoon to your bowl of flavour-lacking stew. The log you sat on was bumpy, and the dinner you ate was mediocre. You envied the man your view had shifted to. Kieran brushed each horse so attentively, but none had received such an amount of cooing and smiles until he made his way to Branwen. Though he seemed happy enough, he'd exhaust himself if he still didn't eat, even now he had the option.

You: "Night, boys"

You send your fairwells to your company, Arthur and John. You covertly scooped up another bowls-worth of stew. Thank god stealth was a strong suit of yours, or Pierson would have your head on a spike.

You: "Eat"

You let out a flat word as you offer, rather force, a bowl of stew towards Kieran. Who you had made your way over to, to inevitably make him jump.

Kieran: "I ain't hungry, thanks"

You: "Yes you are"

You sigh.

You: "Don't you dare waste this now"

You scolded with raised eyebrows. Kieran takes the bowl and spoon from you, only to place it on a log beside him.

You: "Kid-"

Kieran: "I ain't gonna waste it, I just gotta finish up"

He doesn't make eye contact once as he speaks.

You: "Kieran, can we talk"

You place your hands on your hips, swallowing your pride. Though nobody in camp was facing the two of you, you were silently making the decision to embrace your new reputation as you did this.

Kieran: "Th-that's what I was hopin'"

He answers breath-ily, still brushing Branwen's back, but gracing you with glances as he does.

You: "Look, it's real rough being taken seriously as a woman in this trade sometimes and... and I... uh... I regret... I regret how I were with ya' earlier today"

The tiniest smile tints his cheeks.

Kieran: "You tryna say your sorry?"

You: "Uh... yeah, that"

You struggle. Kieran laughs at your now familiar and almost comforting stubborn nature.

Kieran: "It's quite alright. Maybe we can work on those outbursts together"

He seems so pleased with himself to be able to shoot jabs at you without the fear of you drawing on him or letting one of your burly friends know if you were feeling lazy. He seemed pleased upon the thought that he trusted you enough, and had somebody to joke with.

You: "Y'know what it'd probably do me some good, kid"

You roll your eyes.

You: "What's the matter now?"

The phrasing of your question is blunt, but your tone is gentle as you nod to his hands as they shake again.

Kieran: "I um... My hands shake, I can't explain this- it's just always happened to me. Since I was a boy, I suppose"

You: "Don't help you with your workin', I bet"

You notice him struggle to keep a firm and straight movement as he holds the horse brush to Branwen's side. You peer down at the other few brushes on the ground, biting your lip in debate before failing to resist and grabbing one in your left hand. You bring it up to a different spot of the broad animal's body. Right before you place it to his fur, you see your jacket sleeve below the hand you're using. You squeeze the wooden brush and then take a deep, long breath. In a swift movement, you drop the coat off of your shoulders and onto the dirt. You freeze in place after beginning to brush when you feel the caliced but warm palm of Kieran land on your bare shoulder.

Kieran: "Thank you, y/n... for everything"

Your eye contact is so deep for such a short note of speech.

You: "Y-yeah, no worries, kid"

Your breath hitched before and after your comment, quickly bringing yourself back to focusing on the horse in quite an awkward state.

You both silently milk the amount of time it takes to groom Branwen's short and not too unkempt coat so that you can watch the sunset as you do. Making off comments but mostly living in comfortable silence.

[allzelemonz]

Clothes: Kieran Duffy X Male Reader

Pronouns: None Mentioned, Reader referred to as ‘son’ and ‘mister’ Physical Sex: None Mentioned Rating: G/Fluff Warnings: Dutch is questionable, arguing with Dutch, Dutch is a dad, standing up for Kieran, love confession, budding relationship, very fluffy Kieran Duffy Summary: You’re fed up with the way the gang treats Kieran, so you do something about it.

The man has been tied to a tree for a long time now. He gets water on a rare occasion, but hardly ever food. He’s been wearing the same clothes the whole time too. When he came back with John he wasn’t tied to the tree again and now he’s attempting to contribute to camp. He gets food and water regularly now, but he’s still in the same clothes.

“Hey, Kieran.” You say, standing by the tree line.

He looks up from the saddle on his knee. “Hey, Mister.”

“You wanna go into town with me?”

“Into town?” He asks, glancing at Dutch’s tent.

“Don’t worry about Dutch, you wanna go or not?”

He looks down for a minute, thinking. “You, uh, you sure Dutch won’t be mad, Mister?”

“If he is, he’ll be mad at me.” You say. “Come on.”

Kieran carefully puts the saddle away and joins you by the path. You mount your horses and ride into town without much incident despite the recent O’Driscoll sightings. You lead Kieran down the road and hitch in front of the saloon. A few townspeople say hello, recognising you from your few trips into Valentine.

“Here.” You say, tossing Kieran a coin. “Go to the hotel, get a bath.”

Kieran looks from you to the coin. “Ya don’t have ta do that, Mister.”

“I do. Because if I have to hear Miss Grimshaw talk about the other men in camp smelling I will throw myself off of the cliff.” You say.

“Oh.” Kieran looks away from you.

“You deserve a little relaxation after all that captivity.” You say, giving him a sympathetic smile. “I’m not paying for anyone else, the others can go in the river for all I care.”

“Well, I, uh,” Kieran takes a breath, collecting his thoughts. “Thanks, Mister.”

You turn to your saddle bag and pull out a stack of clothes. “Take these too.”

Kieran takes them from you. “Are ya sure? I don’t want ya spendin’ all yer money on me.”

“I didn’t spend any, I’ve had those for years.”

Kieran’s face goes a little red. “You’re-you’re givin’ me yer clothes?”

“You need them, I don’t.” You wave him off. “Go on, I’ll be here.”

You leave Kieran by the horses and go into the saloon. From the window you see him walk to the hotel and disappear inside. You take a table by the door and order some food for you and Kieran. You know Dutch will likely be upset when you get back, but Miss Grimshaw will be happy that one less of the men smells like horses so it’s a decently even trade. Your loyalty may be questioned, Bill and Sean will certainly think so, but Kieran’s a good guy. Even for a former O’Driscoll.

You can see Kieran through the window as he leaves the hotel. Your clothes don’t look too bad on him. He enters and sees you so he sits across the table. You point to the plate in front of him.

He shakes his head. “I told ya, I don’t want ya spendin’ all yer money on me.”

“You think this is all my money?” You chuckle. “As annoying as Micah is, he picks good jobs. I robbed a stage with him yesterday, I got money to spare.”

“You sure, Mister?” Kieran asks, looking down at the food.

“It’s already paid for, Kieran. Eat.”

“Thank you.” He says, meeting your eyes.

You nod with a small smile and he starts to eat. Compared to the constant stew from Pearson, you know how good saloon food can be. You relax in your chair as Kieran eats, having already finished yours while he was at the hotel.

“Anyone talk to you about a tent yet?” You ask as Kieran finishes his last bite.

He shakes his head. “You’ve already done enough, Mister. Ya don’t need ta-”

“So no.” You cut him off. “I’ll talk to Dutch then.”

“Really, Mister, you’ve done enough.” Kieran says. “I appreciate it, but ya don’t gotta do all this for me.”

“I want to.” You say, sitting up in your chair to look at Kieran.

“Why?” He asks. “Everybody else around here still calls me an O’Driscoll!”

“I’ve met O’Driscolls.” You chuckle, shaking your head. “You’re not an O’Driscoll.”

“You mind mentionin’ that ta Dutch?”

“I do, almost on a daily basis.”

“Ya do?”

You nod. “It’s mostly Sean that says it, I think he does it to annoy me now.”

Kieran smiles to himself. You correcting people is one thing, but the fact that it annoys you when they call him an O’Driscoll is a whole other, much more meaningful, thing.

“Let’s get back so I can face Dutch’s long winded speech.” You say, standing.

Kieran follows you. His mind is on a lot of different things now. He’s wearing your clothes, you took him into town and bought him food and a bath, you’re going to talk to Dutch so he doesn’t have to. He thinks about this for the whole ride back to camp. You’re too nice to him and he can’t wipe the smile from his face, even as he hitches his horse next to yours.

“And where, may I ask, have you been?” Dutch asks, his hands on his hips as he stands halfway between you and his tent.

“Town.” You answer simply.

“With the O’Driscoll boy?”

“I was watching him, he didn’t do anything wrong.”

Dutch sighs. “And if he had gone running to those O’Driscolls we’ve seen all over town?”

“He didn’t.” You say, looking over the forming crowd. “It’s not a big deal, Dutch.”

“It is, son.” He shakes his head. “You have no idea how big of a deal it is.”

You sigh. “Let’s talk then, Dutch. You tell me what makes it such a big deal.”

“Sure, son.” Dutch gestures to his tent. “Come on in.”

Never before has Dutch been terrifying to you, but now he seems like a monster hiding in plain sight. Some of the traits you’ve heard about the infamous Colm, you’re starting to see in Dutch. The members of the gang watch as you go into Dutch’s tent and he drops the covers. Kieran’s heart is nearly beating out of his chest as he makes himself go back to work.

“I know you care for the boy, son, but I can’t risk him running off to Colm.” Dutch says, handing you a cup of tea that you know Hosea brewed earlier.

“He has nothing but respect for everyone here, he’s thankful for you getting him out of there, Dutch.”

He shakes his head. “I just can’t let him run around with O’Driscolls about.”

“Wherever he goes, I will go with him.” You say. “I have no problem babysitting him, Dutch. If that’s what you really think is necessary.”

Dutch sighs, tapping his finger on his cup of tea. “I can’t lose a good man like you on these jobs we have planned.”

“You won’t.” You say, putting your cup down. “He’s fine while he’s in camp, right?”

“I just don’t know, son.”

“I’m not asking for you to tell him all your plans and let him run off into the sunset, Dutch!” You say, frustration starting to set in. “I just think you could treat him a little more like a person.”

“I let that boy, that O’Driscoll, live. I think that is plenty.”

“You and I both know he’s not a real O’Driscoll.” You sigh. “You want loyalty, Dutch? Make him feel like you’re someone worth being loyal to.”

Dutch stares at you, his eyes settling on the implied accusation you’ve put in the air.

You sigh. “You brought all of us in and gave us a home. You are a father to half of us, a brother to the rest. Why not Kieran?”

Dutch shakes his head. “I understand your frustration, son.”

“I don’t think you do.” You lean back in your chair. “Would you be like this if I used to work for Colm? If Charles did? Lenny? Sean?”

“That ain’t fair, son.”

“It is.” You say. “You keep calling me son, Dutch. Can you act like you mean it and trust me on this?”

Dutch’s eyes are on the ground. His hands clutch his cup and you know you’ve hit something. It could be a nerve and he might yell or it could be a heart string and he’ll have some sympathy. If there is one thing the man cares about, it’s his found family.

“I will watch him. He can stay with me and if he does anything O’Driscoll related I will kill him myself.” You say, voice low to let Dutch know you want peace out of this.

He’s still for a minute, then he nods slowly. “Fine.”

“Fine?”

“Fine. But he is to stay with you at all times, son.” He says. “Unless you are out making money for the camp, you need to keep your eye on him.”

You nod, a smile coming to your face. “I got it. I will, Dutch. I promise.”

A smile comes to Dutch’s face too. “One more thing.”

“What?”

“Tell the boy how ya feel.” He says, relaxing in his chair. “I have a bet with Hosea I would like to win.”

You chuckle. “Of course you do.”

“And do it by the day after tomorrow.” Dutch stands to open up the tent again. “Otherwise I lose. You know how I feel about losing, son.”

“Got it.” You nod.

You walk from Dutch’s tent, resisting the urge to punch Bill as he glares in your direction. Kieran is brushing Silver Dollar, half focused because he notices you right away. He holds the brush with both hands, stepping away from the horse.

“Are you alright, Mister?” He asks.

“I’m fine, Kieran.” You sigh. “Dutch says you can leave camp as long as I’m with you and you can stay with me in my tent.”

“H-He did?”

“With some convincing.” You nod.

“Ya didn’t have ta do that.”

“Stop saying that, Kieran.” You sigh. “I wanted to.”

“Why, Mister?”

Kieran has a little hope in his heart. Just a little bit of hope that you’re not just doing this out of good morals.

“I’m sweet on you.” You say with a breath that feels like a hundred pounds off of your chest. “Or, I, uh, I hope to be. I guess.”

Kieran can’t breathe for a minute. “Ya are?”

You nod. “I mean, I don’t think all that we’ve done is right to do to anybody, but I also just like you, Kieran.”

He smiles, looking down at the ground. “Dutch really said I can stay with ya?”

“He said I have to keep an eye on you.” You nod.

Both of you have dumb smiles on your faces that you try to hide for no particular reason.

“Keep an eye on me?”

You laugh. “It’s getting dark, come on.”

Kieran sets his brush down and follows you slowly across camp to your tent. With the sun setting you turn on the lantern and let Kieran look around. Your tent isn’t that big, just enough that it shows your seniority as one of Dutch’s better guns.

“I, uh, I can get another bedroll from Miss Grimshaw.” You say, looking down at yours. “I’m sure she has a few extras.”

“I think she’s asleep.” Kieran says, taking his hat and holding it to mess with. “We, um, I don’t mind sharin’ with ya.”

Your dumb smile turns into a grin and you dip your head to hide it.

“I mean, if ya want to.” Kieran says, his hands tightening their grip on his hat.

“I-I, uh, I do.”

“Good.” Kieran smiles. “I, uh, I never said, but I’m sweet on ya too.”

“I’d hope so.”

Kieran smiles, his heart beating fast again as you take his hand in yours. You pull lightly, leading him over to the bedroll. You sit, Kieran following you.

“I have to go on a job with Javier in the morning.” You say,letting his hand go. “Sorry if I wake you up, it’ll be early.”

Kieran nods. “I don’t mind.”

You nod, looking everywhere but his face.

“Ya wanna go ta sleep?” Kieran asks.

You chuckle. “We gonna do this every night?”

Kieran laughs along. “Sorry.”

“Stop apologizing, Kieran.” You smile, laying down. “To me, at least.”

Kieran lays down next to you, a small gap of space between you. You turn on your side, making room for him on the small bedroll and he moves carefully closer.

“Ya sure about all this?” He asks.

You sigh. “Very.”

You rest an arm on top of Kieran, careful not to trap him in case he wants to back away. He doesn’t, he returns an arm around you and closes the gap between you. You lean your forehead against his and close your eyes, falling asleep quickly after the emotional exhaustion of the day. Kieran watches you for a moment, as you drift off, before following you himself.

[sednonamoris]

blood of the covenant

Pairing: John Marston x gn!reader

Summary: Arthur and Abigail make a promise. You and John have a chance to find out what that means for you, if you’re brave enough.

Warnings: Christian religious imagery/blasphemy, strong language, canon-typical substance use and abuse, mild fluff

Word count: 2,432

A/N: Chapter 20, and what a milestone she is!! I hope you all enjoy this one as much as me - it was an absolute joy to write 🥰

Series masterlist • AO3

—

The threat of Pinkertons so close to camp has everyone on edge, especially since the law found you as quickly as it did in Scarlett Meadows. Everyone but Dutch, it seems. You and Arthur both agree that you should’ve moved camp by now, but you haven’t, and life must go on, so the robbing and killing has hardly stopped on that account.

Camp life is business as usual.

Ms. Grimshaw watches over all, holding the girls to a punishing standard. Dutch schemes. Hosea worries. The boys terrorize Valentine’s saloons and homesteads and lonely dirt roads. Pearson takes every opportunity to talk about his Navy days over a daily pot of stew filled with game that Charles brings in. Reverend Swanson oscillates between fits of passion and pain and morphine melancholy. Uncle can be found propped up napping anywhere and everywhere. Sometimes you stick a boot in his ribs as you pass just to make sure he’s still alive.

John, for his part, is consumed entirely by his sheep rustling scheme. He splits his days between Emerald Ranch and Valentine’s stockyards, which is probably for the best because Arthur and Abigail haven’t been shy about playing happy family with Jack. It’s like the tentative truce forged after the train job between brothers is all Arthur needed to open the cracked shell of his heart fully. The way he looks at Abigail - the way she looks at him - tugs at heartstrings you’d thought long-severed. Mrs. Adler watches them from the edge of camp with a wistful look in her burnt-barn eyes, mouth caught between a smile and a snarl. Even Kieran stutters out a comment about how sweet they seem when he’s sure Arthur won’t hear.

Trusting in how peaceful— how happy things have been is hard, but you can’t say you miss the tension and misery from before. It’s… nice. It feels nice.

—

You’re more surprised than you should be when Arthur and Abigail come up to you, eyes bright and cheeks flushed and looking so strikingly young, to tell you they’re getting married. In town. Today.

“We just need a witness,” Arthur says. The asking is implied.

“Can’t you take Mary-Beth? She loves this sort of thing,” you try to deflect, caught between joy and discomfort. “I doubt there’s a church they’d let me in, even.”

It’s not that you aren’t happy for them - you’re thrilled. But to actually go with them and sign documents and make things official in the eyes of the law and the God you’re on such bad terms with? It feels like a lot. It feels a little like a betrayal, still. Your eyes search for some kind of comfort in John’s figure across camp, but it’s in vain. If anything, it reminds you how precarious this joy is. How a selfish part of you wishes to lay claim to more of it.

“We want it to be you,” Abigail smiles.

You shouldn’t.

But her eyes are pleading. You start to wilt under the happiness and hope that shines through them like the sun. “Please, Ghost.”

You’re not sure how anyone’s ever said no to her, the way she blinks up through her lashes and grasps your hand in hers and smiles so sweet. And Arthur is no better. It’s hard to remember a time he’s been so happy. So hopeful. The broadness of his frame has taken on a boyish lightness that wasn’t there even when he was a boy.

Shit.

“Fine,” you finally relent. “I guess I know the Reverend in town.”

The relief and excitement on their faces is almost worth the knot of nerves in your stomach.

—

“My friend!” Reverend Hampton calls out when he spies your approach.

You make to shake his hand but he pulls you in for a hug instead. You return it awkwardly and flash a bashful grin. “Reverend, these are my good friends, Arthur and Abigail. They’d… Well, they’d like to be married today. Can you help us?”

His smile, broad and warm and maybe even a little smug, is all the answer you need.

While he procures the necessary documents the three of you fidget near the altar in an otherwise empty church. Muted rays of midday sun fight their way past cloud cover to reflect greens and reds and golds through stained glass. It paints the French blue of Abigail’s finest dress mosaic, like she’s some kind of Mother Mary that walked right out of a window pane. She alternates between clutching the bouquet of wildflowers that Tilly helped Jack pick to her chest and beaming up at Arthur. He stands stiffly opposite her in a suit that doesn’t quite fit, itching at the collar. His returning smiles are a crooked and genuine show of teeth, like he still can’t believe he made it this far. Like his body has a hard time accommodating happiness this size. He’s spent so long in self-inflicted loneliness.

Maybe you have, too.

All four of you cry and laugh in equal measure when the vows are exchanged. Forever recited back in different shades of blue. Arthur places the ring on Abigail’s finger so delicately it makes your heart ache. He kisses her just as tender, just as careful. You look away and wipe at your tears. The Reverend pronounces them man and wife. Arthur prints his name on the marriage certificate afterwards in careful, elegant script. You both smile encouragingly when Abigail signs her X on the line beside it.

Yours fits just off to the side. You have to stop yourself from signing Ghost.

“You know,” Arthur says to the Reverend as you all turn to leave, “we know a Reverend. He ain’t nothin’ like you.”

Reverend Hampton’s expression manages to be both serene and amused. “Every Shepherd has his flock. I am honored to have been trusted with his today.”

You snort. “Figures you’d say somethin’ like that.”

Arthur and Abigail go on ahead to the wagon hand in hand. It’s impossible to miss, decked out as it is in the tinsel and bells Mary-Beth scrounged up to make it appropriately romantic. You linger a moment longer at the chapel’s threshold with the Reverend.

“Thank you for this,” you say. Your eyes trace the joy on your dear friends’ faces. “Feels like I’m always in your debt.”

“Nonsense, my child. I am in yours. You have brought life and love here - that’s all an old man could wish for. But please,” he says, and turns to squeeze your hands in his, “do not squander this chance at your own happiness.”

You tuck your chin and stare at your boots while embarrassment burns from your chest to your cheeks. “I’ll try.”

He smiles. “That’s all we can ever do in this life. Go in peace.”

—

You drive the wagon home to the sound of hoofbeats and tinkling bells and laughter and love. It starts raining along the way, light and clean. Lances of sunlight beam through the clouds.

—

“Mr. Morgan,” Dutch greets, a shine in his dark eyes. “Mrs. Morgan. We sure are glad to have you back.”

Jack runs up past everyone with shrieking laughter. “You’re so pretty, Momma!”

And she is. A vision in blue, swept up in Arthur’s embrace. He carries her down from the wagon just to hear her laugh.

The girls coo over the ring on her finger while the boys shake Arthur by the shoulder with grins wide enough to swallow him whole. Choruses of that ring is so pretty and you finally grew some balls and I bet the church was nice inside and can’t believe you squeezed into that suit and won’t you spin for us form that familiar symphony of family you’ve come to count on all these years.

John lingers on the periphery of it all, but he makes a point of stepping forward and shaking Arthur’s hand before the dancing starts. He reaches for Abigail’s hands and murmurs something close to congratulations.

“Thank you, John,” Abigail says through shining tears. A little sad. A little overjoyed. A little relieved, even.

Arthur can’t find the right words, but his eyes say it all for him.

“Sure,” John grimaces a smile, “sure. You two… be well. Really.”

They whisk away to the sound of music crackling from Dutch’s gramophone, leaving him beside you with a half-broke heart. John shakes his head at the silent question posed by the tilt of your head, so you settle on the edge of the celebration to watch them whirl in ¾ time. They’re given time enough for a few twirls and dips all their own before the others start to join in.

The rain hasn’t let up. But sometimes it’s good to dance in the rain, and it’s not so damp yet that you can’t light a cigarette. You inhale deep and sigh out smoke before passing it to John without a word. He always ends up bumming off you anyway.

“Was it nice?” he asks through smoke-filled lungs. His gaze never strays from the happy couple.

“Yeah,” you say, then huff half of a laugh. “Made me cry.”

He eyes you without turning away from the dancing. “Really?”

“Really. That goddamn Reverend always gets me… weepy and shit.”

“Easy with the blasphemy, there.” A smile ghosts across his face.

“Or what? I’ll be struck down by lightning?” you scoff. “Be doin’ me a favor. Then I won’t have to listen to you ask about things you don’t wanna know.”

“Shut up,” he says, but he’s smiling now. It’s one of the real ones - one of the rare ones - that goes a little lopsided and softens the sharp flint of his eyes. You’re unreasonably proud of yourself for it.

He turns to face you, now, hesitant. Something about the way he looks at you makes you shift in place. “What?”

“Do you…” he starts awkwardly, clears his throat. Holds out a hand. “Will you dance with me?”

You look at his hand, then at him. It’s hard to hide your smile, so you give up trying. “Long as you don’t step on my feet.”

“Can’t promise that,” he laughs an awkward little laugh as he takes your hand and leads you into the fray.

The song playing now isn’t quite as upbeat, so the tempo is a little easier on his two left feet. You let him lead through the simpler steps and take charge when he falters through the more difficult sequences. It’s a perfect give and take. He even manages not to squash your toes.

“I know this ain’t an easy thing,” you say lowly, so only he can hear you over the music. “Can I ask how you’re feeling now?”

He sighs. “I feel… I don’t know. Fine, I guess. I reckon Abigail was right about—” he cuts himself off there and swallows. His cheeks stain red past the rain. He can’t look you in the eye.

“Right about what?”

“Nothin’. Me and her not bein’ right.”

The song ends, so he spins you out one last time and then you face one another with a bow before melding back into the edge of things. He grabs a beer for each of you from a nearby crate. There’s more there, something you know you’re missing, but you don’t press. Feels like you never do. Instead you clink your bottle to his drink to new beginnings. To things working out the way they’re meant to.

—

The rain clears up just before the sun sets and paints the sky in dewey blues and golds past the few lavender clouds that remain. Silk dresses and wedding bands. Songbird wings and sunshine. Happiness. Hope.

—

Arthur is busy being newly married and tying up loose ends for Strauss, so when the time comes just a few days later John brings you in on his sheep scheme instead. It’s a simple enough thing to scare off the ranchers and take over their wooly charges. You’ve done a bit of farm work here and there, and Moonshine has a real knack for it. Old Boy is less interested in the sheep, but John does a decent job for a man without any real experience.

You run them into Valentine with little trouble.

Trouble comes instead from the foreman at the stockyard who eyes the both of you, scarred and mean, with suspicion. You guess you can’t blame him.

“Fine sheep,” John says. He’s awful proud of himself.

The man shrugs. “They’re alright.”

“You got much better?” you say, but you already know where this is headed.

“I got plenty with less… ambiguity about their provenance.” He makes a point of eyeing your beat up clothes and unconcealed weapons.

“Those are real fancy words, mister. Not sure I take your meaning.”

He doesn’t smile. “I’ll make it simple, then. You give me twenty-five percent kick back and I don’t say nothin’ to nobody.”

“The fuck do you think I look like?” you snarl, stepping up in his face. A scam is a fine idea, but getting scammed yourself? You don’t take kindly to that.

He doesn’t flinch. “I think you look like a low-down criminal, and I know folk swing for rustlin’ ‘round these parts. Twenty-five percent. I won’t say it again.”

You open your mouth to argue but John grabs your shoulder to pull you back and steps forward in your place. “Fifteen.”

“Twenty.”

They haggle back and forth while you stew in your discontent and glare at the other hands until they finally shake on eighteen. You shake as well with a look that could kill, but don’t say another word until you and John make it back to the horses hitched a little ways away.

“Eighteen? Really?”

“Like you could do better. I mean what were you gonna do? Beat him? Kill him? Then what?”

You scoff, but it’s hard to argue his point. “Fine. I guess it’s better than nothin’.”

“You’re damn right it is. This worked out, relax.” He mounts up. “Dutch wanted me to meet him and Arthur at the saloon. I’ll see you at camp?”

“Sure,” you say. “Try not to get so drunk you can’t find your way back. It’s only noon.”

He laughs. “I’ll try. It’s been that kind of week.”

It sure has.

You ride back at an easy lope on a loose rein, enjoying the day and the lightness in your chest that’s been there since the wedding. A bad deal on good sheep feels like nothing at all compared to that. Nothing at all.

By the time the gunfire sounds, you’re too far away to hear it.

[nicolesainz]

Secret love song (MØ 8)

Martin Ødegaard x f!reader

Warnings: fluff to its core

A/N: It will be the first time I write a one shot from the male perspective and first time I write about Martin, so hope I don’t disappoint

Summary: First times are difficult. Even if that means saying three powerful words

“Come on Martin. What’s wrong with you? Just say it!” I say to myself, shaking my head, wanting to get my shit straight.

“What’s wrong man? Everything alright. You seem stressed” Ben White’s voice echoes in my ears, as I feel his arm on my shoulder.

“So it’s that apparent, huh?”

“You always are stressed but this time it looks like you’ve reached its peak. If I can help anyhow, tell me Martin”

My palms are sweaty and my throat is drying as minutes go by. This feels like torture and as I keep to myself those three little words, the more they haunt me in my sleep.

Tonight, Y/N, finally had time to attend a home game with Manchester City, as we battle for the first place in the league. The excitement I had when she broke the news, blasted all over the room.

Seeing her in the grandstands, wearing an Arsenal shirt, with my name plastered on its back, with her mesmerizing being brighter than every light in the stadium, gives me strength.

“Y/N is here today. And I think it’s finally time, Ben”

Not a lot boys from the team knew about Y/N. Only Ben, Bukayo, Aaron and Kieran. Besides Kieran, the other three had interacted with her many times whenever the England squad gathered.

And the reason I say England squad, is because she is Aaron’s sister. He was the one who introduced us at first place and from the very first night, she absolutely took my breath away.

“So that’s why you’ve been sweating as if you’ve been walking on hot sand at the Sahara.” Ben let out a small laugh, but seeing how worried I was he instantly stopped.

“Dra til helvete, rasshøl” (Fuck off, asshole) I say as I give him a slight kick.

“At this point, I know when you talk shit about me, Ødegaard. So, instead of insulting my grace, go talk to her!” He jokes around, trying to lighten the atmosphere, but clearly doesn’t.

“It’s not that easy. She’ll hate and avoid me if something goes sideways. How will I ever face her again if she shows up at more games?” I go back and forth, trying to reason myself in order to calm down.

“Hey hey hey! Look at me!” Ben held me still and shook me so I looked him in the eyes.

“From the way she talks about you, I believe that everything will be alright” Wait…what way? And how does Ben know? Does she talk about me to her brother or someone else?

“What do you mean? Spill or I’ll kick your leg even harder” I wouldn’t actually do it. It was my nerves talking. I was even more flushed and anxious right now.

“Whenever the squad meets, she always asks where you are, as if she doesn’t know that it’s only the England boys. We all tease her and then Aaron calls you out of nowhere”

That explains everything now. I’ve been receiving calls from the boys over a few Saturdays after the games, with all of them laughing and a woman’s voice in the back. It was her!

Flashback, to Valentines Day, a few months ago…

I was home alone after practice, with no one, but Netflix playing a stupid movie Erling had suggested me.

I just needed it to get my mind off. I was a coward once again. Today I had a great chance at telling Y/N how I feel and I blew it. I chickened out and left the very moment with a lame ass excuse.

“I’m so sorry. I need to rush home. My dad fell off the stairs”

My dad was in Norway, miles away from here. And was probably fishing. But she didn’t know that.

When I was almost falling asleep, my phone rings and wakes me up abruptly.

It was Aaron.

“Everything okay mate?” I say, looking at the time. It was 11 pm.

“Surely my guy. What about you? Happen to have any beautiful girl over there?” Aaron voice was dubbed by the yelling and laughing of the other England players. They were definitely all drunk.

“If he doesn’t, let’s give her to him. I’m sure they’ll get busy with one another.” Ben Chilwell screamed from the background and a woman’s voice followed.

“Find a girl first and then talk about me, Chilwell” she replied snarkily, although I couldn't understand who she was in between the loud music and shouting.

"Do you want me to pick up any of you guys? Seems like you've had a fair share of drinks, huh?" I say letting a soft sigh escape my mouth.

"Nahhh, we are just fine. Although someone definitely would want to be picked up. Hey-" and Aaron's sentence was cut in the middle as he hung up.

I shook my head disappointingly and went to bed that day, with the biggest heartache and three words ghosting over my head.

I love you

End of flashback

"Let's go out there and win this. If you score a goal, dedicate a celebration to her. I am sure she will appreciate this afterwards" Ben hit me a few times on the back and pushed me forward, as the Captain of the team had to go out first.

My nerves were all over the place and very clear to everyone else too. Okay Martin. Dype åndedrag (deep breaths), like Ben said, alt kommer til å ordne seg (everything will be alright).

The fans went wild as the game started very strong with the side of City, immediately going full on attack with all their defenders marking us.

They had a few chances of scoring but thankfully Aaron deflected all of them perfectly. So far, things were going okay, but the score still was nil-nil, with the ball possession being in favour of City.

It was now a few minutes before the end of the first half and the ball was around Erling's feet. When he is about to reach the net, I kick the ball in the air and Haaland ended up falling messily on my leg.

I let out a massive yelp, holding my leg with my hands, somehow wanting to ease the pain. The referee doesn't blow the whistle, which means the game still goes on with me and Erling helping each other get up.

"Beklager, men dette kunne ikke ha skjedd på noen annen måte" (Sorry, but this couldn't have happened any other way), he says to me, reaching for my hand and picking me up.

"Been through worse. It's okay", I say back and run as fast as I can towards my teammates, who were trying to steal the ball from Walker's 'embrace'.

The first half whistle blows and it's still nil-nil. Fuck, we need to do better. I need to do better. I raise my head and my eyes immediately fall on Y/N, who has been caught staring at me, with her cheeks fully flushed and a worried look in her eyes.

To her disappointment, she can't come down to the changing rooms, so instead, in order to check on me, she points at her leg and gives me a thumbs up and down signal.

I smile shyly, with my heart fluttering, as I give her a thumbs up and a small wave, before heading back to the rooms. If only I could hug her right now and tell her that even if we lost, all I cared about was not loosing her.

"Martin, how is your leg? Can you continue or do you want me to sub? Your call." Arteta asks me looking one time in my eyes and the other down to my leg.

"I can do it, boss. No problem here" I reply to him, with a stern look taking over me.

"Please, don't gamble with your health. If you are not feeling okay, tell me." he says one more time, wanting to make sure I was fully agreeing with what I said.

"I can play. It was just at the spur of the moment. Doesn't hurt" I assure him as the ref comes up to call us back on the pitch.

He nods at me and the squad goes out for a final time this evening. We need to score. We can't give up. I shouldn't give up. I need to fight.

The only thing helping me carry on was the sweetheart going by the name Y/N, watching us from the grandstands and having every bit of her faith lying on us. Lying on me.

And the game is back on. We do better than the first half, with the possession of the ball being at our advantage. Everything is going from better to best as Martineli assist Bukayo and he scores the first goal of the night!

We all go around and hug him, as happiness can't be contained. The fans roar and wave their flags in honour of this amazing goal and Saka.

Unfortunately, City equalised a few moments later around the 83 minute, with Grealish being the surprise scorer of the match, as he avoids the defence of Saliba, Ben and Kieran and sends the ball right on the net, with Aaron being unable to react.

My eyes land on the time board. 88 minute. Shit.

I wave at Jesus to pass me the ball as I was the only one unmarked by the City players and closer to the net. There was a fifty-fifty chance I would catch the ball and be able to score. This time, I gambled and proved myself right.

I manage to get the ball my way and with a hard headshot I send the ball in the net, making it a 2-1 at exactly the end of the game! The whole stadium got up and started yelling from the explosion of happy emotions and we had won a massive derby against our biggest rivals of the season.

"You, fucking Captain Ødegaard, did this! Thank you" Ben says with a huge smile on his face turning me around and pointing towards Y/N's way, who was jumping up and down filming the whole moment. I take my chance once more and shape with my fingers a heart at her.

She pays me back with another heart, as the filming stops, whilst pointing at my name on her back, signing the number one. This, was my sign to tell her how I feel. It was now or I would forever hold peace.

After the celebration with the team, we all dress with dry clothes and head outside the stadium now that it had emptied from the crowds. Every player, run to either their family or girlfriend.

Aaron looked at me and mouthed "go talk to her", as he was walking towards his fiancée.

For some reason, I didn't feel nervous or scared. I felt confident and sure about what I was about to do. It was surely risky but I had a gut feeling, this would work out perfectly.

She looked at me as if it was only the two of us, surrounded by no one else, with her embrace fully open for me to land in. How I wish this would become my permanent safe place.

I ran up to her and gave her the biggest possible hug, I have ever shared with someone. I could feel her heart beating in sync with mine and I instantly knew, why I did love her.

I love her because she can turn ones day from bad to extremely amazing. She can make you laugh, without trying too much. Only with her wit and charm. She can create a feeling of safety with a simple touch. But most importantly, she can make you fall in love with her, with a single smile.

She doesn't have time to react after the hug, as my lips fall on hers softly. My one hand cups her cheek whilst the other is tangled up with hers. She doesn't fight me back as the kiss gets deeper and more passionate, as it was a way of saying how we both felt this entire time.

She pulls my hand and places it on the side of her heart, so I could feel how fast it beat. How fast it was beating, only for me. My lips form into a smile as we break apart and look at each other with full adoration. If I could, she would be the only person I looked at for the rest of my life.

I didn't care about any trophy or championship. If my career ended now, I wouldn't care, if it meant having her by my side.

"I love you. More than you can possibly imagine. Day and night, this was all I wanted to say but the fear of losing you, held me back" I admit to her, trying to catch my breath.

"Jeg elsker deg, Martin. And honestly, I can't love anyone more than you. It feels impossible. But I am glad it is. I never want this to change" she lands into my arms once again, this time with a soft feeling caving into my heart.