#The last time I full-out wept I was surprised how my crying voice sounds like a grown woman now but dammit I still feel like a baby | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

angellissy · 4 years ago

Note

Hey :) I’ve never requested anything before so I’m sorry if i do it wrong hahah

But could I request something where instead of ward faking his death it’s rafe who has to do it and none of the pouges know about your relationship until it’s you crying in the dock instead of Sarah. And when you and the piggies go on the “rescue” mission to get Sarah off of the boat you see rafe and eventually end up staying with him and leaving your friends

I’m sorry if this is really long xx thank you for taking the time to read my request

R E A C H I N G F O R T H E S U R F A C E

SEASON TWO SPOILERS!

rafe Cameron x Reader

warnings: angst with a big a, canon rafe (maybe a bit softer), toxic relationship, rafe playing the victim card, death and talks of suicide.

a/n: I feel like it is of importance that I tell you all that I have done everything in my power not to romanticize the rafe cameron character and if I have then please kindly let me know because sometimes it can be hard. However I still need to say that I am writing through the eyes of the “reader” who very much still cares for this boy, which also means that the way the reader deals with things might not have been your way. If any more warnings should be included in the beginning, feel free to let me know. I hope you enjoy this fic which I am actually very proud of. A big thanks to @snkkat who is my proof reading buddy. Also thanks for sending in the request, I LOVED writing it! <3

They say that when you die your life flashes before your eyes, but how about when you watch someone else die? For as you watched him die, the life and moments the two of you had shared flashed before your eyes like a string of reminders of a life and love lost. It felt as if there was no air for you to breathe, you weren’t even sure how long it had been since you managed to take a full breath. Your mind was running in circles, trying to grasp what had just occurred, replaying the scene over and over again until you were not even sure what reality you were in. With a hammering heart and a split soul, you were kneeling on the dock, just minutes after watching your first love take his own life. You could not even remember how you had gotten out here in the first place, you just wished that you would have stayed behind as all your friends rushed toward a disaster in waiting. Perhaps that would have spared you some of the heartbreak, spared you from hearing him scream that he loved you one last time, spared you from seeing his boat go up in flames. But no, you were sure that for as long as you lived, you would see that blazing inferno whenever you closed your eyes.

There were arms around you, an attempt to soothe your shaking body, it only made you feel more trapped in a memory you would never escape. Those arms lifted you up and suddenly you were walking, mixed in all the anger and sadness there was a surprise that your body was even able to function. It felt as if you were outside of your body watching everything occur, you watched as Kiara and JJ helped you sit down on a sofa and as they draped a blanket over your shoulders. You watched it unfold, but you couldn’t feel it and there was no way that you would be able to respond to their worried questions. Instead, you were stuck in a mind that replayed everything Rafe had ever said or done to you as if that somehow could manifest him back to life. That stuck-up boy with the golden hair had been your first boyfriend, complicated as the relationship may have been, it had been the first time you ever experienced something close to love. Just days ago you had stood before him, tears in your eyes and heart in your throat as you called the relationship off. For a very long time, he had not been the boy you fell for, but rather a ghost of who he once was. Where he had once been sweet and tender with you, there had only been cold stares and words sharp enough to cut through ice. You were not oblivious to the fact that he struggled with issues you could never comprehend, but you refused to be an accomplice in his undoing. Time after time you had tried to be the person he could cling to when the world sat heavily upon his shoulders, but you soon realized that love and affection could not solve all problems. Oh, and you had loved him so much that you would have done anything for him to smile at you the way he had when he uttered those big three words for the first time. He had watched you with eyes that held so much adoration that you thought that they would never dim, that they would shine brighter for each time his eyes found yours. But eventually, they had dulled, and so you had realized that you would not sacrifice yourself no matter how much you cared for him. It did not matter that you had called things off with him or that you had decided to leave him in order to save yourself, for the knowledge that he was actually gone made it feel like someone was clawing at your heart and trying to rip it apart. It felt like no time in the world would be able to heal the pain in your chest or dry the tears falling from your eyes.

Time was indeed a funny thing, how seconds turned into minutes and how then those minutes became hours. Hours that you spent reminiscing over a life you thought you had given up before it was lost forever. You clung to the memories of him as if they were the lifebuoy keeping an anchor from pulling you down in a sea made up of your own sorrow. You knew that you were staying in your own made-up memories of a relationship with more bad times than good, but a part of you felt that you could not grieve the person he had become. For he had been vile and horrid, and if you acknowledged that, you would feel guilty for the sadness overwhelming you. So yes, you stayed in your made-up reality and wept for the boy that could have been. As hours turned into days, your friends made every effort to comfort you and try to get you out of the room that had become your place of mourning. Their tries aggravated you, for they did not understand the feelings rushing through your body at such speed it made you lightheaded. Each one of them had hated Rafe Cameron with at least one bone in their body and you knew how some of them had looked the day he died as if they were content that he was finally gone. Relieved that he could no longer plague them with taunts and threats that might have become reality was it not for his passing. You might have understood this, had it not been for the grief and guilt plaguing every bone in your body.

As days turned into weeks, you eventually came to appreciate their efforts to help you. It was like your vision was starting to clear and you could finally start trying to live your life again, and the first step to doing that was always to surround yourself with people that made you roar with laughter. Their ventures to try and find the Cross of Santo Domingo, were helpful, to say the least. Those adventures were as distracting as they were terrifying since the outcome was never given. Your mixed friend group of pogues and kooks had actually found that damn cross as well. Who would have thought that a bunch of high school kids would be able to find a historic relic? The answer would have been no one, and that is why you don’t underestimate kids with no limits. The cross had been in your grasp until a greedy and manipulative Ward Cameron came along and grabbed it. Ever since that particular happening, things started going south fast and it all ended up with Sarah being kidnapped by her own guardians. It also ended up with the rest of you stowed away like cargo on the ship she was on. While John B and Pope carried out their plan to find Sarah and the famous cross, you, JJ, and Kie sweated from every pore as you waited to hear from them. You had zoned out, staring mindlessly into one of the walls of the container, in the background you could hear your two friends talk about their dreams for the future. Something about going on several surfing trips at various destinations with each other, and that part made your heart ache. Sure, after everything he had done, a future with Rafe had not been one of your dreams. Still, as you listened to your friends talk, you could only remember a time where he had been everything you wanted in life. You pressed your palms upon your face as if you somehow could force every memory of him to remain in that little part of your brain where you were hoping they would become forgotten. A loud clank dragged you out of your thoughts and you looked up just in time to see Pope and John B climb in through that small window opening, followed by a woman you had never ever seen. Shortly after that, problems started to arise and soon all of you were scrambling out of the container in hopes of not being detected by the workers on the boat. They were in obvious search of all of you, which made you sweat even more than you had done inside the container. All of you received different plans on how to tackle the situation, yours was to act as a lookout for John B as he searched for Sarah.

You followed him down to what you could only assume was the boiler room since steam was thick in the air and you took your place by the door as he ventured further down. His desperate cries for Sarah echoed through the room and you dearly wished for a response to be heard, but there was nothing except the sound of his shoes against the floor. Thump, thump, thump and then utter silence until John B utters a name that made it feel as if the floor was pulled away from under your feet.

“Rafe.”

One of your hands finds the doorframe, a poor attempt to steady yourself as you try to figure out if this is a trick played by your grieving mind. You take a few breaths and as the silence is once again interrupted by two raised voices, you follow John B’s path down into the room. The heart in your chest is beating so hard that it feels like you are going to throw up, and it only gets worse the nearer you come. At first, you only see your friend, but then you look past him

and

your

heart

stops.

Rafe Cameron had died in front of your very eyes, so either the gods were playing a nasty cruel joke or you had lost the battle with your mind. You shut your eyes just to open them again, and no matter how many times you did it, he still remained. What happened next was a bit peculiar to you, for weeks you had drowned in grief where sadness was the constant emotion, but as you looked him in the eye and saw that he was very much alive, rage and anger crushed into you with the force of a thousand waves. You stepped toward him, only for an arm to shoot out to stop you, and John B added to his gesture by saying “Don’t”. Laughter bubbled in your throat, for who was he to tell you what you could or could not say to your “dead” ex-boyfriend who seemed to never stop causing you grief.

“Find Sarah.” John B hesitated for a few moments before following your unspoken order to leave you and Rafe alone. It wasn’t surprising considering that his worry for Sarah would always overpower anything else. Once again you looked into Rafe’s blue eyes, remembering a time when you used to stare in them for so long you would see specks of green and grey. Had you searched for those colors now, you would probably have found them. However, you were trying to decipher whatever feeling that was shining in them, was it anger? No, his other features were too soft for that and the hand holding his weapon had gone slack as he watched you. Maybe it was relief? No that was not it either, for why would he be relieved to see you? You were not the one who had died and left the other behind. You stepped even closer to him, the simmering anger inside of your veins made your hands shake and he looked at them briefly as if he wanted to take them in his. Your hands clenched into fists and you watched as his shoulders dropped the tiniest bit, and suddenly you knew exactly what was shining in his eyes.

Love, and sadness. Your heart started to speed up again, and you knew that once you opened your mouth, the anger and grief that had become part of you, would tumble out in words that you would never be able to take back. But he had done something much worse, so he would listen, you would make sure of it. Your lips parted slightly and he must have seen it for his words came first.

“I- fuck I am sorry okay? But I had to do it, you wouldn’t understand but I had to do it, it was the best for everyone.” As he says this you can’t help the sound that slips through your lips, it was supposed to be a laugh but it sounds more like a sob. His eyes flicker between you and everything else in the room as if there was anything in here that could save him for this conversation. You move your hands toward your chest and his eyes watch as you press them hard against your chest, against the heart that won’t stop breaking.

“Best for everyone?” Your voice is the combination of a whisper and a ragged breath “Did you have my best interest in mind when you let me believe you had blown yourself up?” He winces and makes an attempt to say something but you hold up a hand to stop him. “Did it ever occur to you how your little stunt would affect the one person who still, despite everything, loved you?” This time, your voice has started to rise towards something like a scream, and how could you not scream when there is so much sadness inside of you that it felt like just looking at him would turn your body into a pool of water.

“You broke up with me, so don’t start acting like a victim where you aren’t one.” His features are starting to morph into those he carries when anger overcomes him, but you will not back away from this. Your hands are in your hair, pulling at it as if that would help you make sense of this situation. “You broke my heart long before I broke yours.” You can’t help the way your voice breaks or the tears that start falling from your eyes.“You needed and still need help and until you receive that help, you are prone to hurt anyone in your vicinity.” Now it is his turn to drag his hands through his hair and his breaths come faster and faster until you realize that he is starting to hyperventilate. He sinks to the floor and you follow, not sure how to help when it feels like his state is mirroring your own. With cautious movements, you place your hands on his shoulders, and the shaking of his body sends trembles throughout yours. For a while nothing happens, you just sit there with your hands on his body and watch him fall apart. Perhaps you should have been glad that he was suffering, after everything he had done to you he deserved it. But you couldn’t feel anything other than anguish and as a sob escaped his body every restraint you had kept on yourself broke and you hugged him towards your chest. You could never save him, but he clung to you as if you had the power to undo every wrong he had ever done. After a while, he looks up at your tear-streaked face and one of his hands reaches up to cup it. You want to look away because you can see everything in those eyes of his, every regret and every wish he has ever had. His forehead leans towards you and you feel his hot breath against your skin. As you breathe in the scent of cologne and feel his skin against yours, you feel overwhelmed by the fact that he is actually here. You notice that his lips part and for a second you are scared that he is going to kiss you, but he must know that there is a limit to your patience with him so he just whispers words with the promise of what could have been. “I wanted to be good for you.” A small smile takes place on your lips and you close your eyes as you try to restrain the well of emotions inside of you. “I know Rafe, I know.” He breathes out a little, almost as if he is relieved that you are aware that he tried in a world and with a mind constantly working against him. You knew, but you also knew that there was someone else out there for you. Someone who would love you in a way that Rafe would never be able to, in a way that would not send the two of you to the bottom of the ocean. Whoever was out there would make you swim. For so long you had wanted to believe that Rafe was the one, despite all his flaws you would have given anything for him to be your future. It was a relief to know that you could and deserved to have more. But you also knew that you needed to do something before that could happen.

“I will stay-.” Before you could even finish your sentence he whipped his head up to look at you with such hope you never wanted to continue talking. You swallowed hard and forced yourself to go on. “I will stay with you just to make sure you receive the help you need.” His whole body deflated and you had to bite your lip in order not to cry again. Eventually, he nodded and you closed your eyes in relief. You knew that this had to be the right move, no one else would listen to him or make sure he got help, so you needed to be the one to did. Just enough so that you finally could start swimming towards the surface.

#rafe cameron imagines #rafe cameron headcanon #rafe cameron x reader #outerbanks rafe #rafe cameron #rafe obx #rafe x reader #rafe cameron x y/n #rafe cameron x oc #rafe cameron x you #drew starkey #outer banks x reader #outer banks #outer banks season 2 #outer banks imagine #obx #obx season 2 #obx spoilers #obx fanfiction

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seriouslysnape · 4 years ago

Text

Incompetence

Cedric Diggory x Fem! Reader

Warnings: Language.

Word Count: 1,231

A/N: Just a disclaimer-I’m well aware that Cedric was already...Deadric when Umbridge came along.

“Did something happen today?”

Cedric had been trying (without success) for the last 15 minutes to stop the pitiful cries bellowing from your trembling frame. He couldn’t get a word out of you other than the couple of times you had whimpered his name to display your very obvious upset. He kept his hands underneath your thighs to keep you wrapped around his waist as he carried you through the castle to his dorm, offering reassuring nods to those he passed in the halls to let them know you were okay.

At least, Cedric was pretty sure you were okay since you had yet to tell him what was wrong.

He kept pressing kisses to your temple and the crown on your head to remind you that he was there when you were ready to speak, but he had a feeling you wouldn’t be saying a word until you were settled in the privacy of his room.

“Almost there, sweet girl. Then we can talk, yeah?” He suggested as he finally made it within a few feet from his prefect door.

You only blubbered an affirming noise that you had heard him, keeping your head buried in the crook of his neck and your arms around his neck to assure that the Hufflepuff boy wasn’t going anywhere. He was able to maneuver the door open with his foot and push it open with his hip. He swiftly entered inside the room, approaching his bed and letting you sink into the mattress once he detached you from his body.

He was surprised when you slipped your shoes off and crawled under his covers, balling yourself inside until you weren’t even visible anymore. This was VERY unusual behavior for you, considering that you almost always waited until he was snuggled up next to you before you got comfortable. Cedric slipped out of his black and yellow robes, draping them across the chair of his desk.

Your crying hadn’t stopped, and his heart broke further and further with every sniffle and hiccup that came out of you. You whimpered when you felt the mattress dip, letting you know that Cedric was next to your curled up body. He rested a hand on your sniffling body that was lost within his sheets.

“[Y/N], you’re breaking my heart,” He said with a tone full of worry, wishing that you’d just tell him what was wrong; “Did something happen today?”

You only let out a noise of confirmation, followed by another hiccup.

“Okay...did you have a hard time with your Potions exam?” He questioned, realizing he’d have to guess what it was.

You shook your head, and even though he couldn’t see it, he could tell that wasn’t it.

“Did you have a bad time in Transfiguration?” He queried, rubbing your arm through the thickness of the duvet.

You shook your head again, causing Cedric to really think about it. If it wasn’t Potions or Transfiguration causing you all this grief, then it had to be Defense Against the Dark Arts since he had Charms with you and nothing odd had happened today.

“Did something happen during Defense?” He asked lightly.

Your silence was a giveaway, along with the new round of sobs that began exploding from your chest. He couldn’t stand to hear you cry anymore, ripping the sheets off of you and pulling you in.

“Baby, baby.” He mewled with concern, rocking you back and forth gently to soothe you; “What happened?”

You sucked in a shaky breath, wiping your tears on the shoulder of Cedric’s soft shirt.

“It was horrible, Ced,” You wept; “It was Umbridge.”

He brought you back to face him at the sound of your voice, his thumbs wiping away your tears that were steadily falling down your usually happy face. Cedric felt a sense of dread in his gut. Umbridge had been making everyone’s life a living hell all year. She was possibly the meanest soul to ever walk the planet.

“Oh no...what did she do, princess?” Cedric prompted.

A little bit of anger was beginning to wash over him. Not at you of course, but he had heard and seen what Umbridge had done to students, and he wasn’t sure what’d he do if she had physically hurt you.

“Umbridge yelled at me.” You confessed, falling into hysterical crying once more.

Cedric paused for a moment, and couldn’t stop the amused smile and soft chuckle that bubbled out of his chest. You sat up quickly from his hold, absolutely offended that he was reacting like this.

“Are you laughing at me?” You asked in a way that was supposed to be angry, but came out more hurt.

His smile faded into more of a softer one, and he cupped your face with a quick kiss to your lips. You were always a hit with professors. You were intelligent, witty, and very kind. There probably hadn’t been a day in your life where a professor had even remotely raised their voice at you. So, he wasn’t surprised that Umbridge had you falling apart like this.

“No, no, pretty girl. I promise I’m not,” He said, holding down a snicker. He knew you were genuinely upset over this, but he was just relieved that nothing else had happened; “Why did she yell at you?”

“I didn’t know the counter curse for some stupid dark charm or something,” You retold him; “She called me incompetent.”

That wiped the smile right off of Cedric’s face. That was one thing that he never, ever wanted you to think about yourself. You were unbelievably talented and bright, and he didn’t want you to ever think otherwise.

“You are not incompetent. You’re a wonderful, talented witch.” He told you, moving your hair that had gotten stuck to your wet cheeks.

“But she said-”

“Nope. I won’t hear another word of this,” He cut you off; “Umbridge is a horrible professor and even worse of a person. She has no idea what she’s talking about.”

You still looked discouraged, but at least your tears had stopped now. He was afraid he’d start crying if you hadn’t stopped soon. You rose to your knees, wrapping your arms around his neck for a more comfortable hug that you surely needed. His arms snaked around you as he left a kiss to your collarbone that he was eye level with.

“Thanks, Ceddy,” You murmured, scratching at his scalp; “Can I have one of your Quidditch sweaters?”

“Of course, baby.” He granted, letting you slip away to change clothes.

He couldn’t miss the slump of your shoulders and the dejection in your walk. Umbridge had really gotten in your head. You changed into his sweater, reveling in the way the material felt on your skin. He watched as you padded back to his bed, curling up against his pillows. He layered you with kisses, showering you with love and reminding you how amazing you were.

“You’re my pretty girl, you know that? My wonderful, talented, lovely girl.” He praised, leaving a kiss just above your brow bone.

He linked his legs with yours, running his fingertips along the exposed skin of your leg.

“Yeah,” You smiled; “I know.”

“Good, because I don’t want you to ever forget it.” He remarked.

“With you around, I don’t think I could forget.” You joked with a giggle.

He hummed, kissing you once more.

“Even better.”

#cedric diggory #cedric diggory x reader #cedric diggory x female reader #cedric diggory fanfiction #cedric diggory x you #cedric diggory x y/n #Harry Potter #harry potter cedric diggory #cedric diggory oneshot #cedric diggory fluff #seriouslysnape

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gc-genshin · 4 years ago

Text

Chapter Four: Epiphany

Epiphany (n.): a sudden insight or understanding of something.

Pairing: Various x female reader

Summary: You get an idea of what's going on… sort of.

Warnings: Explicit language.

Word count: 12.7k (holy shit my bad)

A/N: Uh… *taps mic* hello?? Is this book still relevant?? Did y'all miss me? Lmao, lot of shit happened the past months so I wasn't really able to focus on this story unfortunately. I hope this extra long chapter makes up for the wait! Plus this isn't proofread and I'll add the taglist later, I'm ready to post this chapter.

Happy reading!

Your first week of working at the Wangshu Inn was… uneventful, to say the least.

Other than being hectic trying to take care of guests because of Lantern Rite, nothing really surprising has happened. Which you suppose was a good thing.

After your little drinking incident that happened a few days ago…

—

“Perhaps…” Xiao started and you waited with a baited breath, nervous as to what he was going to say. “You are in need of some assistance, you imbecile.”

You looked at him with hazy and unfocused eyes. In your drunken stupor, you could only respond to him with an embarrassed laugh.

“Aha, yeah…” You trailed off awkwardly. Your eyes then began to droop dangerously low as a sudden wave of drowsiness had hit you. Xiao could only watch as you instantly passed out in his arms while letting out small snores. The adeptus let out an aggravated sigh as he picked up and carried you to your shared room, already regretting the decision of taking care of you.

—

It was safe to say you didn't see him for a day or two.

Today was Friday. One day before the Mingxiao Lantern was released. Goldet had decided to already pay you for your two weeks because of how hard you were working, which you tried to decline, but Goldet was as stubborn as you so you reluctantly accepted the money.

You were sweeping the reception area, bored out of your mind. You were done with all of your chores but you still wanted to work and be productive. You turn your head when you hear Goldet heave a sigh.

“Lantern Rite is nearly here, why don't we decorate the inn this year?” She asks you.

That line sounds familiar. You tilt your head, feigning confusion. “Lantern Rite? What's that?”

Goldet looks at you surprised. “Oh! Don't you know? On the first full moon of the first month each year, Liyue celebrates the Lantern Rite. It's a festival to commemorate the heroes from the past. After dark, the people release Xiao and Mingxiao Lanterns into the night sky.” She began explaining. “Ah... "May the flames of wisdom spread to all, and never be extinguished." This is the meaning of the lanterns. We believe they act as the beacons in the night, guiding bygone heroes back to their homeland.”

You gaze at her in wonder. “That sounds like a magnificent festival.” If I cried during the cutscene from the game, I wonder how much of a mess I would be if I was able to see it in person.

“Do you want to get involved in the Lantern Rite?” Goldet asks.

You nodded. “From the way you were talking about it, it sounds like a wonderful experience.”

Goldet clapped her hands excitedly. “That's great! The festive period leading up to the day itself is all part of the celebrations. If you're looking to take part, it's not too late.”

You thought for a moment. “Wait, so you're telling me that I don't have to work?” You asked Goldet.

She let out a small gasp as if she was shocked you would even suggest such a thing. “Oh Archons no! I would never ask you to work on a holiday such as Lantern Rite!” She exclaimed. You blink at her a few times, caught off guard by her slight outburst, and she laughed at your expression. “Haha... During this time, we pray to bring peace and ward off bad luck. Liyue locals call it "bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new."

After hearing Goldet exclaim, Huai’an, her husband and the innkeeper, came to see what the commotion was. “Verr, are you alright? I heard you yell.” He asked with a concerned look.

Both you and Goldet turned to him. “I'm fine, dear. I was just explaining to [Name] the history behind Lantern Rite.” Goldet tells him. “Can you believe this will be her first time celebrating it?”

Huai’an gives you a look of surprise. “You've never experienced Lantern Rite?”

From the way they were talking about it, you almost felt embarrassed to say no. You hunch your shoulders and meekly shake your head at him.

Huai’an noticed your timid state. “Well isn't this exciting?” He quietly asked Goldet. He then turned to you. “Lantern Rite truly is a wonderful experience so I have no doubt that you'll enjoy it. Plus I can teach you how to make Xiao Lanterns!” He gives you an encouraging smile.

You give them both a wide eyed stare. “So… I'll be able to go to Lantern Rite? You don't need me for anything?”

Goldet shook her head while laughing. “No, you silly girl. Everybody will be in the city to release lanterns, so the inn won’t be very busy that night.” She gives you a soft smile. “Go and have fun.”

Shit I might just cry. You looked at Goldet teary eyed. “Boss!” You wept comically. “You're too kind, boss! Paying me in advance, giving me a roof over my head, letting me go to Lanter Rite! What did I ever do to have such a wonderful boss?” You cried out and glomped her into a hug. You were totally using your younger appearance as an advantage to act more childish because you would have never done this with any other boss.

Goldet laughed at you, reciprocating the hug. “And what did I do to deserve such a wonderful employee? You've been working so hard since you've started, it would be cruel of me not to let you go and enjoy the festival.” She tells you while swaying side to side. You've come to realize that Goldet was starting to become like the older sister you never had.

You both pull away from the hug. “Plus,” Goldet began, “I paid you early in advance so that you would be able to go shopping.” She gives you a cheeky smirk. “Can't have you wearing my clothes and your uniform the entire time you're here.”

You laugh at that. “You're right.” You grin at her and Huai'an. “Thank you both so much, for all that you've done for me.” You say sincerely.

“Of course [Name]. Now go have fun shopping.” She gestures to the balcony. “I think you've just about swept the floorboards down to splinters.”

You thank Goldet again and give her one last hug before running to your room to change. But as you were making your way up the stairs, Goldet called out to you. “Oh [Name]! Um… also,” she trailed off uncertainly.

You crinkle your eyebrows in confusion. “What's up?”

“If you're able to…” she cleared her throat. “... could you... try to convince Xiao to go with you?” She asked. She then let out a sigh. “We're not close, I wouldn't know how to ask him myself. But it seems that you've grown familiar with him.”

You look at her confused. You? Being close with Xiao? Yeah, the thought sounds nice but there's no way you have already ‘grown familiar’ with him in just a week. If anything he tolerates you at best since you've forcefully wormed your way into his life.

“Really?” You tilt your head. “Xiao doesn't seem to be one for crowds.” Sorry Aether, I might have to steal your idea. “I mean, I'll try and convince him but I can't make any promises.”

Goldet let out a resigned sigh. “I suppose you're right… Anyway! Just thought I'd mention it. You should get yourselves down to the harbor.”

She then shoos you off with a smile. “Get going! If you leave too late, the city will be crowded with people and you won't be able to make the most of it.”

You nod enthusiastically. “Yes ma’am! Happy Lantern Rite!” You wave to her and Huai'an.

They both wave back. “Happy Lantern Rite!”

—

You burst into your room, practically vibrating in excitement at the thought of having your own clothes. You hurriedly started to strip out of your uniform, unaware of the curious gaze that came from your current roommate.

Xiao was currently leaning against the railing on the balcony that accompanied the room and was wondering why you were in such a rush. As he turned to question you, he instantly turned back around upon seeing you reach behind yourself to start buttoning your dress, keeping his gaze on the scenery before him. Xiao let out a deep breath and rubbed his forehead in aggitaion. I just can't get used to her doing that.

However, when you start to undress, you notice Xiao quickly turn around out of the corner of your eyes. Halting your movements, you call out to the young adeptus as you buttoned your uniform back up. “Sorry Xiao! I didn't know you were there!” And you made your way to the bathroom.

Hearing you say his name made Xiao tense up in surprise and furrow his eyebrows. He was one hundred percent certain that you would have just kept undressing in the middle of the room, being the shameless mortal that you are, but you didn't. You instead moved to change in a different room. Huh… perhaps she does have some decency.

You quickly came out of the bathroom after that interaction, dressed in Goldet’s clothes for the last time. Seeing Xiao still out on the balcony, you walk up to his side while enjoying the warm breeze.

Xiao looked at you from the corner of his eyes, nearly seeing the excitement radiate off you. “Where are you going in such a rush?” He asked. You perk up when hearing his voice and swivel your head to him.

“Goldet is letting me go experience the festival!” You exclaimed excitedly. “Isn't that great?”

Xiao rolled his eyes and let out a scoff. “What's so great about releasing glowing trash into the sky only for it to return to the sea?”

You hummed. “Well, it's like any other tradition I suppose. It's not so much the actual festival or ritual that matters but more of the meaning behind it instead.” You shrug. “Plus it gives me an excuse to go shopping, you coming with?”

“No.”

You let out a groan and roll your eyes. Even though you were expecting it, you couldn't help but feel a little disheartened at his answer. “Why not?” You question. Although I already know why.

Xiao gave you a look. “I don't enjoy large crowds of people.”

You let out a sigh. “Fiiiiine,” you drawl out, “no means no so I guess I'll stop bothering you about it.”

Xiao raised an eyebrow. Really? She's going to quit just like that? He looked at you dubiously.

“For now.” You added mischievously with a smirk.

There it is. Xiao should have known better. He found out that you were too damn stubborn to give up easily pretty quickly. He shook his head at you. “Do you plan on leaving soon?” He changed the subject.

You nod. “I was going to leave as soon as I changed but then I saw you and just had to talk to you.”

That made Xiao scrunch his eyebrows. “You just had to talk to me? Why's that?”

You look towards him and give him a closed eyes smile. “Because I wanted too! Plus you're my friend and I enjoy your company.”

Xiao gave you a once over. A heavy feeling settled in his chest when you referred to him as a “friend”. That word left a bitter taste in his mouth. Everyone that he ever considered a friend had either died or left him in some way, and he never bothered to keep in contact with the current adepti, so the thought of you wanting to be in his company was worrying. Who knows how long it'll be until his karmic debt finally catches up to him…

And drags you along with him.

Xiao narrowed his eyes at you. You immediately took notice of his tense state and swallowed at the harsh glare he gave you. Uh oh. You let out an uncomfortable laugh. I don't think he liked that.

“What have I told you about getting close?” He asked harshly which caused you to curl in on yourself slightly.

“In the thousands of years that have passed, I have taken countless wraiths,” he began, “so if you want no trouble, it’s best you keep your distance from me.” After he finished scolding you he turned to leave, going to do who knows what. You watched as he seemingly stormed away. Slightly panicking that he was leaving because you had upset him, you steeled your nerves and asked the first thing that came to your head.

“But what if I want trouble?”

Your question made Xiao stop in his tracks. He turned to look at you confused. You wore an expression that was full of confidence that waived slightly.

“What if I don’t want to keep my distance away from you?” You continued. “You told me to “stay out of your way or all that awaits me is regret”, right?” You quickly stride over to him and jab a finger in his chest.

“Well guess what honey? That's a risk I'm willing to take.” You tell him fiercely. “I make my own choices and if I happen to make bad choices then I will deal with the consequences of those choices.” You place a hand on your chest and glare at him determinedly.

“You have no say in what I ultimately can and can't do, Xiao. Only. I. do.” You finally finish and place your hands on your hips defiantly.

Xiao looked at you blankly, trying to process what you had just said. When he finally did, he looked at you sternly. “Is that really what you want?”

“More than anything.” Your eyes bore deep into him, not wavering in the slightest in your decision. “You saved my life. The least I can do for you is offer you my company and assistance in any way for not letting me splatter all over the ground. Even if you don't want it.”

After a few heartbeats of silence, Xiao reluctantly gave in and sighed while crossing his arms. “You are the most troublesome human I've had the displeasure of knowing.”

You smiled triumphantly. “Glad we're on the same page!”

“Well I'll be heading off now. Do you need anything?” You ask as you start heading towards the door.

“Nothing in the city would be of use to an adeptus.” He responds. “Don't forget your blade.”

You promptly made a 180 turn and walked towards your nightstand where a little dagger laid. Since you weren't able to fully wield a bigger weapon and don't understand how they do the whole whooshy thing to make their weapons disappear, I think he called it “particulation” or something like that, Xiao insisted that you had some form of weapon to protect yourself with.

You grabbed the knife and clipped it parallel to your belt, allowing your shirt to conceal it. “I don't see the reason as to why I have to have this thing. Aren't the Millelith scattered along the road to Liyue?” You then turn to Xiao and tilt your head. “Plus I can just call you whenever I'm in trouble.” Though that would probably be a last resort for me.

“I don't trust those lousy soldiers.” Xiao huffed.

You raised your eyebrow and pursed your lips, nodding in agreement. “Yeah… I don't blame ya.”

“Anyways,” you shrug, “are you sure you don't want to come with me?”

Xiao only shook his head. “Best you go alone. There's no need for me to be there.”

You look at him with big doe eyes, trying to convince him to at least walk you to the harbor. “But the road from here to Liyue Harbor is long and full of dangers... I need someone to ensure my safety!” You exclaim, seemingly scared.

“That's why I gave you your blade.” The adeptus gave you a bored look upon his handsome face.

You then startled Xiao when you clapped your hands into a prayer position and brought them to your head. “O Vigilant Yaksha, please escort me safely to the city!” You cry out.

Xiao tensed at your sudden decloration. Normally, Xiao was used to other’s praying to him and hearing their wishes but when you did it, it made him feel… fidgety. You seemed to hold yourself in a high regard that you didn't let anyone have control over your actions, so it was odd to see you with your head bowed to him.

Xiao crossed his arms and looked away from you. “Quit that. There's no need for you to bow to me.”

You perked up, an excited gleam in your eyes. “So you'll come with me?”

“So be it. I won't be going into the city though.” He retorted.

You throw him a smile. “That's fine!” You straighten back up and open the door. “Come on, let's go!” You wave at him.

Xiao shook his head at your antics and began to follow you. And to think that she's a grown adult. “Wait.” He called out.

You stop in your tracks and look back at Xiao confused. “Huh? Why?”

Xiao walks up to your left side and grabs your bicep. You looked at him even more perplexed. What is he doing?

You then began to feel a strong gust of wind swirl around you and in an instant, darkness flooded your vision and a familiar feeling of nausea came over you. When you opened your eyes again, you saw the gates of Liyue below the hill you were on.

You put your hands on your knees, trying to keep from puking everywhere, as you begin to process that Xiao had just teleported you both to Liyue.

“Here we are.” Xiao released your arm.

“Would have been nice to know beforehand.” You groan. After feeling like you weren't going to empty your guts out, you look up and let out a small gasp.

In front of you stood an archway that led to the bridge that entered into the city. Looking beyond that, you could see the beautiful Chinese architecture of the buildings that filled Liyue Harbor with the magnificent decorations of Lantern Rite along the city. You gaped at the scene before you. Holy shit…

Xiao swiveled his head to give a hard stare. “Don't go and cause any trouble.” He warned you.

That caused you to let out a snort. “Yeah, yeah, sure. What are you, my dad?” You raised an eyebrow at him. “Why did we teleport?”

“So I wouldn't have to listen to talk my ear off all day.” He responded bluntly, causing you to let out an offended gasp. “And I told you,” he continued before you could tell him off. “so long as you are in Liyue, it is my duty to protect you and not let any harm come to you.” Xiao reiterated.

“Wow… you really are my dad. But that's a pretty big responsibility. You sure you can follow through with it?” You question.

“Are you questioning my abilities as an adeptus?” He asked gruffly. He then leaned in closer to your face. “I always take care of my duties.” Xiao finished while staring you straight in the eyes.

Your eyes widened in surprise at his declaration. The way he said that so firmly and confidently made your chest feel light before tightening, a familiar feeling of guilt settling in, causing you to look away and frown. Shit… not now.

Noticing the change in your demeanor, Xiao tilted his head confused. “What's wrong?”

Shaking your head to get rid of the self-deprecating thoughts that were forming, you look up at him with reassuring eyes. “It's nothing.” You tell him with a small smile.

Going back to your seemingly old self, you give Xiao a look. “Alrighty,” You turn towards him and hold out your pinkie, “pinky promise it then.”

He gave your pinky an inquisitive look. You furrow your eyebrows in confusion. “You have heard of a pinky promise before, right?”

Xiao squinted his eyes at you. “Is this another strange human gesture?”

“Eh, I wouldn't necessarily say it's strange. More endearing than anything.” You hold your dominant hand and make a “give it” gesture. “Give me your hand.”

Xiao hesitantly puts his hand in yours. You close it into a fist, only leaving out his pinky. You then bring your own pinky and lock it with his own. “Now say your promise again.” Xiao looked at you reluctantly. You let out a groan. “Come on dude, just do it please?” You say giving him your best puppy dog eyes.

Xiao sighed. “I promise, so long as you are in Liyue, that I will protect you and not let any harm come to you.” He looked at your still entwined pinkies. As he said this, a gentle breeze drifted between the two of as if it was sealing the promise between you and Xiao. Xiao watched as the wind suddenly made your hair flutter around you and the way the afternoon sun casted just the right amount of shadows on your features as you looked up at him. At the moment he didn't see the fifteen year old features that made up your current face but the mature, more sharper features that he saw from your most recent pictures and student ID.

“Now what?” Her hands are really warm.

You give him a smile. “That's it!” You then let go of his pinky, bringing your hand back to your side.

He looked at you confused. “That's it? Nothing special happens?”

“The special thing about pinky promises is that the person who broke the promise gets their pinky cut off by the other person who made the promise.” You say to him.

“That's quite gruesome for such a little act.” Humans confused him so much.

“I think it was more of a scare tactic for kiddos than anything really.” You shrug. You then started walking to the city. “I'll see you later Xiao!” You call out with a grin.

“Be careful.” He told you with a subtle nod, which made your smile somehow even brighter, before teleporting away. You then turned back around and practically skipped to Liyue.

—

You made your way down the hill and soon came upon the gate that led to the city. In front of it stood two guards, you couldn't bother to remember their names, who gave you a nice ‘welcome to Liyue Harbor’ as you walked past them. As you walked over the bridge you saw the Mingxiao Lantern standing tall in all its glory. Continuing on, you finally stepped foot in the city. With a look of amazement on your face, you spun around while trying to take in all of the decorations.

I can't believe I'm actually here… You let out a disbelieving laugh and began to feel your eyes become misty. Am I really tearing up right now? Oh my God I am. You shake your head trying to get your emotions in check. As you carry on walking further, the infamous somewhat creepy shipowner, Bolai spots you looking around like a lost puppy. Which you really weren't, you were just hypnotized by the decorations.

“Hello young lady!” He called out to you. You whipped your head towards him, slightly startled. When you realized who was talking, you made a small grimace. Oh… it's that really creepy guy that I don't like.

As he makes his way towards you, you put your guard up as you straighten your back. “Hello.”

Bolai raised an eyebrow as he stopped short of you. “What a strange accent. Are you perhaps foreign?” He questioned.

You furrow your eyebrows. I have an accent? “Something like that.” You reply with a shrug your shoulders nonchalantly and a ghost of a smile on your face. Ain't no way in hell are you talking about yourself to him.

Bolai narrowed his eyes at you suspiciously. How interesting. “Quite the mysterious one, you are. Tell me, young lady, where do you hail from? Fontaine? Sumeru?”

“Sure.” You tell him halfheartedly. Why the fuck is he grilling me so hard? I should probably give him some sort of answer so he'll leave me alone. “I traveled a lot so I never really had a distinctive place to call home.” You smoothly lied. Well… it wasn't entirely a lie.

Believing your little fib, Bolai’s face softens into a look of realization. A young girl like you didn't have a home growing up? Is that what you were hinting at?

Taking notice of the subtle pity look that crossed his gaze, you groan internally. Great, now he's going to think that I never had a home. Whoops!

“Well just know that you are always welcomed here in Liyue,” He reassured you, kinda. Your eyebrows raise slightly in surprise from that. “And if you ever need anything, and I mean anything, you can always come to me.” He finished ominously while giving you a smile that seemed a little too kind.

You leaned your torso away from the strange man and looked at him mildly creeped out, yet kept a polite smile on your face. “Duly noted… thanks.” Trailing off, you maneuvered your way around and sped walked away from Bolai. A fake shiver runs through your body. Ugh… just as creepy as I remember.

You continued further into the city. Your head was constantly moving from left to right, up and down, taking in the gorgeous decorations that littered the buildings and streets. Pulling out the Mora pouch that Goldet gave you, you recounted the money that you earned from your first week working. 60,500 Mora… that should be plenty right? You paused. Actually, isn't that a lot of money? This seems like a lot for just a week of work. After pondering a few moments, you shrug the thought off.

You made sure to visit almost all the food stalls that were on the harbor to experience Liyue’s cuisine authentically, as well as how to make Xiao lanterns. After doing all the activities you possibly could, you made your way up the gigantic steps that led to the main road of the city.

As you made it to the top, you put your hands on your knees trying to catch your breath. From being on your feet all day from working plus the training the Xiao puts you through, it's safe to say you were pretty damn tired. You're kidding me. I can not be this out of shape! You thought.

Heaving one last breath, you straighten back up. You looked out to see the streets bustling with people with a slight grimace on your face at the crowds of people. You absolutely hated crowds of people because being around them just completely drains your energy.

However, your curiosity and astonishment motivated you to move forward. As you walked through the city, you kept an eye out for any clothing shops because you needed your own clothes, since that's pretty much what you came here for.

Letting your gaze continue to search through the windows of various different shops, your eyes landed on an article of clothing that caught your attention. You quickly make your way to the store and opened the doors, causing a bell above the door to let out a little chime and alert the store owner and other shoppers of your presence.

“Welcome!” They called out. You give them a small wave in response as you make your way over to the outfit. Once you made it, you reached your hand out to feel the smooth silk of the fabric. It was a beautiful sleeveless, purple dress that reached the middle of your thighs. Around the skirt of the dress laid two longer pieces that were a darker purple and draped along the sides. The top of the dress was two different colors, the right being a dark purple that were the same color of the longer pieces while the left was a lighter purple that matched the skirt, and had a high collar and with an opening in the chest area. The dress also adorned what looked like a wide obi belt, but you weren't too sure. The whole dress was trimmed with gold accents and had gold swirls all along it. Next to the dress were a pair of low ankle boots that matched the color theme.

This was the one.

You yoink it off the rack and look around for the owner. When you found them, you asked if they had any dressing rooms to try on the dress to which they led you to one. You begin to strip as soon as the door closes behind you. I really hope it fits otherwise I'll be heart broken.

As you slipped the dress over your head you zipped up the side and fastened the button on the collar. When you turn around to face the mirror, your eyes widen in surprise. Holy shit… I've never had a dress fit me so well. The dress sat magnificently on you and accentuated your curves. However… You looked down at your chest to see that your bra from your universe was most definitely visible thanks to the opening that went from the collar of the dress to the belt. I'm gonna have to do something about that. Looking back in the mirror you took notice of your tattoos. Those as well. You thought for a moment. Plus I don't particularly like wearing dresses unless I have leggings or something underneath it.

You begin to take the dress off and put your other clothes back on. I wonder if they would have some kind of body suit or something… You put the dress back on the hanger but continue to hold on to it. Making your way back towards the racks of clothing you begin your search.

As you walk through the aisles of clothing, you notice a black full body suit hanging on one of the racks. Bingo! You thought with a smile. You made your way to the suit, but you failed to notice the other body that was backing up into you.

Feeling a sudden weight on your right side, you stumble a little due to the force. However, the person that ran into had lost their balance and started to fall to the ground. Eyes widening in surprise, you were quick to catch them by grabbing them under their arms. When you looked down to check on the person to see if they were okay, you felt your breath hitch.

Staring back at you startled are lavender colored eyes that were lined with dark, thick lashes that belong to the one and only Ganyu.

You begin to feel your cheeks grow warm as you look down at the gorgeous half-adeptus in your arms. Ohfuckohfuckohfu– “Are you okay?” You asked worriedly. When you looked up to see what could have caused her to trip, you were greeted with the sight of a man that looked a little too pleased with himself. As he looked away from Ganyu and up to you, you made sure to give him the coldest glare you could manage – which made the man’s smirk falter and back up just a little.

Fucker.

Ganyu blinked as she came back to her senses. “Y-yes! I'm alright.” She gives you an appreciative smile. “Thank you.”

You return her smile. “It's no problem.” As you help her upright, you lean closer to her ear. “Do you know this guy?” You whispered. She looks at you from the corner of her eye and subtly shakes her head no.

You looked up to the creep and gave him an ‘innocent’ smile. “Is everything alright here?”

Realizing the slight hostile undertone in your voice, the man gives you a strained look. “Y-yes, everything's fine!” He stuttered and gestured to Ganyu. “I just thought I'd give this young lady a little help.”

Your eyes flicker from her back to the man. “She looks to be just fine on her own. What does she need help with?”

The man’s opens then closes, trying to think of a good excuse. “I… uh… well, she-!” You cut the man off with a raised hand.

“I'm going to stop you there. You're making yourself look like a fool.” You chastise. “It's obvious what you're doing and you're clearly making her uncomfortable. I suggest you stop now before you keep digging your grave even deeper.”

Eyes blown open and mouth agape, the man stares at you in shock from your words. Was I really that obvious? The man thought. He felt himself cowering in on himself under the heavy gaze of the two girls.

“Well, whatever.” He scoffed while avoiding eye contact, seemingly trying to act tough. “It's not like she was actually attractive.” Yet he received no reaction from either of the girls, as they continued to stare. The man began to fidget from their silence, then quickly turned around and left the store.

Both you and Ganyu let out a sigh. “Thankfully, that's over.” You tilt your head at Ganyu. “Does that happen often?”

“No, that was the first time it has ever happened.” She reveals. She then bows toward you. “Thank you for helping me.” When Ganyu straightens back up, she places a hand on her chest while giving you a sweet smile. “My name is Ganyu, secretary of the Yuhai Pavilion.”

God, she's even more gorgeous in real life… You flush a little as you give her a small bow in return. “It's nice to meet you, Miss Ganyu. I'm [Name] [Last Name].”

“It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss [Last Name]. Again, I do apologize for bumping into you earlier.” She tells you.

You wave your hand dismissively. “Just call me [Name], please. Calling me by my last name makes me feel old.” You joke.

Ganyu tilts her head curiously at you. “If I may ask, how old are you?” She asks innocently.

You pause, processing her question. Damn it. “I'm fifteen.” You manage out. I really hate telling people that because then they'll treat me like a child…

“Really?” She wonders aloud. “You're quite mature for your age and you seemed to know exactly what to do in the situation that happened earlier…” She trailed off.

You freeze hearing that. Oh shit! Has she caught on already?! You let out an awkward laugh. “Yeah, mature…” You say while making a subtle face. Although Xiao would disagree otherwise.

“Anyways, thank you once again for helping me. Is there anything I can do for you in return?” Ganyu asks.

You bring a finger to your chin and hum in thought. “Actually there is.” While Ganyu waits patiently for your request, you give her a smile. “Would you know of any stores that would have a body suit?”

The beautiful half-adeptus perks up in response. “As a matter of fact, this store has the same ones that I wear. Let me show you.” She then beckons you to follow her.

You do so with a skip in your step.

—

You and Ganyu soon left the shop, with you now wearing your new outfit that screamed main character. Thankfully the body suit was able to cover all of your tattoos. As you continued through the city, making light conversations with Ganyu, you watched as two little boys, who looked to be around the age of ten, chased each other around the streets while laughing. You watched them with a small smile. While you didn't like kids, you didn't necessarily hate them either. Plus it was kind of your profession to be able to take care of them as well. But you definitely didn't want any kids. Well, right now at least.

You watched as they weaved through the legs of strangers, trying to avoid getting hit. However, as the one with light blue hair raised a hand out in order to tag the other little boy with darker blue hair and an asymmetrical cut, a man that wasn't paying attention to what was in front of him went to take a step and kneed the poor boy hard in the head. The pale blue haired boy went down in an instant.

You let out a snort and raised a hand to your mouth to hide that you were laughing. “That poor kid just ate shit.” You couldn't help but let out a few chuckles at the kids unfortunate situation. Ganyu looked at you confused from the corner of her eyes. I'm a horrible person.

“I'm so sorry, buddy! Are you okay?” The young man that hit the boy asked as he crouched down. He received no reply as the boy laid still. The man started to shake the boy, seemingly beginning to panic.

“Hey…” He called out once more. “Are you okay?” He shook the boy frantically. Still, he received no reply. “This isn't funny, kid. Wake up!”

You stopped laughing and straightened your posture as your ‘doctor mode’ kicked in. Now you were getting concerned. Thousands of scenarios ran through your mind as to why the kid wasn't getting up. Is he concussed? Is he faking it? What's going on?

The other little boy that was running away, turned around when he heard yelling. His orange eyes widened in fear. “Chongyun!” He cried out and began running back to his friend.

Realization dawned on you. Those kids were Xingqiu and Chongyun. Your feet moved before you even noticed it as you rushed towards Chongyun and the man. Ganyu jumped when you began running and raised a hand to stop you. “[Name], wait!” But you were too far away to hear her over the people walking around.

A crowd began to form around the two to see what was happening. This caused the young man to panic even more. He looked up to the crowd. “Is there a doctor here? Please, anyone!” He cried out desperately, yet no one made a move to help.

You shook your head at the crowd. I see that the Bystander Effect is still a thing here. Xingqiu made it to Chongyun before you did, then got to his knees as soon as he reached him and started tapping Chongyun on the shoulder. “Chongyun?” He asked. “Wake up ‘Yun!”

You finally made it to the crowd and started elbowing your way through. “Excuse me! I'm a doctor, please let me through!” You yell out to the pedestrians. They turned and looked at you skeptically. Your lip curled up into a sneer at the people's ignorance. I don't have time for this.

“I said MOVE!” You yell out startling them in the process and forcing them to move. “Thank you!” You say exasperatedly, not forgetting your manners apparently. You quickly made your way over to Chongyun and got to your knees behind his head, gently placing your hands on either of his cheeks in order to stabilize his neck, in case he had injured it. Xingqiu noticed you and looked at you with tears eyes, worried out of his mind for his friend.

You looked to the man who started this whole mess. “What's going on? What happened?” You asked hurriedly while you checked Chongyun’s pulse.

The man seemed to be in a daze as he answered. “This kid just came out of nowhere. I had accidentally hit him with my knee and now he's not waking up.” He explained shakily. “Then this other kid just now showed up.” He pointed to Xingqiu. He then looked at you confused. “Aren't you a little young to be a doctor?”

You look at the man and give him a glare. “I don't think that matters right now since I'm the only one who even bothered to step in and help the poor child.” You glared at the rest of the crowd when you finished which made them avoid eye contact with you. Murmurs started to float through the crowd. What was this girl doing? Who is she? She's clearly too young to be a doctor.

You ignore their not so quiet whispering and look over to Xingqiu, giving him a reassuring smile. “Hey buddy,” you started softly. “What's your name?”

The normally composed boy let out a sniffle. “Xingqiu.” He responded. “My friend, Chongyun, isn't opening his eyes! Can you help?” He asked pleadingly.

“Don't worry baby, I'm a doctor.” You tell him, the pet name subconsciously slipping out of habit from when you worked with kids. “I'm going to help him and make sure he's okay.” Seventy beats per minute. Normal heart rate. Nineteen breaths per minute. Normal respiratory rate. If he wakes up soon, it'll most likely be just a slight concussion. You mentally start going down the checklist for head trauma patients when Chongyun finally opens his eyes.

Quickly taking notice, you yell at the crowd. “Everyone back up please! The kid is waking up so give him some space!” The crowd immediately backs away. You look back down at the boy who was wincing from the sunlight.

“Hey honey,” You gently try to get his attention, “can you hear me?”

Chongyun opened his eyes fully and looked at you, confused before squinting from the sunlight. From his position on the ground and the way the sunlight was hitting his baby blue eyes, you were able to see that his pupils were equal in size. Good. No anisocoria, no serious brain damage.

“Wha…?” Chongyun groaned out. With your hands on his cheeks, you gently tapped them to shift his attention back to you.

“Hey honey, look at me.” You instructed. “What's your name?”

The boy paused for a moment. “Chongyun.” He answered.

Alright that's one question. “It's nice to meet you Chongyun.” You smile at him. “Chongyun, do you know how old you are?” You continued.

“I'm ten.” He responded a little quicker this time. You nodded your head at him. That's two.

“Do you know where you're at, Chongyun?” You made sure to keep saying his name so that he would focus on you.

After a moment of silence, he responded. “I'm in Liyue.” He then closed his eyes and let out another groan. “My head hurts.”

“I know, dear. One last question, okay?” You tell him. He nods. “Do you know what happened to you?”

He thought for a moment. “I was… I was chasing Xingqiu,” said boy perked up in response to his name, “we were playing tag. I almost caught him then it suddenly got dark.” He opened his eyes and looked at you. “Why did it go dark?”

You give him a look of reassurance. “Your noggin got hit pretty hard and you fell down. You were asleep for a few minutes but you'll be okay.” You tilt your head. That's the last question. A and O times 4. He's alert and aware. “Does your head still hurt?” You asked as you began to palpate his neck, feeling for any serious injuries. You removed your hands when you found none.

He nodded. “Do you feel pain anywhere else? How about your neck?” He shakes his head in response.

“Good. Do you feel like sitting up for me sweetie?” You ask. Chongyun slowly moves to sit upright with your help and you guide him to the curb to sit on so he was out of the road. Xingqiu crawled over to his friend to see how he was doing, with you reminding him to overwhelm Chongyun. As you look out towards the crowd, you see Ganyu, who was carrying a cup of what you assumed was water, make her way over to your little group. She hands you the cup, which you thank her profusely, and you give it to Chongyun.

“Drink it slowly.” You advise him. “I don't want you choking on me now that you're awake.” You tease gently while sending a subtle wink to Xingqiu, causing the young boy to giggle.

He gingerly takes the cup from your hand. “Thank you ma’am.”

“Thank you, ma’am!” Xingqiu tells you as well.

“It's not a problem.” You reassure both of them with a smile. As soon as they saw that Chongyun was okay, the crowd dispersed and continued what they were doing. However, not without whispering amongst themselves how seemingly a teenager knew exactly what to do when taking care of an injured child.

You continued to sit with the two boys to monitor Chongyun, in case something suddenly went awry. Ganyu stayed as well, astounded at the young girl before her.

“What you did was quite impressive Miss [Name]!” The half adeptus praised. “I didn't know you were so vast in medical knowledge, and at such a young age too.”

You let out a few chuckles. “Well you only just met me today Miss Ganyu.”

She then gives you a sheepish look. “I was surprised to see you help him so quickly,” she leans in closer to whisper to you, “given that you were laughing at him earlier.”

“Oh… yeah,” You let out an uncomfortable laugh. “As long as they're not seriously hurt or in any danger, kids getting hit or falling is hilarious to me.” You let out a wince. “Wow, that sounds awful.”

“Yet you didn't hesitate to help him as soon as you saw that something was wrong.” Ganyu pointed out.

You lifted your hand to pet Chongyun on the head. “Well I've always wanted to be able to put my life to good use and help people in some way, so what better way than this? Helping people in their times of need.” You give Ganyu a cheeky smirk. “I may act all tough but I'm actually a big softie.”

“I'm well aware of that now.” Ganyu chuckles.

As you visited with the half-adeptus and two young boys, you failed to notice a pair of red eyes gazing at you with a look of mischief.

—

After triple checking that Chongyun was okay and him constantly telling you that he was, you wave the boys goodbye who returned it in full. Ganyu then tells you that she should continue running errands for Lady Nigguang and you may or may not have freaked out a bit inside when you heard her name. Waving to the half adeptus as well, you continue to wander aimlessly through the city.

You soon found yourself at the Wanmin restaurant, chef Mao working swiftly in the kitchen. He soon brought out your order and after paying, you made your way to the south side wharf. As you make your way to the dock, you sit down on the edge and look out at the ocean before you while swinging your legs. You welcomed the smell of salt water and the ocean breeze that fluttered around you, yet it did nothing to quarrel your racing thoughts.

I can't believe I've already been in Teyvat for a week and still don't have a fucking clue as to how I got here in the first place. You slide your hands down your face and clasped them together in front of your mouth. And Xiao has been no help to me in that matter unfortunately. The guy still doesn't talk to me that much anyways. Plus training with him has been difficult as well. I've learned that he's a super strict teacher and I've only managed to construct only two Geo items with him this past week but that was only when I was extremely frustrated or upset, so I have no clue as to how I'm going to be able to properly control the element… or that ‘particulation’ thingy with the weapons as well.

You drop your head in your hands and let out a whine. This is all so confusing! I really wish someone or something just give me some fucking answers!

You then look up and run your hands through your hair. Turning your head to the left, you see the giant Mingxiao lantern that was ready to be released once it was dark enough. You let out a sigh and try to relax. I should probably start looking for a place to watch it when it releases tomorrow. You stand up and start walking back to Feiyan Slope. Soon you crossed over the little bridge that connects Chihu Rock and Feiyan Slope. You decided to stick closer to the buildings to try and stay away from the crowds.

However, as you were too preoccupied to not hit anybody, you didn't notice a hand reaching out from an alleyway until it was too late. You felt a harsh tug on your left arm which caused you to let out a yelp. You quickly caught your bearings and when you turned to slapped your assailant, you froze as you saw a pale face that looked to be thirteen years old inches from yours. Red eyes with strange, floral shaped pupils came with the face and was framed with dark hair that faded into red.

Holy… Hu Tao? You wondered. But she looks a lot younger? Younger than this “me” that's for sure.

You give her a confused smile. “Um… hello?” Am I just going to meet every character in Liyue today?

“You're the one Mr. Zhongli told me about!” She exclaims. “It's nice to meet you! My name is Hu Tao!”

You swore you felt your soul leave your body when you heard his name. ZHONGLI?! HE’S LOOKING FOR ME?! OH SHI-! You're cut from your thoughts when Hu Tao starts pulling you. “Hey! W-wait!”

“C’mon! Mr. Zhongli is waiting for you back at the funeral parlor. It seemed like he wasn't too happy with you so we shouldn't keep him waiting any longer!” She giggles.

Yup, I'm officially dead. Maybe now I can go back to my world and be normal again.

Soon the young girl brings you to the doors of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. You gnawed on your lower lip. Fuck… I'm more nervous now than I was when I was taking the MCAT. Maybe because I'm meeting a FUCKING GOD?! You begin to slightly hyperventilate, the reality of the situation finally sitting in. FUCKFUCKFUCKFU-

You are once again snapped out of your internal freak out by Hu Tao pulling on your arm. The girl pushes the doors open while bringing you with her. The inside is about what you expected from a funeral parlor with coffins lining along the walls along with different types of shrines. After a few twists and turns, you and Hu Tao reach a very intricate door with a plate on it that says “Consultant: Zhongli”. You clench your jaw as you could practically feel the intense aura that radiated from him even through the door.

Without even knocking, Hu Tao busts through his door. “Mr. Zhongli! I found her! This is the girl you were looking for right?”

The wind gets knocked out of you upon finally seeing him in person and your knees about damn near buckle from underneath when you make eye contact with him. If you thought Xiao’s eyes were intense, then you don't even know how to describe Zhongli’s.

The Geo Archon narrowed his eyes towards you. “Indeed it is, Hu Tao.” His deep voice rumbled throughout the entire room and shook you to your core. “You may take your leave now.”

The young girl pouted. “Aw… and I wanted to see you scold her.”

A quick glance from the corner of his eyes was enough to make Hu Tao take the hint and leave, however not without whining on her way out.

As soon as Hu Tao was gone, Zhongli stood up and took large strides towards you, causing you to start panicking. Hu Tao, why did you have to leave me alone with an Archon?! Soon the man towered over you, forcing you to look up at him. The shadows that casted over his being due to him blocking out the overhead light made his striking amber eyes all the more intimidating. You felt like you were about to be pounced on like a mouse cornered by a barn cat.

Then Zhongli lowered his face closer to yours. “So you're the outlander who took my vision without permission.” He accuses. You feel your breath hitch in your throat and your palms beginning to clam up. You had never been more intimidated in your life and you have fought against people twice your size no problem before!

“Oh…! Um, t-that was me?” You stutter out. Your eyes widen when you realize just how fucking stupid you sounded.

Zhongli coolly looked at you. “Of course it was you. I knew that you were not of this world the moment you arrived in Liyue.” He tells you firmly while staring straight into your soul. “Now, do inform me on how you were able to acquire this power without a Vision granted from me?”

The silence was deafening in the room. You thought you were just about to faint until your experience from working under pressure in the emergency room decided to kick in and not fail you as you quickly composed yourself.

“In my defense,” you raise your hands. “it was completely out of my control.”

Zhongli raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

You let out a sigh. “Here's what happened. A saw a Statue of Seven in Guili Plains, in all of its glory, and as soon as I was near it I felt a pulling sensation. Later that day I was extremely frustrated and all of a sudden a rock pillar just came out of the ground.”

Zhongli hummed in thought before finally standing back to his full height, allowing you to breathe again. He brought a hand to his chin and looked down in thought. “Interesting. I have not heard of such instances where that has ever happened, with me or any of the other Archons.” His eyes met yours again. “So what makes you special? So special that even the adeptus Xiao has decided to look after you?”

You couldn't help the exaggerated laugh that bubbled out of your throat. “Ha! I wish I knew, but your guess is as good as mine sweetheart.” You pause. “I also know that you're Morax too… if you haven't figured that out yet.” You finish meekly. WHAT THE FUCK AM I SAYING?!

The Geo Archon’s eyes widen at you. “How did you know that? Where exactly did you come from?” He interrogates.

You quickly explain to him the same thing that you told Xiao, that he was from a video game and that you were aware of what was to come in the future as well as how you somehow physically de-aged.

“Interesting.” Zhongli thought for a moment. “It appears that you come from a similar universe in which our’s exists but in a completely different manner.”

“How much of our universe do you know through this ''game”?” He questions.

“I know of some future events that will happen, but the lore of the story is still a complete mystery. We don't even know how long the main story of the game is.” You say.

Zhongli pondered. “I see. If you know what is to happen in the future, then it would be best to let things run their course and not intervene with it.”

“Yeah, the butterfly effect and shit like that.” Your eyebrows shoot up in surprise as you subconsciously swore. You quickly slap a hand over your mouth. “Sorry… it's a bad habit.” You apologize quietly.

Zhongli decided to ignore your mishap. “So you're aware of what could happen. And since you're already aware of my identity, I presume that you know that I go by Zhongli now?”

You nod your head. “Yes, I do.” You then realized that you haven't introduced yourself. You quickly bowed towards him. “My name is [Name] by the way! [Name] [Last Name].”

Zhongli nodded. “It's a pleasure to finally know the name of the outlander that took my Vision without consent.”

You make a face at his snarky comment. “Is it a pleasure though?” You muttered rhetorically.

“Let's continue with your situation.” Zhongli diverted the conversation back on track. He then looked towards you. “Perhaps if you tried to remember the events that happened to you before you came here, that may give us a better idea as to the reason why you're here.” He then gestures to one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Please have a seat. It will be easier for you to remember if you're comfortable.”

“I do remember being on a bridge but that's the only thing I know now.” Moving to sit down, you tuck your dress skirt underneath you and cross your legs, trying to look somewhat professional. You take a deep breath as you gather thoughts. What happened before coming here? What was I doing? You lean forward and rest your elbows on your knee while interlacing your hands, then put your forehead against them. You close your eyes and your eyebrow twitches into a furrow as you begin to concentrate. [e/c] eyes move rapidly behind eyelids as memories start to form.

“A hospital…” You began. “I was working a shift in the hospital.”

—

“Hi Miss Bradford!” You cheerily call out as you knock on the door. The old woman looked up from her magazine and smiled at you with dull blue eyes.

“Dr. [Last Name]. How are you doing sweetheart?” She asks softly. Miss Bradford was a quiet old lady in her seventies with salt and pepper hair and the brightest, most gorgeous blue eyes you had ever seen.

That was before she had started chemotherapy.

Miss Bradford was your most recent patient. You had treated her a few months ago when she came to your emergency room with intense chest pains. After taking multiple different CAT scans and MRIs, you and several other doctors had concluded her diagnosis as breast cancer. Although you admitted her to Oncology, she kept having complications when she had started chemotherapy; causing you to see her quite frequently.

Today was the day Miss Bradford would start her third round of chemo and you decided to bring her her favorite lunch before starting. Miss Bradford was hell bent on beating this cancer but after her most recent round she had started to lose her appetite. Which was never a good sign for a cancer patient.

“I'm doing well, thank you. And I thought I told you to call me [Name]?” You grab a chair and pull it up next to her bed.

She gives you a small smile. “But you worked so hard to earn the title of a doctor. I'm only giving you the respect you deserve.”

You shook your head playfully at the older woman. “How're you feeling today?”

She let out a sigh. “Tired, but better than yesterday. I'm ready to get this damn treatment over with.” She grumbled.

“That's good! Do you feel like eating today?” You ask.

She shook her head. “Not really but knowing you, you'll probably force me to eat anyways.” She looked at the plastic sack in your hand. “Whatcha got there?”

“Well hopefully this will bring your appetite back for today. It's your favorite!” You raise the bag higher and place it on her food tray. “Almond Tofu! I remember you telling me that it was your go to desert when you lived in Singapore, so I had one of my foreign exchange friends teach me how to make it.” You let out a dramatic sigh. “I can't tell you how many times I messed up baking this damn dessert.”

Miss Bradford looked at the sweet treat with tears in her eyes. “Oh, [Name]…” She let out a wet laugh. “You didn't have to do that.”

You smiled at the older woman. “I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to.”

She suddenly reaches over as quickly as all the tubes hooked up to her allowed her and brought you into a tight hug. You fretted over her before she cut you off.

“Thank you, [Name].” She whispered. You reciprocated her hug gently.

“You're welcome, Miss Bradford. Though I can't guarantee it'll be just like the real thing.” You playfully warned.

She let out a laugh as she pulled away from the hug. “I'm sure it will be wonderful.” She gives you a grateful smile. She then evenly separates the dessert and gives you half of it. You shook your hands no at the offer.

“No no, Miss Bradford, I made this for you so you don't have to share it with me.” You politely decline.

She glares at you but smiles. “I know I don't have to but I want to.” She quipped.

You gasp. “How dare you throw my own words back at me!”

“Just take the damn dessert, Dr. [Last Name].” She laughed out loud.

Letting out a sigh, you grab the plate from her and begin to eat with her. You both chatted for a couple of minutes after finishing before you were paged to be back down in the emergency room. You grabbed the plastic container the dessert was in and threw it away. As you moved the chair back to its proper place, you looked at Miss Bradford.

Reaching a hand out, you place it over her own. “Thank you for eating today, Miss Bradford.” You tell her sincerely. “I know it's getting hard but all of the nurses are telling me that you're doing great.”

“Just two more rounds and it will be over.” You encouraged her.

The older woman nods as she grasps your hand and gives it a tight squeeze. A nonverbal thank you.

“Do you need anything else before I leave?” You ask.

She shakes her head. “No, Dr. [Last Name]. I'm quite alright. Now go save some lives.” She lets go of your hand and shoos you off.

You roll your eyes teasingly. “I'll be back to check on you after your treatment. Try not to see me this time around!” You open the door and wave back at her. “Good luck! You got this!” You then swiftly leave the room and head back to your station.

As soon as you were gone, Miss Bradford’s smile dropped immediately. She laid her head back and lifelessly looked at the ceiling. Tears started to fall from her cobalt eyes as she thought about you and the gift you had made for her.

“I'm gonna miss you, [Name].” She whispered into the empty room.

—

After three days, you fortunately had the day off from working so you immediately went to go see Miss Bradford.

You soon made it to the familiar room. “Hi Miss Bradford! How do you feel-” You stop in your tracks upon seeing Miss Bradford lying in front of you. The older woman looked nothing like what you had seen three days prior. Her beautiful salt and pepper hair had begun to fall out and her skin looked like it was barely hanging onto her bones.

You quickly come back to reality. This is what chemo does. And elderly people tend to not survive the drug. You remind yourself.

You take a deep breath and walk towards the bed. “Miss Bradford?” You call out. “It's me, Dr. [Last Name].”

The woman slowly opened her eyes. Her bleary and glazed over eyes tiredly searched for the voice calling out to her before landing on your form. Her dull blue eyes light up in recognition.

“[Name].” She croaked out yet still gave you a smile.

You give a smile right back to her. “Hi Miss Bradford.” You greet softly. You squat down next to the bed so it was easier to make eye contact. “How're you feeling?”

She let out a tired sigh. “Like shit.”

You chuckled quietly before you both sat in silence for a few moments. You open your mouth to say something but the older woman beats you to it.

“I don't think I'm gonna make this round, sweetheart.”

You clench your jaw hearing her statement. “Don't say that.” You tell her firmly. “I thought you wanted to kick this cancer’s ass?”

The poor woman couldn't even manage a chuckle. “Don't all patients say that?” She asked. She looks past you and out the window. “I think it's my time. I can feel it.”

She then closed her eyes and gave you a grateful smile while reaching up to cup your cheek. “Thank you, [Name], for sticking by my side even when my own children didn't. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful doctor to take care of me.”

You held the hand that was on your cheek and gave the older woman a sad smile as if to say “I'm sorry for not doing enough”, yet she seemed to understand what your smile conveyed as she began to caress your cheek as a means to console you.

“Keep saving lives, Dr. [Last Name].”

The steady flat note of a heart rate monitor tells you that your patient has finally passed away.

Her hand that was on your cheek laid flaccid on your own. You closed your eyes and let out a shaky sigh. After a few minutes of sitting in silence with your deceased patient, you press the nurse’s call button. You then place her hand next to her on the bed. Shortly after several nurses come into the room and begin to console you while covering Miss Bradford’s body with the sheet. You watched them as they wheeled her out of the room.

She told you to keep saving lives and you plan on doing just fucking that.

—

It was dark out when you finally left the hospital after you said your last goodbyes to Miss Bradford. The temperature had dropped significantly causing a shiver to run down your spine and goosebumps form on your arms.

You're not going to lie. Even though she told you that she was ready and already accepted her death, you couldn't help but feel like you failed her; so you were feeling pretty depressed. Everybody was so determined to get her healthy again, to go back to a somewhat normal life again. But it was never that easy.

You passed several buildings as you continued home. Soon you were passing your current town's local park when you suddenly stopped, a sudden feeling of anxiety had come out of nowhere. It felt like there were eyes on you, watching your every move. Your face sets into a hard glare to try and look intimidating. You turn around in a circle trying to find any suspicious people, yet you only found yourself alone in the street which unsettled you even more.

A sudden rustling causes you to whip your head to the right. Your eyes immediately lock onto a bright pair of golden ones that look at you from the tree line. Neither one of you refused to blink or look away, seeing who would back down first.

Your eyes widen when the other set of eyes seem to just dissipate into thin air. After a few moments of trying to process what the hell just happened, you shake your head.

I must be going insane. You thought. When you turned around to continue home, your gaze caught sight of something on the sidewalk. On the sidewalk was what looked like gold flecks of dust hovering in front of you. Being the completely logical person you were, you tried to kick the dust away from you. However doing so only caused more gold flecks to appear and soon a trail of them started to manifest that led into the forest where you saw the pair of eyes. You looked at the trail bewildered. What the actual fuck is going on? You drop your head and let out a defeated sigh.

“Yeah, I'm over this.” You mumble out loud. You walk through the trail dead set on going home and sleeping for the entire day tomorrow. Now you weren't going to lie, yes you do get upset whenever one of your patients pass away, but normally not this upset because that was part of your job; it's bound to happen. But Miss Bradford’s death seemed to be taking a bigger toll on you than you thought.

However, as you tried to walk through the trail it forcefully turned your body to walk to the forest. Your eyes widen as your adrenaline spikes and your fight or flight kicks in as you start thrashing around, trying to release its invisible hold on you.

“Hey, wait! Stop!” You cry out. You whip your head in all directions, trying to look for someone to help you. “Help! Anyone, please!” Yet all you received was silence from the empty street. While the gold dust continued to push you toward, you still tried to fight against it though you quickly began to falter thanks to the mentally and physically taxing day you just went through.

As if it had sense you were giving up, the trail abruptly stopped pushing you. For a split second you thought about running off again but decided against it. You watched as the trail formed and led even deeper into the forest where the bushes and trees were so thick that not even the bright moon that was above could illuminate it. Your eyes flicker down to the trail before going back to the forest then back down to the trail. You grimace at the trail as if you were saying “do I really have to?” to it.

All of a sudden, your head whips up to the tree line as you hear music softly playing from it. From your limited musical knowledge, it sounded like it was a harp or some type of string instrument. You feel your muscles relax and your heart slows its frantic pace as the soft melody coursed around you, like a warm comforting blanket that had just come out of the dryer, and a sense of peace had washed over you.

The logical side of your brain was screaming at you to not listen to it. To not be a dumbass and see where it was coming from. To run away as fast as you could while screaming for help, yet you already knew that wasn't going to work. But the hypnotic song that the harp-like instrument was playing kicked that side of your brain to the curb as it lured you into the forest.

Your feet moved before you even realized it and soon you began to bush limbs away. After a few minutes of trying to follow where the music was coming from, it started to get louder and then light filtered through the trees. You quickened your pace and pushed away the last of the trees, but froze in your place as the music suddenly stopped and at what you walked upon.

In front of you was nothing but a vast and endless bright blue sky. From above where the sun continued to glow brightly but seemed to be twice the size of what it was before, to below you where you could see a single hint of land anywhere. Clouds rolled by thanks to the gentle breeze that blew past you and tall pillars were littered throughout the area, some were even floating!

You turn back to the forest behind you with a confused expression before looking back at the open sky. Wasn't it just night before? And why is this… oddly familiar? Where have I seen this before? You wondered.

You jumped nearly ten feet in the air when you heard a noise at your feet. You look down to see individual slabs of concrete form a bridge several feet out in front of you and the gold trail resumes onto the bridge.

You stare at the bridge processing what just occurred. You could practically hear the Jeopardy theme song playing in the background. You sharply inhale and your eyes widen when finally realized why this was all familiar.

Motherfucking Genshin Impact! I thought I recognized this loading screen!

You place a hesitant foot on the bridge, expecting it to crumble but it stood sturdy. You take another step, then another, and after four steps the bridge begins to form out again. You keep walking as the bridge does so. You do this for a few moments, giggling to yourself about what is actually transpiring.

“I really have gone insane.” You laughed. “Ah, and my future was so promising.”

A loud boom from below cuts you off from your self deprecating thoughts. What the hell? You get down on your knees and crawl over the edge of the bridge to see a huge black rip in the sky.

“Outlanders,” A voice boomed out. “your journey ends here.”

And out stepped the Unknown God.

Oh shit. You gasp quietly as your heart rate accelerates at the sight of her. She's hotter in person. You looked around for the twins and quickly spotted them on a platform just below the Unknown God.

“Who’re you?” The queen herself, Lumine, calls out.

“The sustainer of heavenly principles.” The Unknown God summons a black cube in her hand. “The arrogation of mankind ends here.” She then creates a cube below the twins, forcing them to jump out of the way. They spin in the air and summon their, much cooler than the ones in the game, wind gliders with swords in hand.

The Unknown God sends multiple horrifying trails of cubes after the twins, forcing them to fly and twirl out of the way of them while causing the whole sky to rumble somehow. Soon the twins fly towards the Unknown God and collide with her creating a huge explosion.

The explosion caused the bridge you were on to shake due to the force. You grabbed on tighter to the ledge in hopes of keeping your balance, but an aftershock made you slip off from the edge. You let out a terrified scream as you suddenly began to fall.

Your scream caught the trio's attention and made them look at you. The twin’s faces morph into a shocked and horrified expression as you fall while the Unknown God’s eyes narrow in recognition. “There you are.” And sent cubes after you, yet you are completely immune to what's happening around you thanks to the wind that was blowing in your ears.

Lumine quickly yelled to her brother. “Aether, catch her!” She diverted her attention back to the god. “I'll take care of this!”

Aether jumped into action and quickly flew to you. He willed his wind gliders to move faster than the cubes and was soon on you. He then flies underneath you and catches you bridal style. You let out a loud “oof” as you roughly collided with something and opened your eyes, which had subconsciously closed when you fell, to see Aether flying away with you in his arms and away from the cubes.

Aether looks down to your wind blown form. “Are you okay?” He asks gently. How you could hear him over the wind, you didn't know, but you could only stare at him in shock, not actually believing that he was real.

Taking in your silence as being in shock from the fall, he flies higher in the air and turns to the Unknown God to see his twin getting sucked into the god’s cubes.

“Lumine!” He cried out. He looked between you and his sister before ultimately throwing you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes while keeping a firm hold on your thighs. He zooms to the god at high speeds which catches you off guard.

“What the fuck?!” You screech. You were starting to get a little motion sickness from all of the sudden movements.

Aether dips behind the god and swings his sword at her which causes an even larger explosion than before. You let out a scream at the loud sound. You could feel Aether’s chest rising and falling rapidly under your legs due to him panting. You hear him gasp and you turn over his head to see what was happening, though you already knew.

However, the sight of the smoke from the explosion coming back and encasing Aether’s hand was more terrifying in real life than it was in the game.

“Hold on!” He orders then quickly readjusted you so that he had a hold of your waist. You wrap your arms around his shoulders and cover your face in his shoulder, bracing for any sort of pain. Soon your vision started to turn black, but before it covered it entirely you heard Aether scream out to the Unknown God.

“Wait, don't go! Give my sister back!”

—

A/N: Kazuha is now officially the ninth member of the harem. Also, y'all... Inazuma? Lord help me I want to add Gorou and Thoma to the harem as well.

Side note, for all of the male characters that have a "young adult" physique like Aether, Kazuha, Xiao, etc. they're taller than they are in the game, from 5'6"-5'8" (Xiao still being the shortest) while those with an "adult" are anywhere from 5'10-6'2", because I said so lol.

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oh-for-fic-sake · 5 years ago

Text

New Beginnings Chapter Three Final

Masterlist

Summary: Tension's are high when the Avengers arrive, Tony soon find himself regretting letting you go seeing what you've achieved without him. He also find himself face to face with a very angry boyfriend when a argument breaks out. Warnings: Adult Situations +18, Smut, Unprotected Sex, Swearing, Avenger Bashing, Tony bashing, Fighting, Arguing, Slight Domestic Violence, Angry Clark. A/N: so did a lot of research for this wanting to use existing tech from the comics ect. This is the final part and long Tony might be a little out of character but whatever I cn see him being a nasty piece of work if he wanted to be. I hope you all enjoy xxx Taglist: @two-unbeatable-beaters @magdelen69 @iloveyouyen @sofiebstar @thefangirlsblog @harrysthiccthighss @loserrlauraa @cheeseman @isitmine @tinabean37 @agniavateira @msblkfire84

You whined low in your throat the tone wasn't even as you were shunted up hips rising from the ridiculously powerful man behind you. You were bent over the kitchen counter facing the window, eyes blurry with unshed tears as your body was ridden to its absolute limits. Clawing at the marble you all but cried as one hand found somewhere to hold, an anchor to reality. Fingers latched around the edge of the sink panting trying hard not to waste the tiny breath Clark allowed to remain in your lungs, just enough to keep you conscious. Your toes were feeble in their search for purchase scrabbling up the cupboard's wanting to take some of your weight off your tummy that was molding around the cock you found yourself impaled on over and over in a smooth rhythm. He continued his invasion your body all to eager as his cock slid into place. You wept silent tears as your lover drove deeper into you almost punishing your nervous system as he made sure to glide into you sweet body at an angle that scorched your tender walls. Purposefully hitting your insides weakening your resolve and pulling you from reality pounding you towards a magnificent end, he was tormenting you forcing your own body to build into your Seventh? Eight? Orgasm of the morning. He grunted louder throwing his head back hands shaking in restraint knew was borderline teetering on the edge of loosing his tight control you just felt so good wrapped around him! He stuttered growling and snarling eyes clamped shut trying to glow with molten heat in unrivaled lust an natural carnal desire instinctual urges fueling his mission. Clark was by all rights claiming you marking you as his very own conquered territory, taking your womb for himself. Fucking his seed into you over and over so that you'd be dripping with it, all but drenching your panties with his cum as you worked along side him your ex. His hand flexed and he eyed you still egging you on forcing you to climb higher, faster. He growled again pulling your hair taught in his fist trying to ease his quivering muscles. It was hard, so very hard not to just rut you into passing out again. But even then he knew he'd make this last he moaned low tucking his chin to his chest finally releasing your hair with a light push forward making you slump limp over the counter he'd pinned you to. For a second he thought you had passed out and huffed a breath growling, no he wanted you awake, wanted you with him. "You best not be sleeping woman!" he grunted watching you through half lidded eyes. He moved his other hand off you he was getting carried away and had to hold somewhere he couldn't risk hurting you. He quickly withdrew the hand from your ass and dug his fingertips into the edge of the marble alongside your displayed hips. Thighs held wide by his own form the slowed a little and leant down giving a reasonably gentle bite making you grunt crying at the pain he cause. Good you were still with him, at the realization he stood tall and began becoming rougher brutalizing your walls forcing you to yelp a sweet sound and beg him for more. "Pl-PLEASE CLARK-OH OHGO-AH! I'M NOT-I'M HERE I'M HERE PLEASE BABY FUCK ME!" You cried in surprise as he began getting faster and harder snarling across your back as the stone gave under his grip small finger sized dents surrounded by tiny fissures in the black worktop where his fingers sat. You cried again as he roared across your back chasing what was with any luck his final load for the morning. He'd been at this for a while now...Hours in fact, each time you thought he was finished and empty you tried to move away and get on with your day. Clark hadn't let you get more then six foot away on wobbly legs before he was on you again twisting your body pulling at your tired limbs before making your body his home again. So far you'd been taken on the bed twice, Ruined your fluffy rug in the bedroom, pounded against the door and obscenely ravished on sideboard in the hall; which was your personal favorite of the day it had been interesting with the mirror. Your labored pants and moans fogging the glass distorting the image as his held you still on your knees, splayed on the wood one huge sweaty palm holding your petals open the other around your throat forcing you to watch as his cock nestled itself inside your body until you'd ...You'd commented after between heavy pants that it had been the sexiest thing you'd ever seen... Which prompted him to then follow you into the kitchen~. You'd intended to make a coffee and relax but Clark was on a mission driven by a overwhelming need to mark you, claim you and fill you before The Avengers got here. At this point you were sure Clark wanted to drown you in the scent of his cum to an extent that even a human like Tony could smell it...You wasn't against it but you really had to be able to walk in a straight line today and Clark was slowly stealing that from you one delightful thrust at a time. You grunted as he pulled back from you as he got close you tipped your head back an wept you were exhausted! But he was not. Huffing a laugh he eyed the sweat on your back the drops trickling down your sides, your skin flush and glistening. You whined at the loss of him when you were both so close so much so you arched back trying to spear yourself back onto him. He growled lightly slapping your damp cheek as a warning. "Ah ah naughty~ When did you think that was going to happen? Hmm? Such a greedy little thing aren't you love~ so hungry for my cock you'd chase me down" he teased giving your other cheek a light slap turning it pink. He grinned wide at the desperate mewls and whines escaping you as you wriggles trying to entice him. He loved this, that even as tender and tired as you were you were still so eager to chase him for his cock, desperate to be seated on him and let him ride you into euphoria. He shook his head for a human you kept up pretty well, he would take some credit for that though after all it was his libido that was pushing your stamina. "Please! Please don't just-you can't...Clark please don't leave me like this~ fuck me make me cum I want you to cum in me again please let me make you cum again!" He let out a laugh and smoothed over your ass pretending to think before lightly tapped your the two round globes you were teasingly shaking before him. He leant down making you gasp as he places a sloppy kiss on one cheek before biting at it making you arch. "Oh alright since you asked so nicely~ Come on up...Ass up~" he muttered into your plump flesh sounding very chipper and relaxed for a man who'd all but fucked the life out of you this morning you swear to god you saw you dead grandma in the mirror earlier. You whined coughing catching your breath torn between wanting to take a breather but also needing his cock to fill you one final time at least! He was already placing your knees on the side of the marble under you ass slipping between them ankles positioned so your dainty feet were framing the ass he loved so much like a pretty picture. He tugged you back a little hanging your ass and dripping cunt just over the edge and without so much as a 'good girl' he was rutting up into you again. You arched hand now gripping the mixer tap in a white knuckle grip as he moved faster grunting and moaning. "Ah! Fuck CLARK?! PLEASE-PLE~OH! fuck~ I cant take much mooore~ AH AH AHUUGH! NO I CLARK FUCK SAKE-I CANT!?" You cried out as he moved forward pressing himself over your back a feat he only achieved due to his unfair height. You cried out as the climax that had been ebbing away now returned full force bubbling in your loins a torrent of lust threatening to overflow as his balls struck your stinging over sensitive clit. You cried out to immersed in the sensation that was just him!. You arched back up one hand pressing you up so you could try and bounce with the mans frantic motions chasing the high that he had been all but assaulting you with all morning. He grunted hissing and purring all in one as his fingers finding your ponytail again and clenched fisting the hair using it to reign you in tugging you back, your back arching further mouth wide moaning and grunting his other hand grabbed your throat holding just enough to help you move back onto him as he began swelling. "It's so fucking cute watching you try to keep up~ but you know how I feel about you trying to take over woman..." he grunted surprisingly clear as he began rutting deeper now that his hands were all but yanking you back on to his pelvis wet slaps getting louder and lewder as they joined your babbling that echoed the large space. You began gasping out apologies hearing the violence the almost bitter edge to his voice he used rarely in these moments of passion. Clark bottled up all his darkness and irritation and occasionally released it in his fucking. In these rare and coveted moods he demanded submission in the bedroom you were his release in the most beautiful rapturous of ways and if refused? He would raw you until your sobbing. You tried shaking your head crying out as your insides massaged him tighter and tighter as he spoke the delicious threatening words, he scruffed you hand changing to hold the roots of our hair at the base of your scull pushing forward stretching your spine. "You ready? Ready to cry and scream for me?~" his voice a velvet purr over your skin making you cry out breathlessly as his tilted himself back slightly then arch forward fucking you faster then your body should ever be able to physically take. The speed achieved his goal as your climax was almost instant this one wasn't a moan or cry of your lovers name it was a screech, high and echoing in primal plea the loudest roar you could muster without breath. Your clit throbbing and stinging as the nerves made you burn, a blistering heat releasing over him but he wasn't finished quite yet laughing through his deep grunts as your hands clawed as his hand still cupping your throat. Finally a few painstakingly long seconds later he came to an abrupt stop, halting his motion's with a shout, a swear and stuttering pleas of 'oh god yes' embedded a solid ten inches into your cramping heat releasing into your body hissing as his cock wept into your battered swollen cunt. You panted moaning coughing and sobbing tears streaming down your face completely exhausted and boneless panting body desperate to take in the air he had just literally stolen from you. Clark pulled back slipping from you pulling you down into his arms ignoring the way you leaked across his arms with a smile he tipped his head nose ghosting your cheek and peppered kisses across it down to your lips walking to the shower. You whined twisting your head to him eyeing him warily. "Clark no more, please I really cant- its sore stinging and I don't think-" he shushed you with a sweet kiss padding into the bathroom setting you on the sink unable to stop the smug grin as you hissed when your ass hit the cool surface. "I know, I know enough for now~ I just want to clean you up and then we can have breakfast and you can go and teach these so called hero’s a thing or two~ now come on ass in the shower" he explained as he started the power shower setting the temperature to your setting, Clark always had a scorching shower, you'd learned early on not to try and surprise him in the shower lest you be burned. You rolled your eyes and wobbly over to the large glass cubicle.

It was just past ten in the morning when they arrived, Diana greeted them. They were being brought in on a separate pad a few stories up from ground level, a separate garage from Bruce’s. Surprisingly the whole team hadn't shown up like they were expecting. Only seven. Tony, Bruce and Peter of course how could they leave out the protégé. Thor probably because he is technically an alien? Vision for maybe the same reason maybe they thought he could help due to having an infinity stone? Then two that didn't really make sense being here. Steve and Natasha? maybe they just didn't want to be left out...Fomo? The fear of missing out. Diana tried to fight the eye roll as Tony clearly eyed her up and down, it took a lot not to just drop him on the spot. Diana would never hurt a human, but was he? In her eyes he was scum, you had told her a few details that the others hadn't been privvy to. You were drunk and got very loose lipped and mentioned a few thing's you'd done at Tony's insistence even thought you didn't really want to and a few things he had said, hurtful and degrading things. The man tried to make you feel dumb and useless- well not completely he made sure you understood your limited uses. Inexperience had made you naive you'd thought it was dirty talk but once you stood back things became clear. Dirty talk shouldn't leave you a devastated mess and make you want surgery. You were a whore to him, a virgin slut to ruin and use. She had no doubt that if a Clark found out Tony wouldn't survive very long. Clark was a kryptonian a hero the symbol of hope,Superman...But he was still a man and any man worth his salt would fight for his woman's honor. And if he laid into Tony well lets leave that, one there shall we?

"Well if it isn't the woman wonder herself!?" Tony said arms stretched out as he got closer she wondered of you grin on his face was supposed to be charming or not. She smile anyway hey were here for as long as it took to figure out what this thing was, the tensions would be high enough when they saw you she didn't need to add to it. She just hoped Bruce was at least gonna record the meeting on surveillance you had been hearing up for the past week. Winding yourself in a tight ball anxious and biting at the bit, so had Clark Bruce ended up trying to give you the week off as Clark was following you ravishing you all over the tower.

"I thought they'd send Supes out to do the meeting and greeting isn't he your posterboy-" Tony's words were cut short as they all ducked even Thor was unprepared as Clark flew passed diagonally from below cutting through the air fairly slow all things considered. He'd done it so he could make a sound akin to a jet the air wrapped around them a few seconds after he passed when he was but a dot in the distance as he passed a rumble of the sound followed. They all watched as Clark headed straight up into the air creating a sonic boom as he finally took off full speed through the ozone.

Diana smiled Clark was showing off he'd just been near the top of the tower spending some 'quality time' with you and had taken off from your balcony so he must have dropped down and flew around here to the other side of the building just to put on a show. He wasn't trying to impress them he was trying to warn them. She shook her head no he was trying to warn Tony. To bring home the fact he was a human. Diana eyed him, the billionaire did seem a little paler now.

"Well he just popped out, shall we?" She said turning directing them all into the tower. The visiting team kept looking out for the man of steel as they entered they looked uncomfortable. Good they should be, they'd spent to long letting things go to their head's here they weren't so special. Here they wasn't the strongest or the smartest or the bravest.

"Soo wheres he of to?I thought he was the whole reason we're here? You know the kryptonian tech and all that jazz?" Tony asked keeping up with Diana as she lead them further into the tower towards the designated rooms which would be the Avengers home.

"The sun. And although you have kryptonian tech Superman is not going to be as involved as you might think. We have a specialist here. A human she's an expert and is the only person on the planet who's making breaking trough's the kryptonian technologies." Diana explain vaguely smiled to herself if only they knew. It was Natasha who spoke next.

"He's going to float around the sun? Why?" Diana turned to her tipping her head slightly.

"To relax he has been busy, using up a lot of energy recently so is going to spend a few hours inside the sun. He will be back when everything begins" she explained as she placed her hand on the elevator scanning pad. Letting her enter with everyone. "So your telling me he can go into the sun? Really I mean he doesn't burn up and disintegrate?" Diana shook her head at vision who was looking skeptical

"No it makes him stronger, he says its warm but thats about it"

"So it's true no radiation can hurt him? He truly is impenetrable?" Bruce asked slowly making Diana nod she was getting wary now they w ere getting a bit to much information. Steve could tell she was uncomfortable and changed the subject. "So is the whole league here?" He asked as the elevator climbed a few floors and finally pinged the doors opening again. She smirked they had dorms with two bathrooms to share between them as you had requested.

"Yes the league and titans are here at the moment, this is your floor you'll find everything you need. The security is bio metric and the pads by the door with take scans of your palms when you first put you hand on them don't fight it it will release you when-" Tony scoffed rolling his eyes.

"Bio metric security? Oh I wounder if its as good as mine maybe we could collaborate on that" Diana growled under her breath and quickly smiled.

"I doubt you have the same considering its kryptonian, just don't fight it sometimes its finicky" and with that she left going to the elevator

"I'll come get you when Superman is back until then please make ourselves at home" she said curtly before directing the elevator up the lab you were going to use.

You sighed padding down the corridor to the lab you'd heard Clark come back from his top up signalling it was time to bite the bullet and go see the team. after breakfast Clark had taken off doing a big swoop of the building in a show of power he said that he 'wanted them to realize who was in charge here' you'd rolled your eyes at him and kissed his cheek. Before he dove off the balcony something that despite knowing he could fly always made your stomach drop. He'd returned a few moments ago and you knew Diana was going to collect your guests and their find. Your flats didn't make a sound on the floor a you entered the elevator. The lab that had been chosen was a lower lab. One you didn't use much but you wanted to keep this project away from your others. You hung your head sighing here we go, the big reveal. You felt sick it was like the last eight and a half months hadn't happened and you were that nervous beaten down woman all over again.

Finally the elevator pinged and you stepped out there they were. Not the whole tea, thank god. They were all talking among themselves and Clark didn't look to pleased he was tense on edge as Tony Steve and Thor tried to kiss ass Peter was just being Peter and standing oblivious looking around the lab. Your lab.

"Y/n great your here!" Clark's head snapped up drawing the attention of Everyone as the man of steel spoke turning to face you smiling.the room fell into a deafening silence as you made your way over to them. Trying to fight a smug grin as your old team shared looks with one another. Tony was the first to react taking a step back face suddenly angry you knew what it was. Jealousy, he envied the fact you were here with the tech he coveted. Thor being the happy dolt he was spread out is arms with a loud booming laugh. "Y/n? Its so good to see you! I thought we'd never cross paths again after you found out Tony was cheating! How have you been?" You smiled at him politely as he turned to Tony. "Look its your Y/n- well not anymore but she's here!!" you watched Clark clench his fists at Thor’s words and Diana sucked in a breath tensing ready to attempt to intervene if he lunged. You eyed Clark warning in your gaze and stepped around Tony he turned slowly following you as you chose to ignore him. "Thank you Thor, Its good to see you to. And I'll admit I didn't think we'd see each other again but you need my help. But I'm doing very well" "Yes we I see that! You look much happier!" He added grinning fro ear to ear seemingly oblivious to the tension he was creating the big lug was nothing but consistent. The thought made you chuckle and you tipped you head to him then motioned around you. "I am Thor! I really am this place is fantastic I've found my home I just wished I'd accepted this offer sooner" you added twisting the knife watching the others all linger uneasy they were waiting for a blow up but no. You were passed that. You gazed at Tony and you ere happy to say you felt nothing. You'd been worried you'd feel regret? Guilt? You wasn't sure but the anxiety melted when you didn't even feel anything much. Maybe disgust and a little anger but apart from that you were pretty indifferent to him.

"Y/n you? This is where you ran off to? Wow Thor’s right you look...Fuck" You took a breath as he spoke taking a step forward hands in the air eyeing you biting hos lip a little all previous anger had gone and he was staring. You knew why Tony had been disgraced after you left. It was all over the news Pepper left him and leaked the affair and bastard child. But not your affair? You'd waited for it but nothing you supposed it could have been an apology? Or a thank you? Gratitude for you letting her know what else had gone on. He was currently single his goody two shoes hero image tarnished and was pretty much blacklisted by women. You tilted your head eyes flicking to Clark who had looked away but hos eyes were still flickering to you, he wanted to tug you out of Tony's reach Clark’s eyes followed the human as he moved forward attempting to kiss your cheek but you dodged gracefully away. You and Clark both agreed you wouldn't reveal your relationship you didn't trust them not to blab you were safer in the long run if they never saw. But it was clear he didn't like Tony trying to get handsy with you, his jaw twitched locking he was gritting his teeth but you shook your head at him subtly then nodded to Tony. "Yes Tony, I was offered a spot here and took it now I'm in charge of all kryptonian technologies. He finds it and I fix it" you said nodding to Clark. As you closed the distance crossing the lab in measured unhurried steps. Tony took a moment to eye you cautiously as you approached him, something was different from the last time he'd seen you, you were confident held yourself different spoke louder held your head higher. He gulped that confidence was something you gained through success. And successes for you could mean trouble for them what if one day he wasn't on top? And you were? Tony never liked being second best. "So what did you bring me?~" You asked with a grin coming to a stop beside him but just out of reach. Tony grit his teeth there was so many things he wanted to say, he wanted to hash things out to argue or talk or something! Not just leave things as they ended. The others just watched on as Tony flicked his eyes to the huge artifact behind him.

"We don't know, its heavy thats why we have Steve, vision Thor and myself here t took all of us to lift it." You cast a quick glance to the case holding his suite by his feet and smirked. Diana had made them carry it in? You saw her share a chuckle with Clark. Couple of sneaky bitches! You couldn't kill the grin tilting your head down trying to hide your amusement. God forbid Tony thinks your laughing at him. You hummed It was huge a metallic gun metal grey oval rounded on all sides a decorative molding on the edge. There was a center embossed ring that was mottled like a mosaic lined that looked deep ran between the smooth surface. It reminded you of a smaller box Clark had brought you back a few weeks ago it had held books mainly that you were slowly deciphering. But it was also different it didn't have the same design on the sides, no hidden compartments that came out to unlock it was a sealed unit.

"We thought it could be a transportation ship? Like the thing supes rode in" tony admitted locking eyes with your lover and moved his head side to side a little crossing his arms over his chest Ego clashing much like it did with Steve at first Tony liked to think himself a big man and didn't like bigger men. "How did you get here by the way? Like was it an accident or you know just dropped as a scout and them your planet mysteriously blew to hell?" The bitchiness took you by surprise but honestly Clark was throwing him daggers with his eyes. You gasped and intercepted what ever words where about to be spat at Tony this could get ugly quickly Clark really didn't like the avengers, Tony in particular so you doubt he’d play nice.

"Its not! Tony I've worked on his ship and its not, this is a lock box of some kind, I've opened a few before but not as big" You did a once over walking around it fingers skimming it ,smooth and cool, metal obviously but in this moment. You tapped it hearing a deep short thunk. It was definitely a box hollow but the metal was thick and is the same as the other artifacts. It was when you got to the back you saw it the damage. Clearly the iron man suit. You growled and eyed Tony. "Whats the fuck? What you couldn't figure it out so you decided to try and smash it? Really?" You growled Tony scoffed shifting on his feet. "I didn't know what it was and I wanted to find out!" He argued you shook your head. "So you smash it!? Your a fucking idiot!" You growled and turned looking aroun d the lab. Vision called out to you pulling your attention away from Tony. "Your sure its a box y/n?" It was the question on everyone's mind you looked at it nodding pressing a palm to it letting the metal cool your skin. "Its definitely a type of lock box, a chest- like I said I've opened them before but smaller and not at decorative as this...The others were easy to figure out but this one might not be as straight forward..." you turned to Diana with a grimance. "I've got a feeling its going to be similar to our security system so need to run some tests if it is DNA specific activation then its gonna take a few days to override it and reconfigure...Maybe a week?" "I need it over there, gonna scan it-" "Don’t you think we already did that? can't see through what ever metal that is" To your surprise the snippy reply came from Banner you rolled your eyes god give you strength. It would seem your new position hadn’t just got up Tony's nose. "Let me guess you tried x-ray? And ultrasound? Trying to peek inside?" He nodded pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose looking smug. You growled and gave a sardonic grin.. "Well I'm not trying to look inside, I'm going to figure out what metal it is, depending on the percentage of certain metals i can decipher a date with that date I can figure out what corresponding system would have been used at that time to seal it and what it could possibly be. If thats alright with you Dr Banner" You explained slowly like speaking to a child shutting him up very quickly. "I doubt it, it doesn't match any known elements on ours" you hung your head at Tony's egotistical comment he really thought his lab as the be all and end all, that there wasn’t anyone on earth who could possibly know more then him. "Well your not an expert on it are you Tony? No your not thats why you've come here asking for my help because I am and I have the tools and the knowledge to open it" you said Clark and Diana chuckled as you managed to shoot down the two scientists who were now pouting like children. You spun eyeing the rest of your esteemed guests. "Any other snippy comments? No? Good! Now I need it over there so I can run our database" you nodded to a small platform near your equipment...It might just fit hang off the edge a little but thats fine. The 'hired muscle' all moved to the large heavy object but your Clark beat them to it lifting it with one hand bicep not even bulging as he held it delicately. You smirked shaking your head he was showing off proving his strength to make the others wary. And it was working each of your guests began to pale eyeing on another as Clark set it down onto the platform. He grinned deciding to add insult to injury as when he began inching away he noticed it was crooked and moved it centering it with his foot, barely grazing it with the side of his toe. You sighed sealing a glance at the group now all very aware who was the real muscle in the room. You couldn't help the burst of pride in your chest at how he had showed up the worlds 'mightiest heros' you grinned thats your man! Diana even rolled her eyes at his antics. "And that would be why I love having you around the lab Supes I appreciate your help " he smiled at you over the top of the oval dome and walked around standing beside you. "So I'm just convenient? A useful tool? I'm hurt" he said placing a hand to his heart you rolled your eyes at him as he stepped away from the platform walking to wards you standing beside you looking down with a smirk. Oh he knew what he was doing. "Well you do make yourself useful occasionally~" you teased back a little banter still wary of the multiple eyes he laughed and watched you move to a control panel you cast a glance over the artifact. "Right lets get the show on the road!"

You moved about unhurriedly Banner and Peter were helping you stabilize the artifact that had affectionately become known as the pod. You were close to opening it after getting the DNA scanning mechanism off the psycho kill bot that had attacked Barbra you'd identified that to Tony's annoyance you were correct the pod was locked tight using a DNA bio metric system similar to the tower but older. Luckily with the new scanner you were able to see that a sample of kryptonian blood to cross examine and match. Working on the bot you'd finally found a way to change the 'user' as it were. You could give Clark access to it which Bruce had taken care of it in the bat cave drawing blood with a specially designed kryptonite needle that he had to hand for some reason? Konner and Jon had got bloods done to so you had a decent amount on hand the pod held around fifteen milliliters of sample DNA and the security system only ever drew one or two drops so a few vials wouldn't go amiss. The last week had been tense Tony had barely said two words to you. The one time he did try to speak was two days ago he ha cornered you in a quiet corner of the lab. You'd been sitting soldering making a connection to be able to effectively 'plug in' the scanner so you could switch the accepted DNA with Clark's and open the pod.

"So? You really left us to come here...Left me for this?" You stopped soldering he really was determined to do this? You tipped your head to him as he sat next to you.

"Yes Tony, it beats being a secretary or fuck toy" you bit out not trying hide any of your bitterness. He rolled his eyes at that leaning back crossing his arms.

"Oh come on like it was that bad you loved it~"

"Yes Tony every woman like being treated like a whore, fucked and left alone on the bed minuets after.." you grit out at him the anger coming back in waves at his blasé tone. He waved a hand about

"I mean come on it was fun while it lasted" he said offhandedly smirking at you then bit his lip eying your chest, one of the few things he praised you for your bust was a little larger then usual for a woman of your frame. You folded your arms over your breasts crushing them hiding them from him frowning you began to speak. "You have no idea do you? Tony you lied to me, lead me on just to stop me from being better then you! To stop me from proving you wrong and making you look bad! What part of that was fun!?" You asked shaking your head voice slowly raising as you began getting really irritated anger flickering in your eyes. "Don't you miss it? The sex I mean...I doubt you get many offers here but the again I can spy a little love bite peeking right here, but come on I've been here nearly a week and no boyfriend so obliviously a one night stand" he eyed your shirt collar and you growled at him. He looked around the lab then slowly drew his gaze to your eyes. "Look have you ever thought about coming back? Its not to late, we can try again. This time be in the lab with me we can do great things if we collaborate-" you cut him of with a loud laugh and shook your head at him, he was confused watching as you continued giggling. "Really? That’s gonna be your fucking play? You are un-fucking-belivable you know that? Let me make this clear to you despite what you think Tony you are not that important and you didn't leave that much of an impression on me. I'm not nor will I ever be coming back Tony and I am never ever ever going to sleep with you again" you stated bluntly you carried on chuckling at him, he looked so offended nose scrunching making him look old. You shook your head , how the fuck had you ever thought he was the sexiest man on earth? You wanted to go back and bitch slap some sense into yourself. "Yet your fucking someone here whats the difference? Come back to us, to me I can give you everything you've ever wanted-" he argued getting snippy with you lashing out because he wasn't getting his way, you wasn't falling for the charm and sweet talk. You had gotten stronger without him and he couldn't resent it he had held you down for nearly two years and now here you were better, smarted more confident in only eight months. "Ha! What? For a price? Let me guess my research? My projects and knowledge, it must really get you that I'm here day in day out with tech you'll never get our hands on or ever understand. That I'm here doing it alone without you. Tell me how much does it get you that your not needed by yet another person? That I walked away" you hissed at him leaving him speechless you'd never been like that before. He gulped and tried to find words but couldn't under your intense gaze. "I'm not coming back you played the game and you lost Tony you lost bad now try not to get in my way for the rest of your stay...Oh and for your information Tony these bites? Not a one night stand my boyfriend gave them to me" with that you turned back to your work ignoring him after a few moments he got the message and left you smiled as he sauntered off you'd touched a nerve. Good!

From then he had avoided talking to you instead he watched eyeing you from his desk and Banner had been the one to mediate the tense conversation's that did take place. The others had left not able to endure the dorms and sharing facilities they were used to the cushy life in their 'golden tower'. So it was just the three stooges Tony, Banner and your replacement Peter. You didn't hate the kid but it stung he was the smartest idiot you knew...Except for Tony Your anxiety was mounting over what was inside the pod you'd been reading through the documents and hings were pointing into a grim direction. This particular pod was from around the forties and you suspected there was a weapon inside. A particular blade has been mentioned in a few books made of a super dense metal that can penetrate kryptonian flesh. Kryptium. And you wasn't sure what to do, if it was it was staying here fuck the avengers that was something that could potentially kill your boyfriend and adoptive sons. You'd kept this to yourself not even mentioning it to Clark or Diana. You wanted to wait and see. Currently you, Peter and Banner were going to move it upright you'd been laying it on it's side all this time! You were pulling out another little bit of tech you'd tweaked from another experiment courtesy of Clark and Bruce. Vaxxium. An anti gravity generator from a kryptonian outpost they'd needed it for the ridiculously heavy gravity on the planet they'd been scouting. Bruce had already tinkered with it before you got here but you'd perfected it you can alter the gravity in the lab or just a specific closed off area. Such as the platform Tony was watching from the sidelines he was being a child today knowing his time was coming to an end he'd tried to hack into your system and just as you'd asked Victor had piled his system with maleware, adware, worms trojons the lot. It had been a laugh watching him as he realized his phone, tablet, laptop and a suit had all been affected, victore he’d even fucked with FRIDAY and she was glitching the fuck out. Tony couldn't say anything either trying to keep his little espionage silent but Victor had told you through your comms. You looked over to your other guests Jason, Tim and Damien were all here watching the bat boys were always around you when Clark,Konner and Jon wasn't about you couldn't help thinking that wasn't a coincidence. Currently your superboys were saving people from a devastating hurricane the Caribbean they'd been there for a few days hanging around to help even as the storm was dieing down. "Right Peter step back if you could spin us a web and gently pull it to the center" the boy smiled nodding you gave a count down and activated the vaxxium letting the extremely heavy pod now be the weight of a few hundred pounds. Peter pulled it slowly until it was in position. Then you flicked off the anti gravity and the pod creaked with a rattle as it settled standing up right thanks to Peters webs. You smiled thanking him making his face light up in a grin. You could see his appeal it was just happy to be involved. "Sooo let me get this straight? He gets to go around town throwing his sticky white strings all over the place and its fine, when I do it its InApPrOpRiAtE" you hung your head rubbing the bridge of our nose as Jason's comment caused childish chuckles from his younger brothers even Tony snorted despite his bad mood. "Boys behave or leave- Red hood do not scoff at me young man! you want to be here on cleaning duty tomorrow? No I thought not." You warned making Jason flinch he hated cleaning it was dull and with the likes of Clark about to check his work it was never clean enough. You shook your head and turned pulling out the small vial of Clark's blood you'd kept it on you not letting it off your person since being handed it. You walked to the small camouflaged opening for new samples once you'd connected the scanner a small section had morphed into a tiny funnel type hole. You hesitated getting a bad feeling. Dread heavy in your tummy like a steel weight rolling around a heavy cold sickening feeling. "Whats up? Do it, it wont open till he's back but this way we can see if it takes" Banner added. You faltered technically he was right and the sooner this was done the sooner you were rid of Tony you flicked your eyes to the surveillance camera in the corner you knew Bruce and victor were watching you nodded to them. "Boys out" you said eyeing the bat boys who were still sitting waiting watching and guarding like a couple of guard-pups. They all moved shrugging and complaining. "But Y/n we're here incase-" you held up a hand stopping their protests and pointed to the door giving them a mum look. "No buts out I'm not risking you now go wait outside you to Peter" you announced not giving any room for arguments you hear a few mumbles as they all got up off their asses. "Why me I can just?" You fixed Peter with a look and he quickly flinched. "Now!" you watched as they huffed stomping out of the lab and Bruce quickly locked the room down, the only way to get out was you scanning your palm to pull out of lock down it was protocol you wasn't sure.

The process didn't take long it was a plug in and play just how you wanted it nice and simple. You fist pumped as your cables fit together connecting the two bits of tech Everything was going smoothly until there was a voice. "El DNA accepted" then a hissing sifting noise followed by a shuck sound. You froze as the pod opened revealing a weapon held center in the pod. Fuck. Tony and Banner eyed you confused it shouldn't had opened without Clark here. "How did it?" You shook your head at Banner cutting off his questioning trying to play it off as a fluke but no. "I don't...Maybe it was because of the change? It assumed he was here?" You wasn't going to say you were the cause. You frowned at the pod in the rush you'd forgot about the tiny fact that this thing could sense Clark's residue. You and Clark had been at it every morning this week. He was a determined to have you overflowing with him as you spent the days around your ex. You looked to the now open pod and your world stopped. No. Please god no. Banner moved from behind the console and Tony turned approaching slowly. Terror gripped at you as you eyed the sword. It was as you'd feared. Kryptium. It was the only thing weapons like that were made of on krypton used for execution's and very rare. Tony began throwing a fit he kicked a chair in rage as he eyed the sword.

"What is it y/n? Your heart spiked you know what it is?" You swallowed dryly and spoke quietly into your comms answering Victor. "Deadly...To Clark the only other thing.." you trailed of in a hushed tone hearing them gasp and panic as they understood Bruce was quick to answer see you begin to freeze panic setting in at the thought of something else deadly to Clark was here in the lab it made your stomach tie in knots. "Open the door Y/n let us in, we wont let them take it I will put it with the kryptonite, we can't get in you need to unlock it!" you nodded slow trying to edge your way to the door but stopped when Banner called out to you. "Hey any ideas? You look a little worried....Should we be?" You stopped your slow walk and placed a smile on your face. And waved then off as you now had their full attention you looked to the sword then Banner and finally your eyes rested on Tony who was about to throw a fit. "No no its- I'm not worried, just surprised I've read about it, these were ceremonial! Like high military badges of honor! That’s all...Highly prized on krypton but pretty useless" you said trying to be convincing. If you could convince them it was nothing of real value, just sentimental to the owner maybe they'd leave it here without a fuss? Tony eyed you and growled getting angry. "A sword? All that for a sword?! Not a gun or laser beam or or some incredible tech...A fucking sword!?" You walked towards it feeling sick. This was not good. And it wasn't leaving this tower. Banner eyed you then Tony. "Its still a weapon Tony, kryptonian maybe a new metal? Could be like vibranium?" He prodded making to move closer to it. You flinched almost lunging for it you fought yourself. They can't know, they cant find out. "...But a sword Banner? What the fuck!? We can't use it or or anything! None of us use fucking shit like that! The most advanced race and they gave us a fucking sword!" Tony shouted as he paced he was pissed this had not been what he wanted. He wanted technology breakthrough's or nuclear grade weapons. "Its a weapon Tony...Deadly the kryptonian's wouldn't have made it or locked it up if it was dangerous" you cursed Banner as you watched the reality hit Tony. It could harm kryptonian's? Could harm him could be his little saving grace, the card up his sleeve for when the Justice League overstepped their boundaries. It was a weakness to the most powerful being on the planet and Tony wanted it, he wanted that power to threaten the strongest thing on the planet. Tony stood tall and smiled suddenly happy he now had leverage.

"Right then, well thank you Y/n for opening it but we best be on our way- l want this sword wrapped up and we can go home" you ran in front of Tony stopping him in his tracks glaring. You could hear the panic in the other leagues voice as they shouted for you to get to the door and let them deal with it but it was to late. "No! Tony your not taking it!" Tony scoffed and moved to walk around you but you blocked him he folded his arms scowling down at you his eyes sharp and stern. He didn't like being told no. "Y/n come on out the way-" you shook your head remaining still in front of him eyes fixed on him. You were serious trying to act tough but inside you were cowering shaking you had to keep this here, you had to protect them, protect your boys. "No! Your not having it, the sword stays here" you retorted arguing you were not letting Tony have it, if he had it he'd use it on a whim or whenever the government told him to. It only needed one paranoid person To give the order and if Clark killed Tony defending himself? It would be chaos! Superman killing Iron man it would be a battle of the century Avengers vs the League. "Get out of the way...Why do you?- you know what it really is! Your holding out on us!" you stood your ground Tony gained on you smirking and grabbed your arms making you yelp and wince. "What is it? Huh come on love don't go all shy now~ It can hurt him cant it? Can kill him!?" You yipped and kicked at him as he shook you. Trying to get answers but you wasn't going to take the bait you vaguely saw Banner look lost he was unsure whether to intervene. You struggled against his hold hissing as he dug his fingers into your arms. "I don't know what your talking about!" You spat at him making him angry he growled in his throat then pushing you back trying to get you out of his way. "You don't have to say it sweetheart Your an open book you forget I know you, Fucked you! You can't hid from me it will kill him and I'm having it" you jumped up roaring at him hitting out in rage and lunged forward pressing him back a step. "No your fucking not!" It soon became a scuffle as you tried to match him trying to use your weight to knock him back. Tony may not be a super solider or type of meta-human but he was a strong man and much larger than you. He outmatched you quickly shoving you harshly out of the way. But in doing so you fell over your scrabbled back your hand clawing at the pod willing it to close praying that it recognized you again. It worked by some miracle the pod locked it again. Once it was shut you rolled away into a run but Tony turned on you sneering chasing and capturing you.

He hoisted you up off the floor and turned dragging you back you kicked a failed about shouting at him. But he continued dragging you back to it. "Why do you have to fuck around so much open it!- Open it...Open the fucking thing!" You grunted as he pushed you towards it clearly losing his patience you hissed catching yourself palms touching either side of the opening of the pod you willed it to remain shut. After a few seconds you realized somehow it knew what you wanted and you shook your head turning to face him. "No fuck you" you growled moved a few steps back from the pod it was closed and it was staying shut. Tony panted glaring and pointed to it moving forward threateningly. "We brought it here its ours! Now just- look sweetheart we can do this all day or you can be reasonable and open it either way I'm taking it" he said still stepping towards you. You laughed at him "You really think your gonna get out of here with that? That the league is gonna let you just waltz right out the door with it? Fuck no! Tony we can't trust you with something like that! Your reckless!" He scoffed and pointed to himself "Oh I cant be trusted? Yet you can clearly bias if you had to use it you fucking wouldn’t do it! At least we would, I would!" He admonished trying to justify his need for the sword trying to twist this with the whole 'its for the greater good' an excuse he'd come to use often to cover up his own selfish desires. "Why? Fame the glory of killing him!? Haven't you killed enough!? For fuck sake for a man who doesn't make military weapons anymore you still manage to kill thousands each year!" You screamed at him finally letting it your true thoughts. It was time someone had the guts to tell him some home truths. He growled standing almost chest to chest with you shouting back down at you now in a full blown screaming match with you. "Collateral! The numbers never out weigh the good we do!! The fucking lives I save!!" His words were clear. He didn't give a shit it was about the payoff, the glory and the publicity nothing more if people died to bad! He liked being the big guy! All powerful ironman! It made you sick to your stomach that he could be so black and white over this, so very blunt and callous over lives effectively sacrificed for his ego. "The numbers are lives Tony! Human lives with families and jobs ambitions! And they die needlessly because you want to prove yourself a hero?! To et and ego boost whilst looking like the good guy?!" Tony twitched at your comment shoulder tensing as you dint back down he didn't like it. He never liked being challenged least of all buy a woman. "Oh and fucking the league don't?" You scoffed at him stepping closer getting in his face you wasn't scared of Tony, you couldn't let him think you were. You spoke in a lower tone still firm but no longer shouting "No they don't need to prove it Tony...They aren't like you, you think your a hero? No! Your just a war monger who doesn’t want to share anymore" that seemed to be the last straw as Tony without thinking struck you across your cheek. You yelped going down the impact was hard enough to knock you off your feet tumbling down the few steps of the platform. There was a beat of silence then all hell broke loose you barely heard the screams of 'Clark don't!' In your ear piece that was luckily in your other ear. Before you could even register the pain in your cheek there was a huge deafening sound coupled with a roar of outrage and Tony was no longer standing in front of you. Or behind you in fact you couldn't see him. All you could see was red, the famous red cape flowing in front of you.

Clark. He had heard Tony slap you, seen it from above the room and had tore through the building to get to you. And he was seeing red literally the glow showed his absolute fury his frame was rigid and trembling. His breath was heavy pants growls in his throat echoed throughout the room with each exhale. He was a predator watching his chosen prey, gaze locking onto the human who'd struck his woman. "Put your hands on my woman again I dare you" you blinked up at Clark you'd never heard him like this before it was actually quite frightening. You took a shaky breath and sat up slowly tucking your leg to the side leaning on one hand the other smoothing over your smarting cheek you pulled away seeing blood from your mouth and dabbing again you realized it was from your nose and mouth. You whined drawing Clark’s attention his red gaze appraised you looking for damage. His eyes spotted the blood and he snarled looking to Tony who you'd realized had been punted across the lab and was winded and hurt wheezing as he got up off the floor. "Your woman? What he's your boyfriend?! You could of fucking warned me!" You looked from Tony to Clark and back again feeling much better yet much much worse as Clark began gaining on a clearly injured Tony. "What?! you mean you wouldn't have fucking hit me if you knew?! you fucking coward!!" Tony growled at you angrily and moved trying to call a suit gearing up for a fight he had been hankering for. But Clark was faster swooping across the room collecting it and crushing it with his bare hands. It was only then that Tony realized how fucked he was. The man loved to believe that he was invincible with his suit and Clark had just crushed it with his bare hands. "Y/n call him off- just stop him ugh!-" Clark sped to Tony clutching him by the throat hoisting him off the floor to eye level. The red glow dimmed to an orange then brighter he was warning him, Clark wouldn't really do it...You think? Honestly you wasn't sure no one had ever hit you before in front of him you knew he was protective and a gentle man he was dead set against hitting women at any level so seeing another man put his hands on you in anger had really triggered him...Clark was a good few inches taller, another thing that had irritated Tony. The billionaire was terrified legs flailing about trying to get away from the enraged kryptonian. "You made her bleed...Should I return the favor?" You gasped that did not sound like your Clark it was then you started to panic yourself and slowly began dragging yourself from the floor. "So high and mighty an ego of which I've never seen before...Full of yourself and you believe that you are untouchable...Unbreakable and indestructible but without the suit you are weak...With the suit? Still weak pathetic" You gasped this was going to end badly. Clark would regret anything he did Tony in the long run. You managed to quickly stagger beside him pressing your hands to his chest. Clark offered you a glance and his gaze softened then he focused n your cheek. It was pink and beginning to swell. With a growl he turned back to Tony who was still hanging there his hands trying to claw at the grip on his neck eyes wide and panicked. You moved ducking under the arm holding Tony smoothing your hands up Clark's abdomen and chest pleading with him as you did trying to Calm him down. "No! No please don't you'll regret it please....Please Clark look at me...Please just put him down-" your pleading was cut off as Clark's lips tore back in a snarl and his chest vibrated under a spine chilling growl. A truly deep primal sound that you felt more the heard he spoke in the same angry voice eyes still blazing locked onto his target. "He hit you I cant let him get away with it!" You faltered feeling a little put on the spot. But shook your head and slid your hands to rest at his shoulders trying to massage the muscle wanting to ease him out of his temper as quickly as possible but you didn't know how, this hadn't happened before. "And you've terrified him! Please love...Please drop him its offer he will go- let them go, it's done please for me don't do it!" Clark halted moving to cup your injured face taking a few breaths you nuzzled into his palm releasing a sigh. Trying desperately to calm him but he was still shaking with rage. Then there was a thud Clark had dropped Tony into a heap on the floor. Just as you were swept up one arm around your waist and twisted followed by another loud smash and a deep groan. You blinked catching up with what happened Clark had one palm lightly extended and the hulk was now in the hall having been 'gently' pushed into the door tearing right through it. You moved pressing a kiss to Clark's cheek making him take a deep breath. "Leave take your friends and go back to new york Tony stay there and stay out of the Leagues way or you'll answer to me and Y/n wont be there to save you" you trembled at Clark's voice it was cold and made you shiver in dread. Clark would kill him, he was going to kill Tony because of a slap? It was a lot to take in. Tony slowly and carefully got up and with one last frightened look he slowly walked to the crater keeping his eyes on the man of steel who was wrapped around you shooting daggers at him. Tony had lost the game but this time he admitted defeat Clark hadn't even hit him but Tony knew, he could see it in his eyes he wanted to the only thing that kept him alive was you. Because if Superman had hit him he would have been dead. There’s no two ways about it and it scared him. His suit couldn't save him this time, he tech was nowhere to be found. And for the first time in a long time he was just a regular man, not a billionaire or a hero or even a genius. He was a human who'd angered a god, a true god not an asgaurdian. A living breathing, planet throwing, sun destroying god and the realization terrified him.

That was the last you heard from any of the avengers, you had expected them to come back but it would seem Clark really had shook Tony with his display so they stayed away. They didn't even fly the quin jet's over 'League territory' anymore Clark had warned them and they had listened and you were glad. The sword was now locked up tight with the kryptonite which was a relief. It was a few days later Clark sat you down to talk and what he had to say was...Sweet he said he was sorry for making two holes in your lab and he would help with any repairs which you waved off. Honestly you didn't really care it was a temporary lab, if it had been the one upstairs? Well you'd be kicking ass. He also got upset he was worried that he'd lost control like that. He admitted he wanted to kill Tony, for the first time in his life his temper had gotten the best of him and it frightened him. He nearly killed out of vengeance. An eye for an eye, you carve out mine? I'll carve out yours. That wasn't usually him and it got to him. He said he just couldn't get past the rage, you'd been hit and he just saw red. You'd managed to talk him down help him through the nasty guilt and all the 'could have been’s' explaining that it was normal to be angry about it but nothing had happened so there wasn't nothing to feel guilty about. After a few days of reassurance from the whole team you were happy to announce he seemed to let it go. You did to it was weird but after everything that happened you felt better for it. Like the week with Tony and final argument had been closure? Everything you'd wanted to say had finally been said and you were right thats why he hit you. It was to close to home, to raw. The truth hurts. You laid back on the bed Clark wrapped around you he was sleeping soundly for once tucking you tight against him. You moved stretching eyeing your new ring. It was just over a month after the incident Clark had popped the question apparently the week with you working with Tony had incited fears of you leaving, he thought you'd run of with Tony. Idiot. He couldn't stop them so had decided to take the plunge. Apparently the League all knew and were asking him each time they saw him if he found the ring yet after two solid weeks of excitement and Barry nearly blabbing twice. Bruce put his foot down and had Clark and the two boys go see a jewellery. They wasn't allowed to talk numbers just design a ring. Konner and Jon had helped him find a design it and three weeks later It was done a white gold diamond Cartier custom engagement ring. And to tell the truth Clark hadn't been that romantic he asked during sex. Oh yes your boyfriend had asked you to marry him in the middle of rawing you ,he'd done the unthinkable growling out through his brutal thrusts that 'for once I want to be selfish and take what I want' you didn't understand what he meant...You couldn't really think past the cock you were being impaled on he had crouched over your withering form for head on yours and asked...Well not really he just panted 'be mine!' You grunted and must have answered him during another orgasm because next thing you know you'd come down from your high panting and there was a Stunning ring on your finger. Apparently that was his round about way of asking you to marry him. He was unbelievable in the best way you wasn't even mad at him you couldn't when he had explained blushing it was his way of making sure you said yes and there was no take back's. The wedding was in a few months Bruce was adamant that you have everything you want a fairy tale wedding surprisingly the Big bad bat of Gotham was a soft touch. You giggled snuggling deeper into Clark's chest taking a deep breath as he pulled you tighter cradleing you to him in his sleep. You were finally happy and free to be yourself. Your life had changed dramatically but you wouldn't have it any other way. You thought getting your job here was the start of your life. But no this was right here in the arms of your fiancé looking to the future. This was your new beginning.

#superman x you #superman x reader #superman smut #superman imagine #superman x y/n #clark kent x you #clark kent smut #clark kent imagine #clark kent x reader #clark kent x y/n #dc x reader #dc imagine #justice league x reader

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ketchupqueenboiiii · 4 years ago

Text

Teen Titans

A/N: Raven, Damian, BB, and Mari are 15-16. Dick, Victor, and Kori are late twenties. Jaime is 17ish. One scene inspired by I Would Like One Family Please, by Celestial_Void_the_3rd on AO3

@maribat-2k20

Marinette and Damian never hid anything from each other. There was never a true reason to. They grew up together, they were developed in incubators next to each other, they received training along with each other. Their chambers were separated by a curtain. They were each other's most trusted confidant.

Even after they left the League of Assassins, they stuck together. He knew about her being polysexual and her about his desire to try crossdressing. But apparently, that's still not everything.

Marinette was just plainly walking in down a hallway. It was almost dinner time and she wanted to try out a new vegan macaron recipe so they could have it for dessert. She had her freshly printed instructions in hand, still warm from the printer. She was in full chef mode. When she saw it.

Damian, her brother; her twin; her best friend, in full lip-lock with, her crush, Raven.

Not that either know about the last part. Mari had feelings for Raven since they were fourteen and she hadn't acted on them other than having especially rosy cheeks around the empath. You would think she'd pick up on these feeling quickly.

But, alas, not even her brother knew. She couldn't bring herself to say it. Maybe it was her subconscious keeping her from embarrassing herself even further.

The girl slowly retreats, banking on the assumption her brother is too occupied to be aware. Once she was safely out of range, she allowed her self to feel. She darted to her room to change while texting Kori that she was going to be late to dinner. Marinette was on autopilot mode from there on.

She didn't really wake up until she found herself on the roof of Unbe-leaf-able, a vegan restaurant/café they frequent in and out of costume. One of the only places that can really pull off cauliflower crust pizza, too.

She sits on the ledge of a nearby building, unnoticed due to the darkening night and the height of the establishment. Starring down at her unopened take out box, she notices it has several droplets of clear liquid on it. Her eyebrows furrow in confusion as she raises her hand to tell if its raining. When she determines that it's not, her face grimaces in more confusion.

That's when she notices her face feel wet too. If her hand can't feel the rain why can her-

Oh.

She's crying.

It's been sometime since that happened. She hadn't shed tears since the league, and even then those weren't tears of genuine emotion. It happened during one of their first missions, they were in an American mall trying to find and kidnap the daughter of an ex-client. He had been late on his payment and they decided to speed up the process.

The ex-client anticipated they'd be targeting him, rightfully so. So he hired a squad of bodyguards for his daughter.

The mission wasn't going very well, they'd been spotted and the guards knew who to look for. After regrouping at the food court, Talia and Damian left to get food, leaving Mari alone at their table. One of the bodyguards must have seen this as an opportunity, and made his way over to her.

Mari was small as a child, she had the face of pure innocence and good. So she was taught how to use that. Improvising, her expression morphed to one of fear, and she held tightly to her bright pink bag; leading any already suspicious onlookers to rise from their chairs.

The guy's ego must have been bigger than him since he didn't seem to falter from their looks. Or maybe he didn't even notice, didn't matter to Mari. He grabbed her arm and she squeaked in faux terror. She had him right were she needed.

"Stranger Danger! I-I don't know him, help-" She wept, forcing herself to tears before he slammed his hand over her mouth seconds too late. This got the attention of almost everyone in the food court, other parents already half way to them. His eyes bulged and he quickly let go trying to calm the situation. But the bystanders had seen enough, and he was on the ground in seconds.

The commotion caught the attention of his fellow guards and they rushed over to the scene.

"Sweetie, it's okay now, the bad man can't hurt you. Do you know where your parents are?" A blonde haired lady asked, kneeling down to her. She wore a peacock feather-inspired barrette and a pale violet dress.

"M-my mama, she, she and my brother went, went, went to go get food." She stuttered as she discreetly tapped a transmitter on her bag strap, informing Talia that the coast was clear to get the daughter.

"Okay, do you want to sit with me and my family while you wait? It's right over there, so when your mama comes back she won't have to look far." The lady said, pointing to a table with three other people. A pale blonde man, a blonde boy who's hair looked more like the lady's, a brown haired man with grey side burns, and a dark haired women with a red streak in her hair. Her hair looked more like Mari's real hair. They must be the lady's family.

But instead of answering her question, Mari corrected her, "It's 'my family and me' not 'me and my family'."

The lady lets out a hearty laugh, "Yes, I suppose it is. You remind me of my husband." She smiles at the girl. "So, would you like to sit with my family for a while?"

She tilted her head, pretending to consider it while really looking over to her mother, who now stands just a few feet away from the were the daughter was. Her eyes held question, should she go; should she not.

Talia noticed her gaze and her question, nodding to her daughter. Mari could have sworn she saw a rare look of pride on Talia, before her face contorted to a blank stare.

"Okay." She answered the blonde lady, taking her open hand.

As she sat at the end of the table, she was instantly hit with the questions of the blonde boy, "Hi, who are you? Are you okay? What's your name?" He lent over the table to talk.

"Oh my, I forgot to introduce my self. I'm sorry, dear," she apologized, "My name is Emily, that's Gabriel; my husband, that's Natalie; our personal assistant-slash-family friend, that's Adrien; our son, and that's Elliot or as Adrien calls him; Gorilla. He's his bodyguard." Mari nods, shyly looking at each of them. "So what's your name, sweetie?"

The boy had been staring at her since she got to their table, he looked at her patiently, waiting for her answer.

"Bridgette."

Mari had always liked undercover missions, nothing was ever real. She could be anyone and do what ever without worrying about meeting them again. She once spent a year in Paris, undercover as Maria, she even saw the same boy from missions ago and he didn't recognize her at all. She faked her death once they had successfully gotten rid of the ambassador's daughter.

Oh, what Mari wouldn't give for this to all be fake. For her to be able to forget the kiss, to forget everyone in the tower and move on to the next mission. Maybe some place in the Caribbean-

"Hey." She jumped at the new voice, but didn't reach for a weapon. It was a familiar voice. Maybe even a trusted one.

"Hey, Gar," she didn't turn around, couldn't. Even after months of brattiness, she had earned his respect. Showing the weakness of tears would effectively erase any progress she had. Hastily, she wiped her face with the napkin that came with her meal, attempting to calm herself down to look presentable. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Kori told us you were eating out. I volunteered to check it out," He answered before laughing bitterly, "Damian gave me the stink eye, though. Like he's got any place to judge." He muttered the last part. "Can I sit with you, Mars?"

"No." She said, sounding all like the stuck up heiress she was.

"Please." He stretched out the vowel. Mari could hear the pout in his voice, and saw it on him in his dog form. She sighed as turned to lean against the border of the building. There was a three-foot wall on the roof, probably to keep anyone on it from falling. It didn't matter to Mari or Gar, both had fallen from farther and survived.

She nodded mutely for him to go over to her. If she counted out Damian, the closest Titan to her would be Gar.

They sat like that for a while, changing position to one more comfortable every now and then. By the time Mari spoke up, she was leaning on his shoulder with his arm around her waist. It was getting really dark and they hadn't touched the food she order yet.

"So, you saw the kiss?" Mari whispered. She noticed his bitterness towards her brother, normally she would have defended him but she let it slide this time.

"Yeah," Gar whispered back, "What's got you so down, Mars?"

She hesitated, he didn't know. He didn't have to know, she could make up a lie and ignore her feelings. Bury them down, just like she did in the league. But he was trustworthy, she knew that, "Same as you." She gulped nervously.

Instead of acting on his surprise, he laughs, "Oh man, the irony. Three roomies liking the same girl? Classic." But then he sobers down and leans his head back on hers, and mumbles, "Sucks for the two sobs who don't get the girl, amiright?"

She lets herself laugh cry, "Oh yeah, sucks a lot," her shoulders shake as she laughs, " 'specially when the one who gets the girl is your brother."

"Mhm," he hums in agreement, "Never seen you so distraught, Mars, is it really all about the kiss? Or is it because we couldn't have our biweekly Ultimate Mecha Strike Five tournament yesterday?" He smirked playfully. One of the best things about Gar was that he always made it clear you didn't have to answer his questions, he gave easy outs.

Yeah, would be the answer to anyone other than him, he gave her an excuse not to answer, why doesn't she use it, It just, really threw me off. It's okay though, I'll get over it in a week.

"No." She responded. She doesn't use the easy out. She doesn't need it, "I. I, I guess I always expected it. The part were only one of us can have something, not the kiss its self," she corrected, "did not expect that. We always knew that someday, it would come down to one. Only one of us could ascend to Demon's Head. We knew, they knew, Mother knew. We spent our lives preparing for it. Yet this all feels so surreal."

Not knowing anything to say to comfort his friend, Gar simply held her in a tighter squeeze.

After a few more minutes in their position, he asked, "So... We gonna start eating or is the food just meant to go cold?"

She smiled and bummed their legs, "You dumbass."

"It's a valid question!"

#maribat #maribat march #damian and mari are twins #garmari #not explicitly #but my boy is a good friend

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side-shawty · 5 years ago

Text

Unsteady

Title: Unsteady

Fandom: DC

Type: one-shot

Prompt/Summary: “Teen batsis reader x batfam that has a Boyfriend that cheats on her? (the reader is older then damian but younger then tim or she just could be 14/15) You have awesome writing i really like it”

Pairing(s): Batfamily x sister!reader

Requested? YES by Anon

Bruce adopted you almost around the same time Tim came into the fold but you were two years younger than him. It was a few years after that that you had met your boyfriend, Will. The fact that you and Tim were close and age and Damian was younger never stopped the fact that all four of your brothers were and always would be extremely overprotective of you.

But that didn't change the fact that you couldn't stop your self from being utterly in love with Will since middle school and when he asked you to be his girlfriend after freshman year you were over the moon with happiness.

You had been together for almost a year after months of getting your father and brothers to promise not to threaten to kill him. You had finally introduced them all over dinner.

Threats were subtle but nothing too insane and Will was charming enough to win them over and you remember not being able to stop smiling as the conversation flowed easily.

But that was months ago.

And now you were walking from Will’s house after Alfred had just dropped you off with tears streaming down your face.

You pulled up your hood and hid your face from prying eyes and paparazzi. All you had to do was get to Jason’s safe house before you actually broke down.

But that thirty-minute walk would give you time to think about finding him shirtless on the couch with some brunette from your class. It would leave you thinking about how tight he held onto her as they kissed.

How loud your heart sounded as it broke in your chest.

How he didn’t even chase after you as you ran from that place at full speed.

You didn’t want to stay there, you had been trained and raised by some of the deadliest and most emotionally stunted people on the planet. So there wasn’t much restraining you from killing them.

20 minutes to Jason’s now.

You thought about everything. Every time he kissed you or hugged you. Every time he made you feel better when you were riddled with insecurities.

You thought about how he probably didn’t even care.

The first thing that drew you to him was that he was so different. He didn’t look at you as a prize to be won because you were “Bruce Wayne’s daughter” nor did he fetishize the fact that you were a beautiful young black woman. He saw you as a girl he really liked and wanted to get to know better.

He made your heart soar, you fantasized about telling your kids that your first was love was your last. But that was a pipe dream. You swiped at your eyes and felt a drop of rain land on your hand.

You hastened your steps. Less than 10 minutes to Jason’s now.

You didn’t really want to see your brother right now, you didn’t want to see anyone. That's why you didn’t call Alfred to get you or even hail a taxi to the manor. You just wanted to be alone and you hoped Jason wouldn’t be home.

By the time you stepped foot into the safe house, your clothes were soaked through. You toweled dry and thanked your lucky stars that Jason wasn’t here as you stole basketball shorts and a hoodie from his closet.

You decide to hole up in his room because his bed was more comfortable than the couch. You tucked yourself under the covers and finally let yourself cry until you drifted into unconsciousness.

———

The sound of the front door opening was the first thing that pulled you from your sleep. The second was the voices that quickly followed which made you sit up faster than your tired mind could comprehend.

“Her bag is here. Maybe she got caught in the rain,” You heard Tim say.

“She wasn’t caught in the rain, idiot, Alfred drove her,” Damian replied and you could picture them glaring at each other.

“Then why would she be here?” You heard Dick ask and suddenly everything that happened came rushing back and you forced yourself to hold in a sob as tears filled your eyes once again.

“Don’t know,” Jason replied, “She’s probably in my room.”

And with that, you heard the footsteps of your brothers as they headed closer to you.

Jason saw you first, hunched over with a hand to your mouth as you wept silently. They were all at your side in an instant, and that’s when you realized your father’s presence as he took a seat at the foot of the bed.

Surprisingly, he was the first to speak, “What happened, Y/N?” He asked in a voice so soft that all you wanted to do was cry harder.

You took a second to compose yourself as your brothers settled into their places, two on each side like bodyguards.

“Will,” you said and took a deep breath, squeezing your eyes shut as his name physically pained you to say.

Dick wrapped an arm around your shoulders before you continued.

“I went over to surprise him after Alfred and I made cookies and he was with a girl,” you told them leaning into your brother's side.

They were all silent for a beat.

“I’ll kill him,” Damian said.

“Right behind you,” Jason added pulling a gun from god knows where and cocking it. They both moved to stand.

Dick and Tim were both stunned into silence.

“No. No one’s killing anyone,” Your father said, standing commandingly at his full height. “Let me talk to your sister for a second,” he told them and they moved after giving you some kind of reassurance.

Before they were out the door Tim was asking Jason if he had a spare laptop here and Damian was asking about weapons. After the doors quiet click, your father moved to take Dick’s place beside you and wiped your tears with his thumbs before pulling you into a hug.

You cried hard into his shirt as he rubbed your back allowing you to let everything out. When you were finished he handed you a handkerchief and you couldn’t help but let out a laugh as you began to wipe at your face.

“Way to show your age Dad,” you said, voice raspy.

He shrugged and gave you a small smirk, “Comes in handy from time to time.”

“You got that right,” you said and began tracing his embroidered initials with your finger.

“Feeling a little better?” He asked and you only nodded.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I just don’t understand,” you began, looking at him with glassy eyes, “Am I not enough?”

You’re more than enough Y/N/N. But the truth is men are idiots, no matter what age. One day he’s going to look back and realize that losing you was the biggest mistake he’s ever made in his life.

“And please don’t forget that you’re not alone in this. I know it probably felt like that at first which is why you came here but your brothers, Alfred, and I, we’re right here,” He said and you nodded.

“Thanks Dad,” you told him and he pulled you in for another hug.

After your heart to heart, the two of you joined your brothers in the living room and they spent the next hour cheering you up before heading home.

You watched movies in the living room and were fast asleep with your father on the couch before you even knew it.

Once they noticed the two of you were out for the night your brothers shared a look and headed for the Batcave.

———

“We’re doing this right?” Tim asked already suited and ready to go.

“Hell yeah,” Jason replied pulling his mask down.

“He deserves it and more,” Damian said, slipping on his boots.

Dick sighed, he was only participating so that they wouldn’t actually kill the kid.

The four of them were dressed in all black save for the terrifying masks that covered their faces. Since their father and sister both had them swear not to physically harm him they would mess with his mind instead.

They moved silently by rooftop and slipped into Will’s room undetected as the boy slept soundly.

Asshole.

They thought collectively before Jason threw a kunai into the headboard beside his pillow. He jumped awake almost instantly. They activated their voice modulators.

“What the hell is going on?!” He exclaimed and Damian subtly dropped a smoke bomb, letting the room fill eerily in a white cloud.

Tim moved quickly as lightening to put a hand over his mouth to silence him and placed a finger on the nonexisting lips of his blank doll mask.

“You will listen and nothing more,” Jason began voice deep. “We are the Spirits of Wayne Manor,” he continued as Tim stood back up, “You have hurt a most precocious resident and if you step foot on the residence again you will not make it out alive.”

He finished and the terror in Will’s eyes was just what Jason was after.

“You will make amends with the girl and then never darken her day with your presence again. Understood?” Damian said and Will nodded so fast they thought os head would fly off.

Tim stepped back and Dick approached him and blew sleep powder in the boy's face. He as asleep again before his head hit the pillow. Dick pulled the kunai out of the headboard and they all made a hasty exit as the smoke dissipated.

They stood on the roof of the building directly across from Will’s and watched as he woke up not 30 minutes later, clearly shaken but writing off whatever he just experienced as a dream.

“Mission accomplished,” Jason said before they all disappeared into the night.

#batfamily #dc comics #dc imagine #batfamily x reader #bruce wayne daughter #bruce wayne x daughter!reader #batsis #batsis!reader #dick grayson x sister!reader #jason todd x sister!reader #tim drake x sister!reader #damian wayne x sister!reader

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bnhabadass · 4 years ago

Text

This last week has been kind of rough, but I still managed to write this angsty pangsty Akaashi x Reader Fics for the BNHA Sanctuary Valentine’s Day Collab. I am not the best when it comes to writing angst and this is definitely not my best work, but I am still proud of it regardless.

Pairing: Akaashi x Reader Genre: Angst with happy ending Warnings: Pervy and some non-consensual behavior from Terushima Word Count: 3,212

He found you on the bathroom floor, eyes closed, naked body huddled into itself as water from the shower head sprayed onto you. You were tuning him out as he screamed your name, only coming to when you felt the consistent patter of the water stop and the weight of a fluffy towel was tossed on you.

“Bokuto?” The name came out in a breathy moment of confusion as the young, panicked man tried to shield his eyes from your naked form.

“What happened? Are you okay? Did you fall?” It was almost comedic, the way he shifted his body and frantically moved his arms to shield his eyes.

“Why’d you turn the water off?” you mumbled, looking down. “I still have soap in my hair.”

Finally, Bokuto opened his eyes to see that you did in fact still have bits of soap covering your hair and running down your back. “Are you okay?”

You nodded once, twice, before he felt confident enough to slip out and let you finish showering in peace.

You were finally dry, dressed, and was towelling off your wet hair as you walked into the kitchen.

Bokuto was eating breakfast and scrolling through Tiktok, not an unusual sight to see from him on a Saturday morning when he had nothing to do and could take his time eating.

“Coffee?” You held the empty pot up.

He looked up from his phone and shook his head. “Can’t have caffeine.”

Looking back at the pot you remembered that this was not the first time the two of you have had that conversation. “Right.” You put up the pot for yourself and grabbed a piece of bread out of the plastic bag on the counter. You didn’t bother toasting it before stuffing it in your mouth. “Fanks again fo wettin me stay hewe.”

“It’s no prob,” he smiled. You were amazed that he could understand you with all that bread in your mouth. “You’d do the same if my boyfriend dumped me.”

You swallowed the bread, a pensive look on your face. “But your boyfriend isn’t my best friend.”

He seemed to be thinking hard about what you had said. “That’s true,” he admitted. “But I’ve heard both sides of the story.”

The events between you and Akaashi were also not an uncommon thing to be discussed as of late. For the first two days of you sleeping on Bokuto’s couch, he left you alone for the most part, only asking you unrelated questions like if you wanted takeout or if you wanted to watch a movie or something. Then he asked what your plan was, if you planned on staying for a while or if you planned on going back to work soon. The last week was taxing on the both of you, but Bokuto was still incredibly supportive of everything, even if that involved him having to listen to you complain about his best friend.

“Does Akaashi know I’m staying here?” Your eyes stayed on the stream of dark brown liquid as you poured the contents of the coffee pot into a mug for yourself.

“You’re back to a last name basis?” The kicked-puppy look on Bokuto’s face made your heart want to melt. He had done such a good job of keeping his mood swings in check while you needed him to be your rock for you, but now that you were a bit more stable, he let himself back off a bit and turn back into the loveable baby Bo that everyone knew him as.

You smiled, repeating what you had asked. “Does Akaashi know I’m staying here.”

“No.” He stuck a piece of bacon in his mouth and nervously chewed it.

“Good.” Sitting down, you pulled out your phone and enjoyed your coffee in silence. You were sure that if he ever did find out, the consequences for Bokuto would be much more trouble than it was worth.

It was around five pm when the doorbell rang. Bokuto sprinted up from his spot on the couch and answered it. He swung the door open and on the other end, was a slightly sweaty Akaashi wearing exercise clothes, unlike his usual dark academia attire.

“Agaashi? You’re not pizza.” Bokuto cocked his head to the side.

“Sorry I’m not who you were expecting,” Akaashi apologized. “May I come in? I just...” he trailed off. “I just really need to figure this out and get everything out of my head.”

Fukorodani’s former ace was about to let him in, be there for his best friend, but he paused when he remembered that inside the apartment was you, Akaashi’s problem. Bo leaned his hand against the door frame. “No you may not.”

Akaashi wrinkled an eyebrow up. “And why is that?”

Sucking his bottom lip between his teeth, Bokuto answered, “because my place is a mess.”

“When has that ever stopped you from inviting me into your apartment?”

Leave it to you to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. This seemed to be happening more and more frequently. “Bo, is that the pizza?” you called from the kitchen. Stepping out towards the front door, your face fell as soon as you saw exactly who it was at the front door.

Akaashi’s face turned into that of pure disgust. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

At those six measly words strung into one of the most simple sentences, your heart ripped in half. You felt like you could cry. As full of rage as he was, looking at you like you were the trashiest piece of filth he had ever seen, you still wanted to find the man you fell in love with underneath. You still wanted to find the person who would give you shoulder rubs after a hard day of work, the person who read to you as you’d rest your head in his lap and never want to get up. As you looked into his eyes, all you could see was disgust and pure hatred. The love that once clouded his irises wasn’t anywhere to be found.

“Agaashi, wait,” Bokuto started. “I can explain.”

“How the hell can you explain this?” he scoffed. “After everything I’ve vented to you, every hardship I’ve had this week, you’re sleeping with her?”

The pounding heartbeat you could hear in your ears was replaced by an evergoing ringing that’s volume increased with each passing second. He thought... he thought you and Bokuto were sleeping together? You tried to find your voice but couldn’t.

“That’s not what’s happening,” Bokuto said, a sad sense of worry engulfing his voice. “She’s just staying on my couch because she has nowhere to go.”

“And why would you even bother hearing her out?”

You didn’t think your heart would be able to crack even more than it already had. You wanted to stand up for yourself, stand up for Bokuto who was about to lose his best friend in the world all because of you, but your voice caught in your throat every time you would part your lips to speak.

“I can’t believe this.” Akaashi turned around to walk away and it was at that moment that you realized that everything was over. No more shoulder rubs after work, no more laying on his lap as he read to you. You were through, and there was nothing you could do to stop him from walking away.

Falling to your knees, hitting the hardwood floors and not even caring about the bruises that would appear in the next day or two, you let out a sob. As loud as a child throwing a tantrum in the candy aisle of a grocery store, you sobbed and wept as it all began to sink in. You had just lost the love of your life.

You didn’t realize it, as your eyes were clouded over with a thick layer of salty tears, but Akaashi stopped at hearing your wails. A chill ran up his spine at such an ungodly and painful sound. You were broken and even though he was hurting just as much as you were, a little part of him wanted to help fix you.

Not much time had passed, not much time at all, before you felt gentle fingers brushing the tears out of your eyes. Looking up, Akaashi was towering over you. He gripped onto your arms and you braced onto him while standing up. You were surprised as he nodded at you, but you nodded back regardless. As he led you over to the couch, you held onto his ring finger, just in case he tried to go away.

Bokuto placed a hand on Akaashi’s shoulder after he stopped. Bokuto could read him as easily as Akaashi could read the books lining the walls in his apartment. “Please hear her out.” His voice was shaky. He couldn’t stand the thought of losing his best friend. “You don’t have to forgive her, but I don’t want to see either of you hurting anymore.”

Akaashi let out a strangled breath. Looking back at you crumpled into yourself on the floor, he realized that he didn’t want to see you hurting either. Your body was limp and you began coughing with each heavy sob you let out. Walking over to you, he wiped your tears away. At seeing your e/c eyes looking up at him, no matter how glassy they were with a fresh layer of tears, he felt lighter, like a piece of him that had been missing all week had finally returned.

He led you over to the couch and the both of you sat down. There was a great enough distance between you where you still felt the tension between you two, but it was much less suffocating than before.

Bokuto made you a pot of tea and set two cups in front of you. Akaashi reached for the pot and poured it into the cups. Then he waited, waited for you to do or say something, but you didn’t know what to say. You only looked down, picking at the dirt under your nails while waiting for him to speak up.

“Your tea’s getting cold.”

You nodded but made no move to drink it.

“Bokuto said that we should hear each other out.” He was looking down at his running shoes. “Would you like to go first?”

You swallowed and felt an ache in your dry yet tacky throat. “What do you think happened?”

He hesitated. “Well, I came home and I saw beer cans everywhere. I remembered you saying you had some friends coming over. And then, well.” He was clearly stalling. He didn’t want to say what you knew would come out of his mouth, and you couldn’t really blame him. “I heard laughing from the bedroom. So I walked in and saw you underneath Terushima.” That name felt like acid dripping off his tongue.

Of course the two of you knew each other, having gone to the same high school and being a part of the same volleyball club. It was a silly little get-together you planned, the last time you saw him, and you had even told Akaashi about it. You wanted to throw a little gathering for Misaki’s birthday. You had stayed in touch with your fellow senior manager all these years and wanted to do something special for her.

The get-together was at your shared apartment with Akaashi, who was out working late that night. Everyone was having fun drinking and catching up, and by the time it was late and almost everyone had left, Terushima was on his seventh drink of the night and could barely stand up on his own.

No one wanted to take him off your hands, especially since he would be such a pain to drag into a taxi, so you let him spend the night at yours. You left out a bucket for him just in case and made the couch up, finding a nice fluffy blanket for him to get comfy with.

But then he threw a fit. “No!” he whined in a slurred voice, spittle bubbling at the corners of his mouth. “Bed.”

“You can’t sleep in my bed, Teru. Where are me and Keiji supposed to sleep?” You left to grab him a glass of water and when you came back, he was gone. He had stumbled into your bedroom and had collapsed half on the bed, half on the floor. The fluffy blanket was still wrapped around him, making him look like a burrito.

He smiled as he hoisted himself up onto the bed. “Mmm,” he mumbled. “Bed.”

“Teru, you can’t sleep in here.” You tried to pull him off the mattress but he wouldn’t budge. Instead, he brought his hand out of the blanket burrito and reached out to pull him on top of you. You let out a yelp but couldn’t get up.

“Come cuddle.” His hand slithered down your back-side.

“Teru, let go.”

He rolled on top of you, trapping you between him and the mattress.

You couldn’t even let out another protest because you heard someone clearing their throat from the doorway. Akaashi stood there, dumbfounded and red-faced, not believing the sight in front of him.

“Oh thank god, Keiji, I–”

“Get out.”

You didn’t know what to say. “Baby, I–”

“Get the fuck out of my apartment.”

You had never heard Akaashi yell before, and you’re sure the neighbors who peaked their head out from their doors late at night had never heard him yell like that either. You sobbed, pleaded for him to hear you out all while Terushima snored in the background.

You’ve thought about that fight every day and night for the last week. Looking up at Akaashi now, you could still see the anger boiling inside of him.

“Is there a reason I found him on top of you?”

You let out a shaky breath and nodded. “I let my drunk friend stay the night and he took advantage of my kindness.”

He waited for you to continue.

“I was going to let him crash on the couch but when I turned my back he darted for the bedroom.” As you spoke, you could see the visible change in Akaashi’s stature.The way he sat loosened up as he was finally hearing the truth of what happened. You rubbed your tired eyes. “I tried to pull him off but he dragged me onto the bed with him.”

Akaashi felt sick. “He didn’t...” he trailed off, not able to get the words out. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

You shook your head. “No. I haven’t spoken to him since then so I don’t even know if he remembers what happened.” You could tell from the way he rubbed his fingers practically raw and the way he hunched over himself that Akaashi was getting anxious. What was going on through his head, you were unaware of, but you were sure it wasn’t sunshine and rainbows.

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry.” He needed to take another moment to find the right words. “I’m sorry that that happened to you.”

You nodded and picked up your cup of almost luke-warm tea. Hearing him say that, even if he was shaking at hearing that news and trying his hardest to keep it together, you felt a slight calm wash over you. It wasn’t perfect, but the thoughts that trailed in and out of your head, the ringing in your ears every time you thought of what happened between you and him, you and Terushima, the hot pelts of water falling down on you from this morning. It was all going away.

“I am so sorry.”

You nodded.

“I am so, so, so, so sorry.”

You looked up at that moment and realized that hot streams of tears were quickly working down Akaashi’s face. “Keiji,” you said, and you paused, realizing that that was the first time in a while you had said his first name.

“I am so...” he couldn’t even get the rest of the sentence out as hot breaths and an oncoming panic attack overtook him.

You stood up and set your tea cup onto the coffee table. Half of the contents inside sloshed out but you didn’t care. You sat right beside him and put your arms around his shoulders. Your fingers worked through his hair, greasier than usual but still soft and fluffy.

He gripped onto your arm and it hurt a little, but you knew he didn’t mean for it to hurt you. If anything, he was making sure that you were really there, that you wouldn’t dematerialize any second.

“I...I–”

You squeezed him tight and shushed him the way you would shush a fussy baby who wouldn’t calm down. “I know. I know you didn’t mean to.”

And then there was silence. Only staggering breaths that Akaashi let out and the sound of you running your fingers through his hair. It was almost serene, the way the two of you just sat there listening to the little little sounds in Bokuto’s apartment.

“I had a rough day at work,” he broke the silence. “I know that isn’t an excuse, but I was just hoping that after hours of deadlines and papers piling on top of each other and my back hurting, I could come home to you.”

Your gut wrenched as you realized that’s probably why he assumed you and Bokuto were being intimate with one another when he saw you earlier. “But when you saw me underneath Terushima.”

He nodded. “And I know that’s no excuse. And I am sorry, truly sorry for ever doubting you or questioning your loyalty to me as your boyfriend.”

You kissed the top of his head and nuzzled your nose in his hair. “I know, and I forgive you.” It’s true that you were in pain for that whole week, not having the energy to eat, sleep or even stand up in the shower, and all you wanted to do was cry, but after seeing the pain and regret on Akaashi’s face, all you wanted to do was squeeze him and never let go.

Neither of you left the couch for the next hour. You just held onto each other, not caring that it was getting late or that you had to pee or that your faces were stained and blotchy with tears. You barely spoke, just listened to each other breathe up and down.

“Will you come back home?” Akaashi broke the silence.

You looked up at him from his chest where you had been laying. “Of course.” Stretching up to give him a peck on the lips, he smiled at you.

“You know, tomorrow’s Valentine’s day.”

You were aware of the holiday, of course, but in the last week you couldn’t help but look at the paper hearts and other decorations lining store fronts with disdain. “I do.”

He pulled you into his embrace, rubbing your shoulders with a warm hand. “It’s too late to get any restaurant reservations, but would pizza and a movie suffice?”

“I think it will.” You smiled into his chest and nuzzled against him. Finally, after a miserable week away, you’d be going back home.

#haikyuu akaashi #akaashi keiji #hq akaashi #aka #Akaashi Keiji x reader #haikyuu x reader #valentine's day #angst #bnha sanctuary

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marmolady · 4 years ago

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Reginald

Main Pairings: Aleister x Grace

Summary: Grace and Aleister’s baby boy celebrates his first birthday.

Word Count: 5578

Tagging: @saivilo, @edgydepressedchoicesthot, @sceptilemasterr, @greengroove @mauvecatfic

Thanks for reading!

“Dada!”

Reggie, sitting up in his cot, waved his arms over his head. His cherubic face was full of delight from the moment his father opened the door. “Dada, up!”

“Time to get up? Yes, I think it might be.”

Aleister scooped his infant son into his arms. The way Reggie held onto him with his small hand, finding comfort in his simple being there, was still a heart-rending thrill.

“It’s a very special day today, my darling boy; do you know what it is?”

“Da!” came the happy squeak of reply. Reggie kicked his legs around happily; there was something that had gotten his father excited, and that good feeling was catching.

“Your very first birthday,” Grace cooed. “One whole year Reggie has been with us! Aren’t we lucky?” She reached and took a tiny waving hand and kissed it. Her eyes were heavy with rings; it had been so late that she’d waited up, hoping for a last-minute reply of some kind-- anything-- from her mother. Still, there was today… but Grace was left feeling, as she so often had, that hell would freeze over before Blaire acknowledged her grandson. There was a unique kind of tiredness that came with a long cry, and Grace was feeling it all over. But this was Reggie’s day; a celebration of the little boy who had quickly become the light of her life-- and Aleister’s. Today was for love and laughter.

The morning routine was as usual; Reggie was changed, then had a feed and cuddle, then the family sat down together for breakfast around the wooden table on their front porch. Iris, of course, was present for the meal, even though she couldn’t physically partake. So much of her own son’s life she’d missed out on, and she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to be right there cheering on her little grandson as he bravely tried new foods. The hole her untimely death had left in Aleister’s life couldn’t be healed; his childhood had been what it had been, and it gave what they had now, as a loving family, a certain poignancy.

Already, the sun was shining, and the sea sparkling. From their home in the Catalyst village just outside Elyys’tel-- now quiet and usually near-empty-- the family of four could look over the stretch of beach that would take them to a far smaller reincarnation of The Celestial, and hear the distant sounds of Vaanti life going on within the majestic tree just north of them. It was utterly peaceful. On his mother’s knee, Reggie contentedly gummed on a piece of toast, while turning his head to the sights and sounds of La Huerta, all around him. Today, his attention had been caught by a butterfly the size of a tea plate, as it landed on a nearby tree.

“Can you see it, Reggie?” Grace encouraged, pointing her finger. “Big, big butterfly.”

“Fuuh.” Reggie watched, entranced, as the butterfly flew away. “Buh-buh!”

Aleister beamed. It seemed that every day, his young son brought something new. There was so much that Reggie was learning-- soaking in the world around him like a sponge. Aleister couldn’t imagine he’d ever tire of trying to understand the world through Reggie’s eyes; the small things that caught his interest, the actions that made him smile.

“Bye-bye, butterfly!”

“Buh-buh, fuuh!” Reggie cried, his face lighting up as he realised his father understood what he was saying.

Grace kissed his soft, curly hair. “You are such a clever boy…”. Never; not ever, would she ever let it be that her little Reginald didn’t know how proud she was of him… how his every achievement-- however small a thing it was that brought him pride-- would be her happiness to share. He would know he was enough. Always. The thought brought with it another wave of tiredness, of longing for the approval she could tell herself she didn’t need, but still craved nonetheless. But, she told herself, as she had done again and again; Reggie was not missing out by his maternal grandmother being absent. It was better that Blaire Hall stay away than make contact only to cause harm. That kind of toxicity was not what Reggie deserved… and, Grace had to remind herself, it was far less than what she herself deserved too. As Reggie turned around to offer in return a much more slobbery kiss than the one he’d received, Grace couldn’t help but laugh her woes away for the time being. Reggie had that kind of magic effect about him.

_______________________________

July 2022

Grace gritted her teeth, and braced herself, curling her small frame inward.

“...you’ll at least consider having a termination, surely?…”

She panted, and her pants became painful groans as her body seemed intent on tearing itself apart. She could do this… she had to do this. Small pants, small pushes, the midwife had said. It was hard, everything in her body screamed to give more.

“...I didn’t pour a small fortune into your education for you to waste the best years of your life chained down with a baby…”

The midwife spoke, her voice coming to Grace as if through a fog, barely cutting through the pain that was now all-encompassing… and the gripping fear of failure, of falling short as she always, always seemed to.

“The head is delivered; now I need you to push really hard. Your baby is almost here.”

Aleister’s voice followed after… warm, and remarkably close to calm, though the way his hands trembled as he stroked Grace’s back gave away his nervous trepidation.

“Darling, you’ve been so strong… heroic. More than I’ve ever believed in anything… I believe in you now. And I’m here, Grace….”

A whimper escaped Grace’s lips. A split-second doubt in herself that flared up, borne of a habit of a lifetime. Panic that faith in her was being woefully misplaced….

“...I’ve become used to you disappointing me, Grace, but this… you’re not the daughter I thought I’d raised…”

With a guttural roar that made Aleister jump in surprise, Grace heaved, pushing down into her body with all her might. This, she was doing for herself. And she was going to kick labour in its ass while she was at it.

“Hold my hand!” she demanded, and Aleister did.

“Grace… you can do this, love.”

Her breath shuddered with the strain of labour, but then Grace’s jaw set with determination. “I know I can do this.”

A tiny, squalling bundle of baby emerged into the world, quickly gathered up by the midwife and placed on Grace’s chest.

“Congratulations! You have a healthy son!”

Aleister’s legs gave way, and it as only with the midwife’s timely assistance that he didn’t collapse straight to the floor.

“We… we have a son…,” he stuttered.

Dazed, Grace gently stroked the infant, their little boy. She’d done it. All those years she’d believed she wasn’t enough… and now there in her arms was indisputable proof that she’d been been sold a terrible falsehood.

“Our little baby…,” she murmured. “Hello, little one. We’ve been so looking forward to meeting you…”.

Any doubts in herself, in the future she’d have with her beautiful family, had washed away, expelled through the screams of a mother bringing forth a new life. As Grace’s senses returned to her, she breathed in her baby’s scent, marveled his perfect, bewildered face, and felt his heartbeat against her own… and she wept.

Aleister tenderly put his arms around her and kissed her damp forehead again and again as she laughed and cried, delirious.

“He’s amazing…,” Grace gushed through her tears. This moment… she had to hold onto it forever; let it be her strength.

No cruel words could reach her now.

______________________________

One-year-old children, Aleister had established, had refreshingly simple needs when it came to parties. Though there was a part of him that had been saddened that it wasn’t possible for the extended Catalyst family to be around for baby Reggie’s first birthday, that fact had meant that the occasion could be enjoyed without an excessive hullabaloo. One only had to utter the ‘p’ word around the likes of Raj and a feast would materialise… along with noise, and booze, and more than likely, a cupcake tower. The cupcake tower they’d deigned to keep, but the rest Aleister was quite happy to do without. What mattered was what would make little Reggie happy… even if that meant putting on the most undignified high-pitched sing-song voice he could muster. Again, thank god this thing was being kept small.

Diligently, he put out the necessary play-mats, picnic blankets, chairs, tables, and-- of course-- toys, for the small and simple first birthday celebration in the grass out front of the Rourke-Hall family home.

“What do we think, Reggie?” he asked, taking the time, as he always did, to engage his young son in whatever he was doing. “Not half bad, I’d say. A bit of shade… and perhaps we should bring out the bassinet for Liv, and I believe we’ll have a venue fit for a very special birthday boy.”

“Da!” Reggie cried from his bouncer, strategically placed so he could watch all the goings-on, and his father could in turn watch him.

“Thank you, I thought so. We may not have all the bells and whistles, but a little birdie told me there might just be some wrapping paper on the way… that is your favourite part of any gift, I know.”

Parenting had not been as hard a slog as Aleister had anticipated. Certainly, the broken nights’ sleep had been… less than pleasant, and the tinkling sounds of Reggie’s favourite musical toy were seared into Aleister’s mind, surely to torment him until his dying day; but throughout it all, he knew a most complete happiness, and somehow, he seemed to make his small son happy as well.

Reggie was an easy-going baby. For all that they had felt like torture, those nights of interrupted sleep were short-lived; Reggie settled into the routine with limited fussing. As the months went on, he spent far more time smiling than he did crying; in fact, once he’d started to become more mobile, he barely seemed to cry at all. A little shy with new people-- and overwhelmed by the sheer energy of the Catalysts all gathering together-- Reggie approached the world and people in it with wide-eyed curiosity, and one hand hanging on tight to one of his ‘safe’ people. Aleister was certain his son had inherited that amiable nature from Grace-- the alternative seemed… unlikely. Reggie’s joie de vivre was infectious; seeing that easy contentment, Aleister had to believe that he and Grace must have been doing something right.

______________________________

July 2022

Aleister looked down at the tiny bundle in his arms, and a lump rose in his throat.

“I wonder if he’ll look at all like me,” he pondered out loud. “I think we’ve established that my father’s genes aren’t the strongest; Estela is the image of her mother and I… well, the cloning process must have been a long way south of perfect. I have his build but, to be honest, it ends there.”

Iris smiled. “I don’t doubt he will.” Her eyes sparkled cheekily. “I could go so far as to scan your resemblance, but I feel a mother’s word holds more value. I’d recognise that face anywhere. Baby Reginald Aleister is taking after his daddy.”

The baby grumbled, and a quick check determined that a diaper change was in order.

And so it begins.

Setting down a changing mat on the floor, Aleister’s hands trembled. Who was he kidding to think he was cut out for this? His experiences on the receiving end of parenting had only instructed him in what not to do, and he remained convinced, though Grace demanded otherwise, that he had all the warmth of a polar bear with hypothermia… eating an ice cream.

Noticing her son’s clear apprehension, Iris hovered closer. “It’s truly daunting to bring a child into the world. A whole little life… dependant on you.” She knew the regret would come through in her voice, but she’d always give Aleister honesty. He’d had precious little of that from the man he’d called ‘father’. “The only advice I can give is to break it down. Eighteen years of raising him doesn’t happen all at once… it’s small steps. Changing one nappy at a time.”

Aleister slowly went through the process, one that sounded so simple, but with the significance he placed upon it, it might as well be scaling Atropo.

“Would you believe I do actually know how to put a fresh nappy on a baby?” he said as he powdered Reggie’s bottom. “But I get down here and try to put it into practice-- the simplest of tasks-- and I’m completely hobbled by my own certainty that I’m bound to get it wrong. I don’t know if I’ll break this down small enough that I won’t be daunted. He’s… too important.”

“You mustn’t underestimate how powerful your own intent is. I know without a shadow of a doubt that you will always mind your son… you’ll never let his needs be lost. You love him, and if that’s guiding your path with him, I don’t believe you’ll go far wrong.”

Painstakingly, Aleister fitted a new diaper, adjusting and readjusting when he did it up too tight, and then not tight enough. With the adhesive worn out, he had to move on to a second. Finally, though, baby Reggie was changed, and one significant small step had been taken. With a sigh of release, Aleister got back to his feet, and with utmost care, picked up his son, whose eyelids were now heavy.

“I do appreciate your faith in me, Mother,” he said. “Truly, I do. But I cannot fool myself into believing that my best intentions will prevent me from inflicting harm on my son. We have all seen first-hand just what my best intentions can do.” When he looked up, Aleister saw such sorrow in Iris’ face; in her eyes was an aching desire to hold him-- something that could never be. He reached out his free hand, letting his fingers brush through the projection of hers. “The most terrible, most idiotic thing I’ve ever done was a decision made out of love. Arrogance as well-- I’ll never deny that. But all I wanted was to protect the woman I loved from something too horrifying to even comprehend.”

“My darling,” Iris whispered, “the fact that you care so much makes all the difference in the world. The people you love believe in you; all that’s left is for you to learn to trust yourself.”

Aleister sniffed. “Is that all? Just a bit of crippling self-doubt to conquer? I’ll have that polished off before lunch.” He smiled sadly. When he truly thought about it, he knew that he’d learned from his own mistakes-- the foolish certainty in his own being right, even in the face of those he trusted telling him otherwise. He’d taken their lives in his hands, well-intentioned or not, and they’d suffered for it. If they could all endure that stupidity and everything that came of it… and still manage to regain some belief in him, it seemed the lesson he needed to hear was to place his belief in them right back. “Well,” he said, “I certainly owe it to a lot of people, myself included, not to shy from that challenge.”

Iris’ eyes shone with pride and tenderness. “Reggie is going to have a wonderful father in you.”

And Aleister dared himself to believe it.

_____________________________

“Reginaaaald!”

At the sound of the cry, Reggie pulled himself up onto his feet, holding onto his mother’s leg while he peered out to the direction of his aunties’ house down the way.

“Oh. Here come the rabble,” Aleister said, bracing himself. Farewell, peace and quiet. It was nice knowing you.

Grace giggled and took her son’s tiny hands. “Who’s that, Reggie? Is that Auntie Taylor?”

“Ah-tah!” Reggie proudly confirmed. “Yah-steh!”

“That’s right, Auntie Taylor and Tia Estela. Do you want to walk to see them?”

Reggie lurched forward, balancing against Grace’s hands as they guided him.

At seeing her nephew’s awkward goose-step in her direction, Estela paused her approach and hunkered down with her arms opened wide. “Look at you go!”

Coming up behind with tiny baby Liv strapped to her chest, Taylor enthusiastically cheered Reggie on.

The toddling infant shrieked with mirth, and his little legs worked all the harder, until Grace let him go, and he collapsed into his aunt’s waiting arms.

“Yah-steh!”

“Happy birthday, mijo!” Estela cried, lifting Reggie in the air and planting a kiss on his face while he giggled. “You are getting to be such a big boy!”

Taylor brought over the much-smaller Liv, who greeted her cousin with wide eyes. Six-weeks-old, she was beginning to take an interest in the people and goings on around her, and Reggie was about the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen.

“Happy birthday, Reggie!” Taylor said in a sing-song voice, gently waving Liv’s hand. The little boy squealed happily as he waved back, and his aunt grinned from ear to ear.

Estela angled Reggie closer so Taylor could properly greet him with a kiss and a tickle.

“I love you so much, sweetheart. Best. Nephew. Ever!”

“Ba-bee!”

“That’s right, Reggie…baaaay-by,” Taylor said, and she bounced Liv a little closer to her curious cousin. “Baby Liv has come to see you!”

Reggie gently bonked the smaller child on the shoulder, and she blinked at him in fascination.

“Ba-bee, ba.”

In no time at all, a picnic was laid out, and Reggie was merrily tucking into some soft pieces of fruit, and offering up portions to the members of the loving family who had gathered around him. He gave a jolly chortle as Aleister made a big show over just how delicious dragon-fruit was. To his right, his baby cousin was being fed, something that always piqued his curiosity. Liv was something he was still getting his head around. He’d seen other babies in Elyys’tel on occasion, but the fact that this particular baby seemed to be attached to his aunties, made her very interesting. Pouting slightly, he gazed up into his Auntie Taylor’s face as she fed a grumbly rumbly Liv. It didn’t look like he’d have any luck muscling in there… and he already knew that he did not want to make that baby thing start crying. Liv was far too loud for his liking.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Taylor cooed gently, reaching out her free hand to stroke Reggie’s cheek.

That small acknowledgement was all that was needed. Reggie hadn’t been forgotten, and he could get back to cheerily playing with the last scraps of his birthday lunch.

With lunch polished off, it was time for presents. The sight of the bright, colourful packages that Taylor pulled out from her bag made his eyes go wide. More big, crinkly paper? For him?

“This is from us… and this one is from Livi.”

Grace laughed and leaned over to give a fed and contented Liv a kiss on the head. “My word, you are a generous little lady! Thank you both-- so much. I can’t say what it means to us… for our special little boy to be shown so much love.”

By now, Reggie had some understanding of the way this ‘presents’ thing worked. A smiling grown-up would hand him a thing made of colourful paper, and his job was to rip it until something inside fell out. Then, the grown-ups would clap and cheer, and the paper would be free to be further ripped and crinkled and played with. It was a fun game.

Burbling happily to himself, Reggie tugged at the paper until he’d extricated the pesky thing inside, something soft and floppy.

“Oh, look, Reggie!” Grace exclaimed. “It’s Furball! Auntie Taylor must have been very busy sewing for you.”

“Thank heavens it isn’t a spear…,” Aleister muttered.

Estela smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Yeah, I lost rock-paper-scissors. Reggie will get his spear next year. He’ll have stopped putting everything in his mouth by then, right?”

Lord, give me strength. This, Aleister now knew, was the price of family. But it was better, infinitely better, than being without.

_____________________________

July 2022

Taylor was a bundle of nerves, and if the uncharacteristic twitchiness was anything to go by, Estela was too. As if to reassure, but taking just as much comfort in return, Taylor grasped her wife’s hand.

“It’s okay, Taylor,” said Estela, softly. “I’m scared too.” She was scared of herself, how she’d feel when she walked in that room and saw Grace and Aleister with their perfect new baby boy. They didn’t deserve the most joyous day of their lives to be clouded by someone else’s envy and longing. Somehow, she and Taylor would have to forget just how much they’d been hoping for that magical day for themselves. Gently, she kissed Taylor’s brow. “Are you ready?”

With a deep breath, Taylor nodded. A piece of the family she’d dreamed of lay just ahead… she was someone’s aunt now, a fact almost incomprehensible when she looked back at what she came from. There was no way in hell she was going to let her own heartache take the shine off this day. “Yeah, I am. Let’s meet that little nephew of ours.”

Aleister opened the door, to find himself pulled straight into one of Taylor’s world-famous hugs. “I really should have braced myself for that, shouldn’t I?”

Estela laughed. The only other time she’d seen her brother so completely helpless in the face of a smile that just wouldn’t leave him was the day of Niala’rei when he’d been wed to Grace. That kind of happiness was impossible not to catch. “Don’t worry; you’ll soon be able to deflect her onto your son.” Oh, what the hell? She joined in the hug, putting both arms around her brother. “Congratulations, hermano!”

“Yes, yes, isn’t it wonderful, et cetera, et cetera…,” Aleister said as he found his way out of the three-way embrace. “If you’ll follow me, Grace and I have someone we’d like to introduce you to.”

Oh my god, Taylor thought to herself, as she trailed after her friend, he is practically skipping!

They came into the neat and tidy lounge room to find Grace gently rocking in the hand-carved nursing chair that had been a gift from Varyyn and Diego. In her arms… a small bundle, wrapped in a soft powder pink blanket.

Grace beamed as Taylor rushed forward, and had to hold back a laugh as her sister-in-law’s mouth fell open. “This is Reginald. Reginald Aleister Hall… but I have a feeling he’s going to go by ‘Reggie’ more often than not.”

“Grace!” Taylor gasped. “He is absolutely gorgeous… oh my god….”

“Isn’t he just? He wasn’t too sure about coming out, but I’m so glad he eventually decided to bless us with his presence. Isn’t that right, little man?” With a great deal of effort, Grace looked up from her newborn son, and noticed a wide-eyed Estela hanging back. “It’s all right; you can come closer.”

Estela swallowed hard. With the relationship she had with her uncle as close as it was, the thought of being someone’s aunt was… overwhelming. And she knew from that first look that she’d willingly move mountains for this kid.

“Hey,” Grace said warmly, “would you like a cuddle?”

Her heart in her throat, Estela allowed Grace to place the baby into her waiting arms. Reggie made a little squeak as he settled into the new embrace, then his body relaxed, safe and secure as his aunt held him. Holy shit. “I… can’t believe I’m his tia. I am so happy to meet you, mijo. You are gonna be so loved.”

Taylor brushed away a tear from her eye. “I think he already is! Oh god, the waterworks just aren’t stopping….”

Grace chuckled, totally content, and smiled as she watched Taylor gently kiss baby Reggie’s soft forehead. “It’s amazing. This kind of love… it’s just taken over my whole body. I can’t imagine feeling happier than this.”

Soft as a murmur, Estela hummed a gentle tune to the baby as she rocked him, and the smile on her face just grew broader and broader. It had cut her to her core to discover that she’d been fathered by the murdering bastard Rourke… and now that connection had given her the chance to be this little one’s aunt, to pay forward the loving care her uncle had lavished on her. There was not a shadow of a doubt in her mind; young Reggie would have his Tia Estela in his corner, ready to hold his hand through whatever life saw to throw at him. She sighed happily. “How about you meet your Auntie Taylor? If she gets any more excited she might just explode. We don’t want that, do we, chiquito?”

“Haha, very funny,” Taylor said, rolling her eyes. “But, yeah, I would love a cuddle.” She inhaled sharply as Estela eased Reggie into her arms. “Oh, little man! You are one handsome little tyke….”

Aleister watched proudly-- and catching himself from hovering too protectively. The way Reggie’s aunts looked at him… it was a look of adoring family. Love was something that little fellow would surely never need yearn for. “Yes,” he said, quietly, “he’s rather perfect.”

___________________________

With full bellies all round, the birthday party had gone on pause for a couple of hours, allowing for desperately-needed naps to be taken. Reggie woke from his afternoon snooze to his home filled with lights and streamers, and even more friendly faces seemingly intent on showering him with affection. He wasn’t completely sure what to make of it all, but it sure was fun.

Birthday cake took the form of cupcakes, of course.

“Quinn Skyped us through the whole thing,” Diego explained. “Obviously, she really wanted to make something for Reggie herself, so we basically ended up being her cupcake-baking puppets.”

“Cupcake-baking, and frosting-licking,” Varyyn corrected. “Quinn was very right when she said that is the best bit.”

Grace smiled from ear to ear. “That was so kind-- of all of you!”

It had been a significant wrench for both herself and Aleister to see their friends return to the States after the reunion a month prior. Life didn’t stop; it couldn’t-- so much had already been upended, and the world outside La Huerta would keep turning, waiting for no one. Grace suspected her longing for her friends’ closeness was tied to the stirring of the wounds she carried over her relationship with her mother. Or… her lack of one. Time had done wonders in healing, but these moments she spent with her precious son had their way of making it so starkly obvious just what was missing. It couldn’t be changed, and she’d woken up that morning with the resolve to stop wasting her energy on wanting that change. Quietly, she re-directed her mind whenever it wandered into destructive territory.

The people who matter won’t let distance keep them from showing their care.

Aleister sunk into the couch and put an arm around his wife.

“That little fellow is going to be out like a night, come bedtime,” he said warmly, looking over Reggie as he toddled between friends with Diego holding his hands. “His legs have barely stopped moving since nap-time.”

Grace sighed happily and cuddled close. “He’d better be able to keep his eyes open long enough for the bedtime group call. Craig will be gutted if he doesn’t get to sing ‘Happy Birthday’.”

“I’m sure Craig would survive, but I have a feeling the sugar from those blasted cakes will see Reggie through just long enough.”

Reggie, indeed riding a slight sugar-high, was showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Everyone wanted his attention, and he was loving it. Varyyn, who was gently bouncing baby Liv in his arms, had made a point of wearing his crown; experience had taught him that the infants were mesmerised by the way the scarlet feathers danced on his head. Between staring up at the elyyshar with wonder, chasing around the colourful holographic projections Iris bounced around the floor, and cheekily prodding Estela into tickling him, Reggie had no shortage of entertainment in the form of his guests, but something from behind Taylor’s chair did catch his eye.

“So,” Taylor said as she pulled out a bulging sack of gifts, “we got left all this to surprise you with. I think everyone just went crazy with gifts; Reggie’s got a lot of love from all his aunts and uncles.”

In no time, Reggie was laughing fit to burst as he crawled through a sea of coloured paper; it was like some kind of wonderland… but emerged from it to see that, for some reason, his mother was… weepy. Concerned, Reggie awkwardly dragged the largest piece of paper he could find, then offered it to Grace as he hoisted himself upright using her leg.

“Mama?” It looked like she was… happy? Really, grown-ups were the strangest things….

Grace chuckled warmly and scooped up her boy. “You, young man, are such a lucky little guy.” She kissed him, and kissed him, and kissed him again, until he was once again giggling. Reggie, she knew, was not missing out on anything at all. Her worst fears would come to nothing; her son would forever be loved without conditions… and his mommy and daddy would just have to get used to the fact that they were too.

#endless summer #reginald aleister hall #graleister #playchoices #grace hall #aleister rourke #estela montoya

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doloresrojo · 4 years ago

Text

Hel’s Daughter

Notes: Although I've never read one of his books, I was inspired by Rick Riordan. I also took some elements of different works of fiction, like Francesca Simon's "The Monstrous Child", the History Channel show "Vikings", Neil Gaiman's "Norse Mythology" and other sources. English is not my native language, so there might be mistakes when it comes to grammar and spelling.

Hope you like it.

The word miracle didn’t exist for the old Norsemen; the concept was foreign to them. If you wanted the favor of the gods you had to take it through sacrifice and blood, prayers were not enough. The gods demanded action. Hel, the goddess of the dead, ruler of Helheim, receiver of those who died an unworthy dead, believed this just as much as the Aesir and the Vanir; and yet, she couldn’t think of a better word to describe the baby that was about to come out of her womb. For thousands of years the gods and goddesses had roamed Midgard coupling with mortals leaving offsprings everywhere. So far, Hel had been the only exception when it came to offsprings. Nobody told Hel that she couldn’t conceive, she just assumed it, after all, half of her body was a corpse. She thought that she wasn’t supposed to produce life, it was not her domain. But having a child had always been one of her deepest longings.

Hel was a witch too, her mother the giantess Angrboda was a völva, and a powerful one; Loki had not chosen her only for her beauty and wickedness; power attracted Loki more than anything, and before being separated from her children she had thought her daughter well. Hel could cast a spell for almost anything, but her favorite was the art of illusion. Hel could make the left side of her body, the one that was a corpse, complement the right one. She knew that the other gods disdained her appearance, and she had used that to her advantage, she loved to play with them, but when it came to mortal men she knew that she had to conceal that part of her if she wanted their attention. So she presented herself as a beautiful Nordic woman: fair skin and smooth as the ice, green eyes like a meadow in the spring, scarlet red lips and long blond hair that reached down to her waist. She looked like a princess from a fairy tale, ancient and mysterious.

The father of her baby was a young Irish musician that was living in London, one of her favorite places. He wasn’t particularly ambitious, he hadn’t left Ireland trying to make it big, he was a wanderer and an artist, a good one for that matter. At first Hel had been attracted to his voice, raspy but comforting, like whiskey running through your veins; then as she watched him she realized that he was shy and he was honestly baffled when someone showed interest in him, and it wasn’t an act; she could see it through her left eye, that eye could only see the truth; he knew her as Sigrid and for one night they worshiped each other. Trough sex, Hel was able to feel the rush that only living bodies feel, the feeling that she couldn’t completely have on her own. And this boy was good at what he was doing, despite of his clumsiness and hesitation, once he got confident he became aware of what his partner wanted and delivered. He wanted to see her again and she didn’t oppose the idea, she told him that she would come back; but she didn’t, not because she didn’t want to, she was expecting his baby and she didn’t know what to do. Hel never thought that she would have to deal with such a human and mundane situation.

The pain was excruciating, she had known pain but never like this. The pregnancy had not been an easy one, for the majority of the time she had to stay in bed, more than once the baby tore her left side almost coming out before time. She believed that if the baby was born dead she would be more angry than sad, all that pain for nothing; she longed for a child, yes, but now she felt bitter. The fates had given her so much sorrow: a deformed body, an untrustworthy, narcissistic and negligent father, a family broken by the fear of others, a kingdom that resented her no matter how much she cared of her subjects’ wellbeing. So no, she didn’t believe that the fates will let her have a piece of joy; her own piece of joy. She could have a corpse baby, ready to be put to the ground. A living corpse, cursed to be a living dead. A monster, just like her and her brothers, destined to endure the wrath of the gods.

“Just one more push, daughter, it’s almost here”. Angrboda was assisting her. When Hel arrived to Nifelheim her mother was already waiting for her; she had been killed not long after the gods had come for them.

“Pray to the Bloodmother”. Said Modgud, the giantess that guarded Gjallarbù, and her friend, who was supporting her back and holding her from the armpits.

With a cry that declared war she pushed as if her life depended on it, she felt her left side finally being ripped apart, and she collapsed on Modgud; she felt herself being dragged to unconsciousness, then a memory came out of nowhere: She was back at Jötunheim, with her brothers in her room, she was lying on Fenrir looking at the view from her window- ice mountains and snow being carried away by the wind- Jörmundgandr coiled beside them with Fenrir's tail rubbing him. Her sanctuary. She was brought back to reality by a high pitched baby’s cry. She opened her eyes and saw Angrboda, astonished, looking at the new born. With tears falling down her face she said:

“It is a girl, Hel. A beautiful baby girl”.

Using her remaining strength she sat up and held her arms out for her baby. What she looked was a healthy baby demigoddess, with ten fingers and ten toes, an upturned nose and a lot of hair on her head. Chestnut hair and brown eyes, just like her father.

“Thank you, Bloodmother. She has her father’s looks”.

Hel kissed her daughters forehead and wept; they were tears of happiness, her baby lived. And that was also the problem: No living being could live in Helheim, which meant that she could not stay with her, she had to live in Midgard. Soon she would have to let her go. The fates truly despised her.

***

No matter how much she hated the three dreadful sisters giantesses, they had the answer to her questions. She swaddled her baby and went to pay them a visit at the foot of the tree of life, the Yggdrasil. The sisters were beautiful, three maidens in the prime of their youth, who could believe that they were ancient and feared by gods and mortals alike?

“You took your time, queen”. Said Urd, the Norn that commanded over the past. She was picking up branches and leaves that had felt from above.

“But alas, no one can escape their fate. Not even a god”. Skuld, the one that presided over the future said, she was looking at the well of fate, the Urðarbrunnr.

Hel looked to Verdandi, the one that ruled the present, waiting to see if she had also something to say. She didn’t even acknowledged Hel, she just took a branch out of a basket and snapped it. Hel flinched and held the baby tighter, Verdandi had just terminated someone’s life. Tossing the branch she said:

“Don’t make that face, Hel. You are the queen of Helheim, death shouldn’t make you flinch. It is natural”.

“She is a mother now. Nothing will ever be the same for her”. A smiling Urd said.

Condescending bitch, thought Hel. Maybe it was the nerves but she was feeling mocked by the sisters. Either way, they were talking as if she wasn’t present.

“I am here…”

“Oh, we know”. Verdandi sounded exasperated, bored even. “You want to know what awaits to your child. Put her in the crib”.

A crib appeared at Hel’s feet, carefully she set the sleeping baby in the crib and the sisters stood beside it. They looked at the baby for what to Hel felt like centuries and then stared at each other. Urd was the first to speak:

“Your daughter is not like any other child a god has ever had; she is special, one of a kind. She is the only child you will ever have; she comes from the barest place in the nine worlds and holds so much power. She will be pure magic, she will be the one who will tip the balance when the end of everything comes”.

“You mean?”

“Yes. Ragnarök”. The sisters said in unison.

Ragnarök, the twilight of the gods. The prophecy had done so much damage already to her family. Fenrir was in Asgard, chained with a sword stuck in his mouth and Jörmundgandr was forced to hold the waters of the mortal world with his tale already in his mouth.

“How?”

“That is yet to be seen. Just like you queen, her part in it is yet not defined”. Answered Skuld.

“You wretched… tell me what you know!”

“Hush now. We don’t have all the answers, you already knew that before coming here. And you’d be wise to mind your words, unless you want her to have a similar fate like the rest of your kin”. Verdandi reminded Hel that they could tamper with fate how they saw fit, so it was wise no to offend them so they would be on her side.

Hel took a breath and swallowed her anger.

“Forgive me… I am scared. I don’t know what to do to protect her”.

The sisters softened at Hel’s turmoil. Skuld and Verdandi went back to their places, resuming their work, Urd picked the baby up from the crib and gave her back to her mother.

“You already know what you have to do to protect her, your child is not safe. She is in a very precarious situation. There is only one place were Odin, and Loki, might not find her that easily; your powers will be useful for that. Not to mention your love for her, that’s your greatest weapon against everyone that comes to harm her”.

***

After leaving the sisters Hel realized that she needed to act fast. It was only a matter of time for everyone in the Nine Worlds to find out about her daughter's existence; she had cast an invisibility spell on the baby to prevent Odin from seeing her in his dreams but that wouldn’t last forever. Loki was still bound inside of a cave for what he did to Baldr, but the fates had mentioned him and that didn’t surprise her; the gods didn’t understand the full extent of Loki’s powers; bound to a cave with a venom serpent over his head was not enough to contain him. She knew the place that the sisters meant, the one were her daughter would be safer: Midgard. The world of the mortals had changed and with it also Odin’s ability to see everything there; mortals moved faster in comparison to the old days. A lot of things were happening at the same time in Midgard, it was hard for the All Father to keep his eye on them.

Hel was dreading this, to let the father know of the existence of their child, but she didn’t trust anyone else with her daughter’s safety. She had seen his heart, he was a good person; still, she knew that she was asking for too much. They had been together only once and he was young, clearly not ready to be a father. She had to try though; and if he refused, well, she could force him to do it, but she didn't want to do that, because she wanted her child to be loved. Hel's mother loved her, she loved all her children, but not Loki, he didn't know how to love anyone. She wouldn't let her child to be with an unloving father, that wound never heales. So if he refused, she would find someone else to take care of her child. There was no other way.

***

The father’s name was Ciaran, little dark one. He didn’t usually have nice dreams, he always dreamed of unpleasant or strange situations that left him feeling confused or disturbed. However, this dream was extremely different. He was in a place surrounded by rocky cliffs enveloped in green foliage; there were rows and rows of mountains surrounding the land like a belt or a fortress. The wind was cold but it wasn’t unbearable and even though they were near the sea the wind was dry, it could burn your skin. The land had also sterile patches; this place was a harsh one. He heard a surge of water, even though he was now far from the sea, he thought it was a waterfall but the sound was inconsistent; it was a geyser, there were hot springs too. Amazed, he touched the water, warm, it felt so real. He wished he could stayed there forever. Just when he thought that this place couldn’t mesmerized him more, he saw a volcano, and it was not dormant, smoke came out of it.

He loved this place, wherever it was, and he knew it was real, it had to; he didn’t think his imagination as vivid as it was could produce such a place. His favorite part was the beach, with its soft black sand; he sat there for a long time, seeing the waves come and go, breathing the sea breeze. He felt in so much peace.

Hel had been watching this whole time. She was the one who orchestrated this dream; Iceland had always had a calming effect on her, she hoped that he would feel the same way. She felt guilty, she was about to ruin his good spirits. Ciaran heard footsteps, when he turned he found the most beautiful woman in the world. Sigrid, the lovely Sigrid. He laughed when he saw how she was dressed: A long emerald gown with gold and silver embroidery, a black fur cloak as long as her gown fastened with a small gold chain, a copper choker of a snake that ate its own tail around her neck, her impossibly long hair was braided and on top of her head was a crown made of bones and stones. Now, his dream was getting more usual: Nonsensical.

“What’s so funny?” Hel asked, teasingly.

“Nothing… I’m just being silly”.

They didn’t say anything, they just looked at one another.

“You look beautiful, Sigrid”.

“Thank you. Do you like this place?”

“I do, I have no idea where I am but I love it”.

Hel stood beside him and scooped some of the sand in her hands.

“It’s called Reynisfjara beach”.

Ciaran’s eyebrows shot up to the top of his forehead.

“The what?”

Hel chuckled.

“If it’s better, you may say that you’re in Iceland”.

“Really?” Ciaran asked.

“Yes”.

This was a dream, he knew it; but if that was true then why did everything felt so real. The sand that he took form Sigrid’s hands, the smell of salt, the cold wind on his skin, and her. Specially her. It was just as the last time, so natural and effortless. As if to prove himself that she was in fact real, he cupped her left cheek; being in the land of dreams made him bold. She just stood still.

“Where did you go, Sigrid?”

How she wished that she was Sigrid, that she was a normal human woman that could venture to have a relationship with him. Hear him sing his beautiful songs with his lovely voice and caress his skin to sooth away all of his sorrows. But she wasn’t Sigrid and she’ll never be, and there were more important things to talk about right now.

“My name is not Sigrid, I’m not who you think I am”. She removed his hand off her cheek and took a few steps back. Closing her eyes, she let her glamour drop.

She couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes right away, so she listened. For a long moment he held his breath, he didn’t move, but his heartbeat sped up. When she finally opened them she saw him with his mouth agape and his eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. He backed away from her in horror. If you asked anyone, they would tell you that Hel had no heart, because it was in her corpse side, she couldn’t feel anything there. That was not true, in that moment she could feel her heart breaking. Not wanting to hear hateful words from his mouth she broke the silence.

“I am sorry for deceiving you, I promise you I meant no harm. My name is Hel, Norse goddess of the Underworld, of Helheim, daughter of Loki and Angrboda. And I need your help”.

Ciaran looked at her with suspicion but also with interest, when they met he had known that something was different about her, now he knew what was it. She turned so her right side faced him maybe that would make things easier for him. He came closer and turned her so he could see her completely. Hel hated to feel evaluated, normally she would punish on the spot anyone that dared to looked at her like this; still, she let him, she owed him this much. He put both of his trembling hands on both sides of her face, the corpse side didn’t feel as he thought it would; the flesh didn’t come off at his touch, there was no stench, in fact, she smelled sweet, too sweet, it was hard to describe. The air around her was colder and her right side felt unnaturally soft.

“Is this not a dream?” He asked still holding her.

“It is, I used magic to enter your dreams. I brought you here because I love this place, it soothes me. I hoped that it would do the same to you, that made easier what I’m about to tell you”.

“There’s more?”

Hel removed her cloak, revealing that she had been carrying a baby in her arms this whole time. Ciaran looked at the baby and then at Hel, comprehension slowly making way to his mind. He opened his mouth but nothing came out, he just looked at the baby.

“I thought that I couldn’t have children, I had been sleeping with mortal men for centuries and nothing ever happened. I don’t know why it was different with you”.

Ciaran didn’t know what to do. Maybe Hel was being manipulative, she took the opportunity to put the baby over his chest, and luckily he took her, maybe more as a reflex than a conscious move.

“She is in danger. She needs to hide from the other gods and from my father, I talked to the fates before coming to you. Our daughter is meant to bring balance when the end of the world comes; she is not like any demigod that’s ever existed. She will be hunt down if we don’t hid her from them”.

“Did you just say the end of the world?!”

“I know it’s a lot to take. But if you accept to be her guardian I will help you; I will be watching over you both, I will instruct you, my treasure is more abundant than the one that Odin keeps in his halls, I will provide for you. Anything you need”.

Ciaran shook his head, this didn’t make any sense. He was just a regular guy, how in the world was he going to be able to protect a demigoddess?

“I don’t… how will I…” Then the baby opened her eyes. She had his mother’s eyes, his eyes. Fatherhood and motherhood were supposed to be different, or so he was told. Fathers were supposed to take more time to feel a bond with their children, it was normal. But now holding this baby, he felt it, he felt that bond. This was his baby and he was her father, he was certain.

“What’s her name?”

“I haven’t named her. I was hoping you would choose a name for her”.

“I always liked the name Felicity for a girl”.

Felicity meant happiness and joy, everything that Hel was not. It was perfect.

“I love it”.

Ciaran smiled and touched Felicity’s little face.

“Ciaran, do you think you can love her? I want her to be loved not just protected. Do you think you can love her as her father?”

“I already do”. And by the gods he did. It was insane but it was true.

“I’m going to need your help, Hel. You will have to teach me, I don’t understand anything that’s happening and I don’t know how I’ll protect her from gods and such”.

“I will, no matter what. I swear”. Said Hel fiercely. She put on her cloak and took Felicity, hiding her once more.

“It’s not dawn yet in London, go back to sleep, Felicity will be there in the morning. I need to say goodbye first”.

Ciaran nodded, he doubted that he could go back to sleep, but Hel made sure of that with a sleeping spell. He would need all the rest he could get.

***

Back at Helheim, Hel asked her mother and her servants Ganglati and Ganglöt to go to her treasure hall and gather enough jewels and valuable trinkets to secure a substantial income for a year. Angrboda took a look at her daughter and understood what she was about to do; it pained her, but it was the right thing. She kissed Hel and left, Ganglati and Ganglöt behind her, moving at the speed of a snail. Hel adverted her eyes elsewhere and when she looked back at where the siblings were they were gone; most likely, they were already at the hall waiting for Angrboda. They were one of Helheim’s greatest mysteries, to this day Hel doesn’t know where they come from or why they move so slowly as long as they are being watched.

She sat on her bed, Sick-bed, the very same bed where Felicity was born. She retrieved a silver pendant of a rune from a jewelry box. She dangled it over Felicity’s head, the pendant catching the light of the fires illuminating the room, her little brown eyes following it.

“This is the Hagalaz rune; it’s a rune that is associated with me. It represents the wrath of nature, destruction, trials and testing and crisis that leads to completion. If anything the fates said is true then it represents you well, my love… a god cannot always be everywhere at once, I certainly can’t; this pendant will be my eyes and ears, as long as you wear it I’ll be able to know where you are and if you need my assistance. Never take it off”.

Hel chanted the incantation necessary to bind herself to the pendant, green light poured out of her hand and danced around the pendant settling in the rune. Felicity watched everything with a serene expression, as if magic was already normal to her, as if she hadn’t been born a few days ago.

“Felicity, if only I could let you know how much this hurts me. I dreamed of you for so long, forgive me. This is not what I wanted for you, for the both of us… I don’t know what your father will tell you about me, but rest assured your mother loves you, and I am willing to tear everything apart for you”.

***

Ciaran woke up in the morning feeling rested; it had been a while since he had slept so well. He stretched and savored the feeling before remembering everything. He stood up and looked around his room, and there she was. Felicity, his daughter. A bag was next to her basket on the floor, he knelt and peeked at the basket, she was awake, and in her tiny fist she was holding something, he took a closer look and saw that it was a necklace, a pendant of a rune. Even he had heard of runes, and he knew that this was meant for Felicity to have. He opened the bag and found jewels, golden coins and precious stones, Hel wasn’t kidding when she said that she had treasure. Now it felt truly real. The dream that Hel had called upon felt real enough, but now it had materialized. Last night he was a musician that worked odd jobs to get by and was content with being aimless, and now, he was a father, a father of a demigoddess. Hel had not been very specific about the dangers that followed Felicity, and now him he supposed; how was he going to explain this to his parents? To his friends, he needed help, he had to go back to Ireland. This was not going to be easy, even with Hel’s help and support, but he was up for it. Whatever was coming he would face it, he would be there for his daughter just like his parents were there for him no matter what.

***

Verdandi saw everything as it was happening. Hel resumed her role as the queen of the Underworld, pretending that her heart and mind were there, Loki was struggling and raging in his bonds and Odin was vigilant as always, but still unaware of the existence of Felicity. The father was preparing to go back to his homeland with his kin. He didn’t know what awaited them. Not even her and her sisters knew for sure. The pieces on the board that was Ragnarök were scrambled. Some of the pieces were still set in their rightful place: Fenrir was still going to kill Odin and Odin would kill him in return, Thor and Frey would perish as well, and so would Loki. Hel’s role was still unchanged; she would provide her father with an army of the dead but it seemed that the rest was up to her. After Ragnarök the world will be reborn, a new order will come; that’s were Felicty’s part comes in to action. She will either lead the gods in this new world or she will return to the giants what was taken away from them so long ago, as their ruler. Why was she the one bestowed with so much power? Simple, this girl had inherited the power of Ymir. Everything came from Ymir; the giants, the world as we know it, and even the gods. Odin and his brothers had killed Ymir, little did they know that had Ymir wanted to they could have killed them in the blink of an eye. They were nothing compared to Ymir, but Ymir had chosen to sacrifice themselves so marvelous things were born. Ymir was great, and the greatest thing about they was the purity of their heart. But Felicity was not Ymir, and it was yet to be seen if she possessed the same purity of heart. None of this worried Verdandi, whatever this girl happened to decide to do with her power was… unimportant. As long as the outcome was unchanged, the rest didn’t matter.

#hel norse goddess #norse mythology #helheim #ragnarok #paganism #pagan god #nordic paganism

11 notes · View notes

mcheang · 5 years ago

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I'm back and with an idea i just had to share with you a fic with Alya knowing Lila was lying but wanted to knock Marinette down because he felt jealous and inferior to Marinette who had talent and headstart to her carreer and celebrity connections (she was still friends with her cuz Mari had a lot of perks )so she has an excuse to lash out her frustration and Mari calls her out saying Mari has been nothing but a good friend and she's been nothing but a bad person bcuz of her insecurites

Jealousy doesn’t become a hero

I very much prefer writing Lila and/or Bustier salt. But I hope this draft satisfies you.

When Volpina had been defeated, Marinette went to check the Ladyblog and was relieved to have found the interview deleted. Adrien must have informed Alya.

Imagine her surprise when Lila kept lying about her time with Achu. Despite her evidence, Alya dismissed it as jealousy.

Um...maybe Lila decided posing as her BFF was a bad idea and asked Alya to take the video down?

When Chameleon came about and was given the most embarrassing defeat of all time, Marinette sat watching Lila give her class a full-detail tall tale about how she rescued (defeated) her.

Then, struck by inspiration, Marinette went back to class, a triumphant air about her, her smirk barely repressed.

Adrien saw but shrugged it off. He figured Marinette realized Lila would get caught sooner or later. He joined her at the back later and soon their old seating arrangement was back.

That night, Alya was surprised when she heard a voice in her bedroom window.

“While I am glad that you don’t run after every akuma now, I hope you still check your sources, Alya.”

Alya turned and beamed. “Ladybug! What’s up? Do you need me for another Mission?”

Ladybug leaned against the wall. “No. I’m here regarding Lila. I’ve been hearing rumors that you posted an interview of her claiming to be my BFF- without checking with me.”

Alya blinked. “Oh. You think I’ve been suckered. Don’t worry, Ladybug, I know Lila’s nothing but a liar.”

Ladybug blinked. “But your interviews?”

Alya nodded and went to open a page on her laptop. She figured one of her classmates must have spread the rumor until it reached Ladybug’s ear (she doesn’t know why Lila was akumatized into Volpina). “I did post her interviews. But do you know how you can control who sees what you post? I made sure those interviews could only be seen by our class. And I have to approve what comments appear on every post. The comments you see are made by our classmates solely, but Lila doesn’t know all that because of their usernames. Like I’m going to ruin my journalistic career for a tabloid post!”

Ladybug blinked again, confused. “But why indulge Lila? Why let her lie to your friends?”

Alya shrugged. “It’s a weird way to make friends, sure. But maybe once Lila realizes how cool we are, she’ll learn she can trust us with the truth.”

Ladybug narrowed her eyes. Manipulating their classmates to serve her food is not a way to make friends. (And dismissing her was not very friendly of Alya either!) “You are lying to me, Alya Césaire.”

Alya started backward, and started to get nervous. Ladybug was the reason her blog was so popular, and her only chance to become a hero. She was the smartest girl in Paris and could see through lies like glass.

Alya had 2 choices. Lie again and be exposed (and never be a hero again or granted interviews), or tell the truth and never be a hero again (but at least Ladybug is more likely to forgive her)

“Fine. I indulge Lila because it’s nice to see someone else in class get the spotlight.”

Ladybug tilted her head. “I’m sure Chloe has been improving.”

Alya shook her head. “No, not her. I mean Marinette.”

Ladybug was shocked. “The bakers’ Daughter?”

Alya wasn’t surprised Ladybug knew Marinette, not when she was the one who arranged her first official interview with Ladybug.

LB: How is she in the spotlight?

Alya sighed. “She’s the most popular girl in class. She gets confessed to on a regular basis. Even my own Boyfriend was interested in her before me. She knows Jagged Stone, which is probably how she knows Lila is lying. Marinette even got her designs praised by Gabriel Agreste and Audrey Bourgeois. Her parents are owners of the most popular bakery in Paris. Clara Nightingale and Adrien Agreste both think she is star material, and worthy of being called Ladybug.”

Alya kept going on, noting that Ladybug’s surprised face wasn’t exactly discouraging her. In fact Marinette was still too stunned to react.

“I just wanted someone else to be in the limelight. And if it couldn’t be me. I’d rather it be anybody else, even a liar.”

Ladybug gathered her thoughts. “So you’re just jealous? That Marinette is popular? But you’re popular too.”

Alya gave a bleak laugh. “Hardly. In class, I’m dismissed as the obsessive and nosy reporter. I don’t know any celebrities and they certainly don’t follow the Ladyblog. More people download apps for akuma alerts and hero sightings than subscribe to my blog. I’ve been dismissed for proposing crazy theories, which in hindsight is reasonable.”

LB: I’m assuming you didn’t tell Marinette you know Lila is lying because of that.

AC: Obviously. Because then I’d have to back her up and she would be the hero again. I used the excuse that she was jealous, and she was. But I knew Marinette is above jealousy. It’s annoyingly. She was ready to give Adrien up to an ice queen.

LB wrinkled her eyebrows, drawing on her professionalism and burying her own hurt for later. “If you are upset by Marinette’s success and annoyed by her attitude, why befriend her?”

AS: Because of her connections! Thanks to her, I got to star in Clara’s music video. She somehow got you to agree to do an interview with me. I persuaded her to take over as class president so I didn’t have to do the real work and Chloe wouldn’t be in charge anymore. She gives me free custom designed clothing. And no offence to my mum, but Marinette’s pastries are the best breakfast in the world.

Ladybug finally stood up tall. Alya had been so lost in the relief and satisfaction of finally venting out her jealousy and frustration that she had momentarily forgotten that her listener in the shadows was a very influential idol whom she wanted to make a good impression on.

Ladybug said coldly, “From what you are saying, it sounds like Marinette has been a better Friend that you have ever been. You are as bad as Lila Rossi. You lie for your own gain. And if there’s one thing I despise above all else, Miss Césaire, it’s liars.”

As Ladybug launched her Yoyo out, Alya rushed to make her plea. “Wait! Please wait! I’m sorry!”

LB: No, you’re only sorry you got caught.

ALya cried out, “what can I do to make it up to you?”

Ladybug gave her one last impassive look. “For starters, I’d say tell the truth. To everyone.”

Ladybug left Alya in horrified and torn silence.

As Ladybug returned home, she detransformed and wept on her balcony, amid the perfume of flowers. She could finally face the betrayal and sadness she had kept away in front of Alya.

Tikki sadly cozied up to Marinette’s neck, trying to offer comfort.

Hawkmoth was alerted by a teenager’s despair, agony and betrayal.

Hawkmoth: Hooray, I get to akumatize Marinette after all!

He doesn’t. Adrien saw Ladybug outside and went out to join her. As he searched for Ladybug, he saw the akuma heading for a weeping Marinette.

“Marinette, move!”

Marinette looked up in surprise (Tikki quickly hid among the flowers) “Chat?”

“Cataclysm!” He destroyed the butterfly in front of her face.

Marinette gasped.

Chat quickly steadied himself on the balcony. “Marinette, are you alright? What’s wrong?”

Because she was definitely not alright. Those were tear tracks on her face. Chat felt sad that his princess was sad, and wanted to rip out the face of whoever made her cry.

Marinette shook her head. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Chat was doubtful. An akuma appeared. Clearly she couldn’t handle it. “Are you sure? I’m here for you, you know.”

Marinette finally burst into sobs. She leaped into Chat’s arms. Chat held her close as she confessed the source of her troubles.

“I just learned that Alya wasn’t really my Friend at all. She was just using me.”

Chat was confused. What was she talking about?

Marinette saw his confusion and explained. “I was the one who told Ladybug about Lila first. She got mad and went to confront Lila, i assume that got her akumatized. When Lila got akumatized again today, Ladybug went to visit Alya to make sure she knew Lila was a liar.”

Ok...Chat guessed that explained Marinette’s attitude just before lunch ended.

“And it turns out Alya knew Lila was a liar all along. She never really posted her interviews to the public. She’s just been indulging Lila because she wanted to knock me down.”

Chat was shocked. “And Ladybug told you all this?”

Marinette let out a bark of laughter. “She didn’t have to. I heard Alya myself. I was near her bedroom door when I heard voices saying my name. Once I heard what Alya had to say about me, I didn’t bother knocking or to announce myself. I doubt Nora would bother mentioning me since she was preoccupied with the twins and her parents weren’t home.”

Chat guessed Marinette had new evidence that Lila was a liar and wanted to show it to Alya. But instead she happened to hear a conversation that revealed Alya’s true colours.

Marinette wiped her cheeks bitterly. “She did everything today willingly. She left me to sit in the back alone, without consulting me. She dismissed me and accused me of being jealous. All along, she was the jealous one, and I actually thought she was my Friend!”

Marinette buried her face in her hands.

Chat rubbed Marinette’s back consolingly. “Cheer up princess. You still have the rest of your friends, and me.”

Marinette sniffled. This was not comforting to her. Her friends weren’t much better. And she didn’t see Chat regularly.

Chat sensed he was failing at comforting her and tried again. “So what are you going to do tomorrow. Will you confront Alya?”

“I don’t know. I sit next to her and she is the first person I talk to every morning at school. But I can’t see her face without wanting to shout Liar now. And if I do, she’ll just turn the whole thing against me, like Lila did. (Lila did what now?) I don’t know what to do.”

Chat’s heart broke at how lost Marinette sounded. He tiled her chin up so she would look at him.

“Tell you what, princess. Tomorrow, you are going to walk with your back straight and head proud into that classroom. You are going to give Alya Césaire a polite greeting and ignore her. Talk to your other classmates. Listen to music. Write in your notebooks. Revise old lessons. Do whatever. But don’t give Alya the time of day until you are ready to face her.”

The next day, Adrien was prepared. He ignored Lila and gave a confused and sad Alya the cold shoulder.

When Marinette arrived, Adrien was all sunshine and immediately invited her to a conversation.

Marinette gratefully accepted. And though she stumbled, she kept Chat’s advice and ignored Alya’s nudges and comments.

They kept talking until class started. The girls were thrilled to see progress.

Throughout the first half of the school day, Alya kept trying to talk to Marinette or slip her notes. Marinette ignored her.

Alya guessed what had happened and braced herself. She had to tell the truth. She didn’t want to know what Ladybug would do otherwise if she didn’t.

When Lunch came and Adrien invited him to join her; Alya firmly grabbed Marinette’s hand and said in a low voice. “I need to talk to you. Now.”

Marinette reluctantly followed. Unbeknownst to her, Adrien and Lila decided to eavesdrop, for different reasons. Adrien wanted to be there for Marinette and Lila wanted dirt.

In a deserted classroom, Alya finally said the words. “Ladybug told you about last night, didn’t she?”

Marinette’s answer was vague. “She didn’t have to. But she did give me a brief warning this morning. I connected the dots on my own.”

Alya laughed bitterly. “Of course, even Ladybug chooses you over me.”

Marinette stayed silent, waiting for Alya to continue.

“Let me be clear, Marinette. I’m only being honest because of Ladybug. I’ve only been your Friend because of what you do for me.”

Even though Marinette was expected it, it still hurt. Thankfully, her only controlled response was an audible exhale.

Adrien: How could you Alya?

Lila: oh snap!

“I know Lila’s lying but I indulged her because I wanted someone else to take the stage instead of you.”

Lila: she knows?

Marinette raised a brow. “Even at the risk of your blog’s reputation?”

“The interview is only seen by our class. The public can’t access it.”

Lila fumed. She had been played. Alya had used her instead of the other way around. Silently, Lila brought out her phone to record the conversation. Despite Adrien shaking his head, Lila glared at him, daring him to lecture her now.

Lila got the whole juicy bit. Alya admitted what she was jealous about, her betrayal to Marinette. And at the end of it, Marinette was still composed. Adrien had to admire her for it, standing strong in the face of such betrayal.

Marinette: you did all of that just to hurt me? Out of petty jealousy? That you accused me of envy- you resented me that much? and you only used me for free stuff and have been my friend when it's convenient? (This was part of the request) you know, I actually felt hurt that you were just taking advantage of me Alya. But now I just feel sorry for you. Some people like Chloe and Adrien are lucky, they are born with opportunities we can only dream of. But the rest of us, like Nathaniel, like Kitty Section, like myself. We work hard. Sure we have help from our friends, but we never take advantage of them. We have struggled and yes, we do face setbacks, but throughout it all, we have stayed true to ourselves. But you, the moment you see someone thriving, you don’t focus on improving yourself, you just try to leech off that person, like you did to Lila, and like you did to me. You can’t think of safer methods to record akuma fights. You never listen to anyone’s reasoning and criticism of your theories. You are stuck in your own entitled world, that you can’t see the bigger picture. You’re a parasite, Alya Césaire. So...I won’t expose you, because I have no doubt you’ll turn everyone against me. But I won’t be your Friend anymore.”

Alya wasn’t bothered. “Fine. So we agree to never speak to each other again unless necessary?”

“Yes.” Marinette walked out first. Adrien and Lila scattered before she could open the door.

Adrien immediately went to grab Marinette for lunch and did all he could to distract her from her recent ordeal.

Meanwhile, Lila edited the video to avoid incriminating herself and sent it to the class group chat.

She hates Marinette sure, but no one plays Lila for a fool and gets away with it.

The class is shocked and angry at Alya, who tries to claim that Lila is lying. She runs away from the mob and returns as Lady Wifi to punish Lila.

Ladybug defeats her but Alya demands a question if Ladybug is friends with Lila. Feeling sorry for Alya, Ladybug announces that her only Best Friend is Chat Noir. She does not befriend civilians.

Alya is sentenced to switch seats with Nathaniel. Adrien takes her place as Deputy. Nino dumps Alya. Lila and her new desk mate keep sabotaging each other.

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