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shadowdaddies · 11 months

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Hello! I want to tell you that I just discovered your blog and I love the stories you write. Can I please request something?

Helion and the reader are on the battlefield, and the reader takes a hit meant for Helion, and then the bond snaps for him, the reader survives and declares her love for Helion, telling him that she has long known that he is her mate, but wasn't sure that he might have feelings for her. Thank you!

thank you! I really enjoyed writing this, thanks for the request love💜

My Only Sunshine

Helion x Valkyrie!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical violence, blood/injury, death, not proofread

Flying over the battlefield on your pegasus, you had taken to the skies along with the rest of the Valkyries to battle Koschei’s baitals. He’d sent the vampiric creatures as reinforcements among his air forces, the bony monsters searching the grounds below for dying bodies to possess on the battlegrounds.

An ear-piercing shriek echoed through the air as you cut down a baital, watching as its lifeless body fell to the ground. What you saw below caused you to do a double-take - Helion was battling off four soldiers as he clutched a wound on his side, another baital circling above him, waiting for him to be struck dead. The scene shot horror through you, and without thinking you steered your pegasus toward the ground.

You leapt off the steed to allow it time to swoop back up to the skies, and you rolled gracefully to land on the ground. Your eyes scanned the line of soldiers ahead of you as you drew up your sword in defense. Charging through the battlefield, your focus was only on getting to Helion by whatever means necessary.

You could not afford the time to think of what might happen to your mate - the beautiful and kind male fighting bravely ahead of you - if he did not make it out of this battle before you confessed your feelings for him. You had known that Helion was your mate since the first time you met him, when the Valkyries began training with his pegasus.

You fell for him quickly, his playful and joyous nature bringing a light to your life you didn’t realize you had needed - and you watched as the sun to your moon began to fade.

With a scream of fury, you unleashed yourself upon the soldiers, leaping into the air with a supernatural strength to cut down the baital that was circling overhead. You landed in front of Helion, his shocked eyes focused on you as you checked his wound. You panted out, “we have to get you to a healer, Li,” just in time for him to look behind you, pure fear flashing across his features.

You turned, seeing only a blur of a creature aiming an ash arrow at Helion before you dove in front of him, a searing pain permeating through your body as though it coursed through every vein. A single tear fell from your cheek as Helion caught you, his eyes lining with tears while he held your head in his broad hand and whispered, “why?”

The last words you were able to breathe out as you held your hand to Helion’s cheek were, “my mate,” before the world faded to black.

~~~

Your pegasus had never kicked you in the head, but you imagined that how you currently felt would be quite a similar feeling. Overcome with thirst and an aching body all over, you groaned at the pain that accompanied merely attempting to open your eyes.

You could feel the soft mattress beneath you, silk sheets cool against your stiff muscles as you further awoke from what must have been a deep sleep. Shock overtook your system as you recalled your latest memories of the battlefield and Helion being in danger, and you jolted upright with panic.

Your body did not respond well to the sudden movement, and you yelled out in pain as a blinding pain in your ribs took your breath away. The sound of someone fumbling awake accompanied your gasps for air, and suddenly familiar warm hands were on your back and chest, easing you to lay back down on the mattress.

You looked up to see Helion in a state of disarray you could never have imagined for him, and your heart ached seeing him in pain. You tried to croak out words, choking on the dryness of your throat. Helion quickly grabbed you water, gently propping you up against the pillows as he helped you drink until you were satisfied.

Before you could attempt to get out the words you wanted to, however, Helion took your hand in his and squeezed, taking a deep breath as he seemed to struggle for words since the first time you had met him. Without words from him, you felt his emotions as though they were your own, and you realized - you were feeling him through the bond.

He must have sensed your emotions as well, his eyes showing a glimmer of hope that had been missing since you’d awoken. He brought your hand to his lips and kissed it. “My mate,” Helion whispered as he stared at you in adoration. “I’ve always been awed by you, but I wouldn’t have dreamed to have been blessed to have a female like you as my mate until the bond snapped for me, when you-“

His voice broke off then, the unspoken weight of your sacrifice hanging in the air. You tilted Helion’s face to look at you as you admired his beauty. “Li, I would give my life for yours a thousand times over. I was lucky to be blessed with you as my mate, but you are so much more than that to me. You are a great male, a great leader, and you make the world a better place. I love you, not because you are my mate, but because you are you, Li.”

A tear made its way down Helion’s cheek at your words, and he laughed as he leaned down to kiss you gently, mindful of your injuries. Bending down to nip at your ear, Helion practically growled as he whispered, “heal quickly, my love, because I have a list of ways I will replace your pain with pleasure... for the rest of our lives.” You giggled at that, happy that your mate was feeling his flirtatious self again, and that you would spend the rest of your days with the one person who brought you the most joy.

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cafeinthemoon · 7 months

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Ruins - Part XXII

Chapter 22

Wordcount 4,1k

Title Part XXII

Fandom Shummatsu no Valkyrie / Record of Ragnarok

Previous chapters

1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14 . 15 . 16 . 17 . 18 . 19 . 20 . 21

Symbols ⭕ . ➕ . 💛

Warnings: Mentions of nudity, undressing; non explicit sex

Tagging @holdyourwine @lilacshouko @shirayuki-ayumi @telvess @alecfromsaturn (If you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just leave a comment on this chapter or send an ask or a message)

N. A.: I don't even know what to say after so long, except that I'm happy to finally come back and put this chapter out 😭🙏 I've been thinking of it for ages and questioning myself whether I'd be able to give these two a proper honeymoon or not, but this is an issue that haunts me every time I sit to write a honeymoon/intimate scene. The potion stuff was something I wanted to include back in the wedding chapter, but it's end up too long so I abandoned the idea. Now I had the chance to use it, and to try to bring some comedy vibes to soothe things a bit 😅

Anyways, hope you have fun! Missed you all 💜🥰

For you were too tired to stay awake after your brother-in-law left, you never saw the moment your husband came back to the private sections of your chambers, as much as when the rays of sunshine first entered the room. When you opened your eyes, the ceiling and the walls were already touched by the warm light, and the people in the tapestry over your head were as joyful as ever.

You tried to move the sheets from upon you and found out you could do it with no problems. You looked around and sensed the room was too quiet. You were also alone in the bed.

You frowned.

Where did he go?

You took a deep breath and, after some effort, you sat on the bed. You felt a strange, but complete relief with that gesture: your strength came back to you, there were no shivers spreading through your skin and no fear making your heart heavy. Was the transformation finished? You couldn’t believe it’d happen so fast, but maybe the hardest part of the process was over and you’d be able to carry on with your activities while it came to its end. Whatever the case, you were content to see you were yourself again.

You left the bed and headed to the bathroom. You closed the door, turned on the lights around the mirror to wash your face… and were static with what you saw there.

It was still you in the reflection, the same eyes, nose, lips and all, but at the same time it wasn’t. You saw a refreshed, cleaner version of you, with an inhuman glow in the lilac of your eyes and a flawless skin to cover each spot. Yes, you were sure it was still you, but more beautiful, more gracious, even without a layer of makeup and a disheveled hair to frame your expression.

So… this is how being a goddess feels like.

You smiled to yourself.

It’s not that bad.

You brushed your hair (which, understandably, took you more time than you were used) and finished your personal care session without taking your eyes off the mirror. You were a bit ashamed for being so vain, but after all the agonizing hours you had to endure to reach those looks, you couldn’t deny yourself such contentment.

You left the bathroom and searched for your robe. You found it on the same chair Hades left his own the night before. You dressed it and looked around, still finding his absence strange. It was when a soft, rhythmic sound reached your ears – his voice, brought by the breeze entering through the balcony, came to you in the form of a song, but you couldn’t recognize the words at first; you frowned and listened for a while, until you realized he was singing in Ancient Greek.

You smiled. You’ve already heard him sing before, but it was never that sweet. From what you’ve learned during his lessons, you were able to understand some verses, which, in the modern language, was something like this:

Under the red skies

Of the first day of Winter

I saw you

Your tiny feet running upon the ruins

Of the Temple of Love

Where after your touch

White flowers would grow

Would you mind

If I took you away with me?

Would you mind

If I hid you away?

As we built our secret place

Out of your flowers

And out of my song...

You followed his voice to the outside and found him sitting on the small table at the balcony, having a filled cup in front of him. He seemed relaxed, in peace with himself like you’ve never seen him before, especially when you remembered the events of the previous night, with his legs crossed and his eyes lost in the landscape.

You sighed at the scene.

Like a King who has his domains assured.

Change came when you took the first step toward him: the ecstatic glow in his eyes appeared and expanded as he turned to you, swallowing your whole form; he raised an unconscious hand and you accepted it, letting him take you to his lap.

You touched his cheek.

– Hi.

– Hi – Hades took your hand on his and led it to his lips – Young goddess.

A heat came up to your face when you heard that treatment. As much as it was flattering, you couldn’t shake the sensation that you were meeting him as if you were a different person now, and it still too soon to know if you enjoyed it. But you wouldn’t ruin the moment with sad deliberations, so you quickly redirected the conversation through sweeter paths.

– Were you singing about a young goddess as well?

– Yes – he curled a strand of your hair between his fingers – One that would touch the ruins of a dark world with her pretty feet, with the sweetness of a damsel and the courage of a warrior.

– And does she reach her fate with such sweetness and courage?

– Her fate, and much more – he approached and kissed your forehead.

You giggled and turned to the table, taking an empty cup and filling it with the same liquid as his cup, which consistence reminded you of milk, but with the color of caramel.

– What song was that? – you put the recipient of the caramel back on the table and grabbed your little cup – You never sang it before.

– It’s a love song in Ancient Greek. The author is unknown, but it was popular among travelers – Hades explained – It’s much longer than this, but this is my favorite part.

– We should learn the complete lyrics, then – you turned to him with tenderness – Then we will sing the whole song together.

– And we can do that during our travels.

– An excellent idea.

The rest of the breakfast went in silence, but after it you two went to the garden at the upper floor. You were were able to walk through it and that made you happy, still Hades didn’t let go of your arm until you decided to sit on a bench. There were some small trees around it, and you saw butterflies and birds sharing their branches peacefully; a couple of birds arrived, persecuting each other, then leaving as fast as they came, their wings making a rustling noise between the leaves, their little voices at their peak. You laughed at this, which reminded Hades of something.

– So how are your ears going? – he brushed your hair behind the left one – You’ve been complaining about the nature noises.

– They’re getting better. I mean, I don’t think I’d stand a lion’s roar right now, but the birds are completely bearable – you smiled.

– That’s good to hear.

You took some time to silently appreciate your surroundings as they displayed what would be a pleasing Spring morning in Midgard. You thought of this for a moment: the plants, the creatures and that whole environment were those of from Midgard, just everything you saw along your stay in the areas reserved to humans in those blessed lands – and all of them were designed by your husband. You felt your respect and admiration for him grow the same way it did when you took your first walk in the Gardens, when you ate pomegranates.

– You thought of all of this before we got married – you said suddenly; and, turning to him, – You thought of everything.

Hades replied with the same modest smile he gave you when you asked if he was there during the planting of the pomegranate tree.

– I wouldn’t say that. I’d say I’ve work with every necessary resource and with the best people I could find, so everything you’ve seen around would have the power of bringing smiles to the young humans’ faces – he raised his fingers to brush your hair – And, as a payment for all this work, yours will be forever on my sight.

Your smile widened at those words before you could notice. You were really content that, more than wishing to see your smile often, he was also creating reasons for you to show it: not so long after that conversation, he took you to take a walk through the depths of the garden, where exotic plants were hidden, and you spent the next hour talking about them and planning how to include your creations at the Greenhouse in the collection.

When you finally went back to the chambers’ interior, you decided you wanted to spend some time in bed, for your legs were a bit heavy. Meanwhile, Hades went to the kitchen to prepare tea. When he came back, you brought out a subject that has been on your mind for days: the travel to Hellheim.

– I’ve been worried about this for a while, but haven’t had the chance to speak until now – you said while accepting a cup of tea from his hands – Is it too long? Is it a difficult path, or an easy one? How does it look like?

He sat by your side with his own tea.

– It’s certainly a long way, especially for the ones who aren’t used to it – and, smiling at your widened eyes, – But I’m not saying this to discourage you, given that the travels between this realm and that one are far from tedious.

You turned on your side to hear more. Now you were completely interested.

– Really? And what kind of things we find through it?

Your husband started describing those strange lands as if narrating an epic story, going from dark skies, menacing rocks, abysses and terrifying natural phenomenons to powerful creatures, brave, minor deities occupied with their work and suspicious wanderers. You learned to love his ability of explaining concepts and depicting scenarios in a way that the images formed in your mind as vivid as if you were inside them; in that particular case, you also appreciated his power of calming your fears, assuring you that the travel was safe despite the things you were going to find.

After the tea, you told him you were sleepy, even though you’ve slept the entire night.

– I’m sorry for this, because I wanted to spend this day out with you – you told him, giving him back the cup – But I’m too tired, though I did nothing that justifies this tiredness.

– This isn’t but expected, little one – he replied before taking the cups to the kitchen – The transformation isn’t complete yet, and it takes an enormous amount of vital energy. You’ll still need some time to regain it, and an even longer period to manage it when your powers start manifesting.

– I see – you slowly laid down on your pillow, feeling both the sleep and the weight of your future responsibilities pulling you to it.

As if sensing your anxiety, Hades offered you some solace.

– But for now you don’t have to think too much about these things – he walked to the kitchen’s door – Th time to take care of them is yet to come.

You accepted those words and closed your eyes, letting the sleep take over your body, which didn’t take long that time.

***

You thought you were going to feel better the next day, and you weren’t entirely wrong in your expectations, but you in fact needed at least three or four days to feel able to walk, stand and do any other activity without a subsequent fatigue, neither the need of sleeping in the middle of the day. During that period, you were visited by Aesclepius twice, and he was content with your progress, something that made both you and Hades relieved: now, as he explained, your body’s tendency would be gathering energy instead of spending it, so that soon you would be as physically and mentally capable as any other god, and the travel to Hellheim wouldn’t be a problem.

On the other hand, Hades, having diligence as his second name, didn’t stay idle: while you recovered, he divided his time in taking care of you, solving small matters with his brother Zeus, checking on your family through Hermes, talking to Aesclepius about your condition and organizing your travel to the Underworld; he exchanged messages with Adamas at least once in a day, to make sure everything was alright in his domains. You, on your part, spent your time alternating between resting and being worried, despite his advice: at the same time you wanted to tell him to take some rest – after all, it was his honeymoon – you couldn’t do much to help him in this sense, neither in any other.

I’ve been increasing his burden since the beginning. He will deny it if I speak to him about it, but I know I’m not helping in anything; even my preoccupation might become an issue. I can’t wait for this to end.

That was why you received the first sign of a complete recovery with great contentment. You noticed it right after you left the bed that day and, taking a chance when your husband wasn’t in the chambers, you went to the arc where you kept your gifts from the ceremony. You’ve searched inside it with nervous hands and took a small bottle from it.

Your cheeks heated up at the sight of the object, its delicate shape involving a rosy potion which perfume was described as having “its own soul, so once it is used, it will always be recognizable by the ones who first sensed it”.

The gift of Aphrodite-sama. I’ve been so curious about its effects, but her explanations were so mysterious, and I was too ashamed to ask enough questions.

You still remembered how she took the chance to approach you while Hades wasn’t around. She passed by your side and stopped before you with such grace, yet so suddenly that you couldn’t help startling.

She giggled, enjoying your reaction.

– You were already a beauty, dear Y/n, but now – the goddess brushed your hair and cupped your face with tenderness – Now you’re the perfect being…

Aphrodite spent a moment in silence, just appreciating what she had in front of her. Then, as suddenly as her arrival, she moved her hands away and took a small object from inside her dress: a bottle that reminded you of the ones in which people sold expensive fragrances in Midgard, filled with some glistening fluid.

She put it in your hands and warned you to not let your husband see it before you had the opportunity to use it.

– Just one drop or two in the sheets, right before you lie down, must be enough – and, surrounding her mouth with her hands, as to whisper a secret – But it wouldn’t be bad if you used a few more.

You stared at the bottle, barely reaching the size of your palm, thinking of those words.

– Aphrodite-sama, I’m very thankful for your gift – you raised your eyes to her – But I’m a bit confused about it. Is it some sort of remedy, or blessing?

She observed you with a mixture of condescension and diversion.

– Most of the times, if used wisely, it will be a blessing, but in other times it will be a powerful remedy – she blinked her right eye.

It was when finally started to understand.

– Oh, this is a love potion, my Lady – you smiled, then frowned – But Hades and I… We’re already in love with each other…

The Goddess of Love laughed.

– I know, my dear. But the purpose of this potion is not making you fall in love… – and lowering her tone – But falling harder.

She approached you one last time and, with a kiss on your forehead, she left you with the potion and a lot of things to think about.

And now you were there, alone with her gift for the second time, and wondering if that was the moment to use it.

I’m torn between the fear of the effects and the curiosity about them.

After minutes of painful deliberation, you decided to open it and smell its perfume… which filled both your nostrils and your soul, drowning you in a wave of powerful sensations: your feelings, thoughts and memories about Hades were all stirred and turned into one, expanding until you had the urge to pour it out; your eyes were filled with tears, and your breath became difficult as your chest would go up and down in ache as you craved his presence. Even as a young goddess, you could tell that the substance held a terrific power.

Now I understand why she told me to use just a few drops.

You adjusted the sheets upon the bed and knelt over them, stretching for the potion to be poured in the center. You slowly turned the bottle to the side, in your best efforts to control your trembling hand, and observed as the first drop fell on the fabric, disappearing so fast that it was hard to tell it has ever been there. More drops followed it in other spots and over the pillows…

When the sudden crack of the room’s door opening made you scream and drop the bottle on the bed, turning the next drops into a whole puddle.

You sat on the sheets, hiding the bottle behind you as you had a confused Hades standing at the door, staring at you without understanding why his arrival got you so scared.

– Is there something wrong, little one? You look a bit nervous.

You were quick to deny it.

– No… No, of course not! I’m perfectly fine! – you shook your hands around yourself as to reaffirm what you were saying – It’s just the noise of these hinges! I can’t get used to it…

With your face on fire, you fell silent after that, praying that your husband would just accept the explanation and change the subject… but, unfortunately, your pairs weren’t willing to grant you this small wish: Hades closed the door behind him and approached the bed, suspicion filling each of his gestures. At the same time, the perfume made its presence stronger than never as the bottle’s whole content leaked to the sheets on your back, turning any attempt of keeping it a secret unnecessary.

– Y/n, what is it? – he looked around the bed – Are you spreading perfume on the sheets?

You shrugged.

– Ah… Sort of.

– What kind of perfume? – he raised an eyebrow – This one seems to possess some sort of spell. Is it one of your wedding gifts?

You shook your head in a positive gesture and slowly brought the bottle to your front, giving it to him with a shy hand.

Once his eyes laid on the object, Hades turned to you with a strange expression, one that you haven’t seen before, and about which you weren’t sure how to feel; your fingers gripped on the sheets: that was the first time you didn’t know what to expect from him.

But you didn’t need to wait too long to figure that out.

You observed as he held the bottle with an attentive gaze, a smile started forming on his lips: he already recognized the nature of the potion. However, it wasn’t shyness or shame that took over your feelings with the understanding: around him and around yourself, you sensed a quiet, yet steady change that grew as the smell spread through the room; you had the sensation that your sight turned a bit blurry, except for your husband’s figure, and that everything was somewhat covered with a rosy light that reminded you of the liquid’s shade. Maybe Hades was under the same impression, for he stood still, staring at you with a glimmer of hunger in his eyes that scared and interested you at the same time. The temperature seemed to elevate in the surroundings even though the balcony’s door was wide open, so you started taking off your robe and moving your hair away from you neck.

The first words said between you after this were his.

– So… Our friend Aphrodite has her own gift for us – he made this observation with a vague, low voice – So clever of her to handle it to you while I was away…

Without taking his eyes off you, he dropped the bottle on the carpet. You didn’t know if it was anger or diversion you sensed in his tone, so you rushed to justify yourself.

– I really wanted to tell you about it, but I couldn’t disobey her instructions – your voice sounded lower than you remembered it, but you kept going – It’s just that, now that I’m recovered… I wanted to do something special… – the air swirled and heated up around you; the left strap of your gown slipped to the side, but you didn’t mind adjusting it – I wanted to have a proper honeymoon…

And that was the instant that changed everything.

Once those words escaped your lips, the blurry wave of sensations poured out of you at last, reaching for your lover and tangling with his own feelings, pulling him ahead, straight to you: without wasting time, Hades got rid of his coat and shoes, throwing himself over the bed as if afraid that you would disappear if he lingered in his place. You were a bit scared by this new impulsivity, but you wouldn’t push him away: the heat that has been increasing since you first smelled the potion, pulsating all over your body, only calmed own when your husband wrapped his arms around you, pulling you to his lap, your legs spreading and burying in the sheets on each side, his mouth reaching for yours as you helped him take off his blouse with your little hands.

You moved away for a moment to see the results of your work, and the vision left you marveled: yes, you’ve already seen him undressed once, when he stood with you during the worst point of your fever, but you barely gave his figure the attention it deserved; now, with your strength restored and your sight in perfect conditions, you wouldn’t make the same mistake: from his face, your hands slipped over his skin, across his neck and over his chest, your thumbs drawing circles around his nipples; you smiled when a sigh left his lips. You noticed the vine he had tattooed on his left arm, the same pattern of the one on his forehead.

He is perfect.

– You’re so beautiful… – you murmured to him, your fingers brushing over the tattoo – I’m so sorry for making you wait... I promise I’ll make up for it…

You felt his hands going to your hips and tightening around them, bringing you closer. Your gown slipped, exposing your thighs as your knees were buried on the soft mattress.

– I’ll make sure you will – his lips brushed and smiled over yours – But for you, the wait is always worthy…

You felt his hands caressing your thighs, slipping under your gown and pulling it up. Your heart skipped a bit: that was going to be the first time you’d expose yourself for your husband, so that everything had to be in place: you were now a goddess with a well-built, flawless body, but were you feeling that beautiful now? Were you good enough to appear before him with only your skin to cover you?

Heavens, I’ve been waiting for this for so long, but who would say it’d be so scary?

Still, you didn’t stop him, and when the gown was finally taken off, every inch of yourself under his sight, you remembered the conversation you had weeks ago, in that balcony beside the room, and the confidence in it soothed your nervousness, as much as his hands exploring your figure: his right thumb caressed your lower lip, going down to your chin and your neck, where you noticed his hand was able to surround most of it; both his hands went through your shoulders, your collarbones and, finally, your breasts, where he his thumbs caressed you the same way you did to him. A loud moan escaped your mouth before you could stop yourself, and you put your hand over it, your cheeks burning with shame: apparently, erasing one’s shyness wasn’t among the properties of Aphrodite’s potion; Hades laughed, enjoying your spontaneity, and moved your hand away from your lips, putting it around is neck.

– So shy, aren’t we? – and, letting it clear that he had the same conversation in mind as well, – Let’s take care of this together…

He then suffocated any word or moan that might’ve come out from your mouth with a deep kiss, pulling you tighter against himself as your hands tangled in his hair.

Outtake

Part XXIII

#snv x reader #ror x reader #shuumatsu no valkyrie hades #snv hades x reader #ror hades x reader #record of ragnarok hades #shuumatsu no valkyrie x reader

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lunainfortuna · 6 months

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Gwyneth coming from the skies with her pegasus to help Azriel fight on the ground. The enemies swearing in fear because the two Carynthian warriors are together. And Azriel just dumbstruck seeing his lovely - yet deadly mate removing her Valkyrie helmet and going to him with a feral expression. ♡

#gwynriel #gwynriel supremacy #azriel x gwyn #azriel #pro gwynriel #gwyneth berdara #gwynriel weeks 2024 #warriors

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honeybeefae · 2 years

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Valentine's Mini Fic // Azriel

I know it’s way past Valentine's day, and I did mean to post this on that day, but life got in the way. However, better late than never right? These are all small blurbs featuring various ACOTAR characters and romantic book tropes that we all love. I hope you guys enjoy and are having a great night!

WARNINGS: None, just fluff and some slight angst.

Trope: I thought you hated me/I never hated you

Thunder boomed around you while lightning crackled across the sky, the storm causing a downpour of rain that was sure to flood the valley below you. Azriel had been flying the two of you to the Illyrian camps when the storm had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, forcing him to take shelter in a cave in one of the mountains.

It was musty and small but it would have to do until the storm passed. You would have found humor in the situation if you weren’t stuck with the biggest Illyrian baby you had ever met.

Ever since you had joined the valkyries, and eventually Rhysand’s inner circle, Azriel seemed to have it out for you. He would throw glares your way, skip over you when greeting everyone, and even pushed you off to Cassian during training. You had no clue what you had done to piss him off so much but you still tried to keep an olive branch extended, hoping it was just you being new and not a complete hatred for no reason.

However, every effort you made was useless. Showing up early to training, complimenting whatever book he was reading, saving him the last dessert that Elain had whipped up, none of it mattered to him. You’d be better off trying to make friends with the weaver than Azriel.

And for some reason, that made your heart hurt.

His opinion of you shouldn’t matter, shouldn’t make you second guess every choice you made, but it did. You yearned for his approval, for one of those secret smiles to be shot your way, and you were too scared to dive into why it hurt you so much. That was a door that should remain closed…no matter how loud the banging was on the other side.

“It was supposed to be clear skies,” Azriel grumbled from behind you, his hazel eyes as cold as ice as he glared out into the sky. “This is going to set us back.”

“Well, there’s nothing we can do now but wait.” You reply softly, wringing out your shirt that was clinging to your form. Azriel’s clothes were soaked as well though he showed no signs of discomfort. “Should we make a fire?”

“I don’t plan on staying here that long.” He stated while walking further into the cave. “And if I do, I’d fly out of here instead, rain be damned.”

Another stab at being alone with you, the comment making your lips turn down into a frown. He would rather risk his life than wait it out with you. The shadowsinger was the definition of an asshole.

Your fists balled up at your side and you turned back towards the entrance in anger, sitting close to the edge to watch the rain fall in hopes of it calming you down. Azriel was mumbling about something but you decided to tune him out, bringing your knees up to your chest to try and conserve some warmth.

The sound of the storm was lulling you into a gentle sleep, your head resting against the top of your knees as your teeth chattered and your body shook from how cool the cave was becoming. You were starting to lose feeling in your toes but you didn’t want to bother Azriel, knowing he wouldn’t care anyways.

“You will catch your death sitting there, Y/N.” His deep, raspy voice echoed across the walls. You could feel his gaze burning into the side of your head yet you continued to ignore him, childishly turning even more towards the harsh wind that was starting to pick up.

“As if you’d care.” You grumbled, closing your eyes once more before you felt two large hands scoop you up and carry you further into the cave. You struggled against his hold, ignoring how warm his body was and resisting the urge to snuggle into it, while he simply tightened his grip.

He sat you down against the back of the cave before sitting in front of you, expanding his wings so that he was blocking most of the wind. The gesture was unexpected and made you a little suspicious, your eyes narrowing while you tried to decipher what exactly his game was right now.

The silence was tense. Azriel was twirling his blade in his hand to keep himself busy while you focused on trying to warm yourself up. Your hands were shaky as you rubbed them up and down your arms furiously, your teeth still chattering. How he wasn’t in the same situation you didn’t know but you refused to ask for help, a small part of you hoping word would get back to Rhysand about this so that everyone finally saw how he treated you.

“Are you still cold?” Azriel asked, breaking the silence and your thoughts. It was a stupid question, he could clearly see your entire body trembling, and it was the final drop in the cup of your patience that caused it to spill.

“No, Azriel, this is the warmest I’ve been in my entire life.” You said snarkily, rolling your eyes. “In fact, I was thinking of vacationing here next summer.”

His eyes hardened and jaw clenched, his scarred hands fisted on top of his thighs as he snapped back, “I was going to offer to build a fire but if you’re going to act like that then never mind.”

“Oh, I’m sure you were Mr. ‘I’d rather die than be stuck in this place with you’.” You mocked his voice, rising to your feet to stomp past him, his wings barely folding in time to let you go.

“What are you talking about?” Azriel scoffed, standing to follow you. “Has the cold made you imagine things? When did I ever say that?”

“For cauldron’s sake, give it up Azriel!” You shouted, turning on your heel and coming nose to chest with him. “You don’t have to say it. I can tell with every interaction we have, every look you send, hell even the way you breathe around me!”

His eyes widened at your tone but you continued on, ignoring whatever excuse was about to come out of his mouth. You had finally had enough. “You can’t stand me and I don’t know why. I don’t know if I offended you in some way, if I said something, or what, but from the moment you saw me you hated my guts.”

“That’s not-” Azriel tried to interject but you cut him off, glaring up at him with all the anger and hurt you had managed to hold back all these years.

“Don’t tell me what I see isn’t real, Azriel.” Your voice fell as memories flooded into your brain of his resentment towards you. “You won’t train with me, you look at me like I’m the bane of your existence. Even Cassian asked me if I did something to you.”

Perhaps it was the cold finally getting to your brain, or that small part of you that was still hoping things would change, but you could’ve sworn his eyes flashed with guilt as you listed example after example of his actions.

You took a shaky breath and stepped back, your lower lip trembling but not from the temperature. This moment was one you had thought long and hard about, how you would confront him and he would shower you with apologies or pull you into his arms in remorse, but reality was often different from the fantasies inside our heads.

Another loud crackle of thunder rolled behind you as you let your true feelings show, your mind and body exhausted from the fight. “I only ever wanted to be your friend, to joke with you like Feyre or read together in the library like Gwen. It hurts to be treated this way and whatever I did or said, I’m sorry. After we get back, I’ll leave you alone. I’m done trying to force this on you.”

As you walk past him, careful to avoid touching his body or wings, you nearly jump out of your skin when you feel a warm hand circle around your wrist.

“Wait. Please.” Azriel says, his voice as soft as the rain. It sends a pleasant shiver down your spine, making your stomach flutter, as you turn your head to look back at him.

For the first time since you met him, he looked scared. He didn’t look like the Night Court’s most notorious spy nor like the feared Illyrian warrior he was brought up as, he looked…vulnerable.

Those mysterious, enchanting hazel eyes were swimming with uncertainty as you gazed into them, your face softening. Azriel’s shoulders drew upwards as he took a steadying breath.

“I-” He croaked, quickly clearing his throat as his cheeks turned pink. “You haven’t done anything to me, Y/N. I thought it would be better this way, thought it would save both of us the pain, but I was wrong.”

As he spoke you turned to face him fully, noting in the back of your head how his hand still held you tightly. The shadows around him that so often covered him were nearly invisible…as if they were allowing him to be truly seen for the first time.

“When Nesta first brought you to train and we met, I felt this tug deep in my chest that I never thought I would feel,” Azriel confessed, moving his hands so that they now held both of your own. “I never thought I would be allowed to feel it, that the Mother was punishing me.”

You knew exactly what he was talking about. There had been a moment, very brief, where you had thought you were destined to be mates. You felt your heart soar in disbelief and excitement, ready to run to the stranger until he had scowled and stormed off.

After that, you spent the next weeks convincing yourself you were delusional whenever you felt it again when he was near. It tore you apart.

“You felt it too, didn’t you?” He asked, lifting your chin up from where it had fallen to look at the ground. “I saw it in your eyes. I was a fool thinking I could deny it, that this was just another fluke like the others before you. I convinced myself it would end the same, with you finding your true mate, and that I would again be left in the ashes.”

Azriel licked his lips, a flash of lightning illuminating the both of you for a moment. “I thought the feeling would go away but when it didn’t, I lashed out instead of speaking up. I took it out on you, thinking you had something to do with it because despite how cold I was, or how much I ignored you, you kept coming back to me.”

“And I can never make up for what I’ve said, what I’ve done, but I don’t want this to be the last time you come back to me, Y/N.” He whispered, your heart hammering in your chest. “I am a fool. A scarred, angry, fool. I know I don’t deserve you, that I have hurt you, but I want you to stay with me for just a little while longer. Don’t give up on me.”

It was almost too much to take in by the time he waited for you to answer. Between the confession, the feel of his hands against your skin, and the incessant tugging in your chest that was too strong to ignore, you felt as if you were drowning.

But as you gazed up at him, at the pure emotion in his expression, you knew you would drown a thousand times just to hear him say your name again. It was like your first meeting all over again.

“I thought you hated me.” You murmured, memorizing every inch of his face. The cold was no longer bothering you as you moved to hold his face between your hands, smiling fondly as he seemed to melt into the touch.

“I never hated you,” Azriel said earnestly, his hands coming up to cover your own. “Even on my darkest days, when my doubt was high, you were always the small piece of light that kept flickering in the darkness.”

“I could always count on you to be there, no matter what, and now I want to return the favor…forever.” He smiled, a bright, dazzling smile that made your knees weak. It was all you had ever wanted.

“Let us just start with today, okay?” You hummed, breathing in and savoring the warmness his body gave you as he brought you to his chest.

Azriel closed his eyes, feeling peaceful for the first time in a long, long time while resting his chin atop your head. “Okay.” He promised, squeezing you tighter as the storm outside started to grow calmer.

The sun started to peak through the clouds as the rain died down but the two of you stood there, too content to move as you both finally held what you truly wanted.

#acotar #azriel x reader #azriel imagine #acotar imagine #acotar fic #azriel shadowsinger #azriel acotar #azriel reader #acomaf #acowar #acofas #acosf #azriel #acotar drabble #mini fic #valentines mini fics

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agbpaints · 2 months

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Valkyrie Galaxy is one of the Rasalhague Dominion's most prestigious aerospace formations. Originally formed as the close defense lines for Clan Ghost Bear's warship fleet, in the modern era they are tasked with protecting Rasalhague and other key strategic worlds. In general only the best new pilots or very decorated veterans are assigned to its clusters.

The Xerxes is the Hunchback IIC of the skies- originally built by Clan Smike Jaguar but having proliferated to all Clan militaries, the 85 ton aerospace fighter mounts two leviathan Ultra AC/20s and a pair of ER Large Lasers, along with a truly mammoth carrying capacity for bombs and other externally mounted ordinance. The fighter has extremely poor heat management and very thin armor, but it generally only requires a single pass to totally obliterate a target.

Mmm tasty tasty countershading

#battletech #hobby #miniatures #mini painting #mechwarrior #aerospace fighter #aircraft #xerxes #clan ghost bear

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lovemyromance · 7 days

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Yeah, I’ve seen a lot of theories of Nesta becoming High Queen of Prythian, High Lady of the Dusk Court, and/or her defeating Koschei with the help of Emerie and Gwyn. Are any of those theories valid? Are Gwyn and Emerie going to have a big role in the next book? I have nothing against them but I really want Elain and Azriel to be the ones that defeat Koschei.

The only person that would rule over Prythian is Rhys. And ofc Feyre, as the High Queen or whatever equivalent at his side. I highly doubt SJM would make any character High King/Queen over her precious Rhys & Feyre. As much as she loves Nesta and Azriel - Rhys is her bread and butter.

As for the Valkyries - I don't see them having a huge role in the next books. Outside of them maybe having a unit that appears in the final war with Koschei (like how Papa Archeron showed up with his ships, Vassa with her army, Miriam & Drakon with their troops, or like when everyone shows up to help Aelin), I don't see them being a focus at all in the next book. They were part of Nesta's story - and her story is done.

I don't see any reason for them to have a big role in Elain & Azriel's book. I think they might be mentioned - again, in relation to Nesta - but I don't see them riding in from the skies on their pegasi and singlehandedly saving Prythian or whatever other fantasy the GAs are cooking up lmao.

I don't actually know if Elain & Azriel will defeat Koschei either. Maybe they'll defeat another one of his puppets like Nesta defeated Briallyn. But I feel like we might get another ACOWAR style book as the last book where Koschei will be defeated - and maybe it will be multi-POV who knows.

#elriel #elain x azriel

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therealvalkyrie · 2 years

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why does everyone ski what’s the deal

#I technically know how to ski #but the last time I went was like 7 years ago and I ended up a human snowball from how much I fell #anyway #all the tinder ski bros are like ‘come ski with me’#and while it’s a very tempting offer I know I would end up greviously injured in a ditch #or better yet #dead #nothing says romance like a helicopter med evac I guess #valkyrie talks

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howlingday · 5 months

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(Rose-Arc Blood Feud Ask)

Yang: I know Ruby & Jaune are sparring right now, but why does it look like they're trying to kill each other?

Blake: They got into a disagreement over if Oatmeal Raisin or Chocolate Chip cookies are better.

Yang: Oh, that's easy. Chocolate Chip is better.

Blake: ... Yang, I love you, I really do.

Blake, pulling out Gamble Shroud: But i'm going to need you to take that back.

Yang: I love you, too, Blake, but it's not like me thinking chocolate chips are better is going to stop us from being friends.

Blake: I'm afraid it does.

Blake stalked forward, blade glinting in the moonlight... Which was weird because it was, like, noon. It was daylight with blue skies outside and dark as night inside with the only light being soft lunar glows from the window. It wasn't until something blew the wall of the room out, letting in natural daylight once more. Standing in the rubble was one Nora Valkyrie, holding a banner with a chocolate frosted cake donut, with a rainbow of sprinkles decorating it, seated on a pink field with a white border.

Nora: DONUTS FOREVER!

#rwby #rose arc blood feud #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #nora valkyrie #my answer #my answers

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jojolymes · 1 month

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𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎; thirty-seven

࿔*:･ﾟ xxxvii.

next: ࿔*:･ﾟ xxxviii. | table of contents

THE SECOND the sugary, saccharine scent of half-ripened plums stopped hanging in the leaden air around you, you let out a burdened breath to let bitterness pool in your stomach. Your hips shifted with each step Thunderstruck made, her hooves leaving impressions in the malleable ground. With your hands clamped tight around the reins, you looked over your shoulder at the endless lines of white-painted trees, overlapping with layers of dusky violet. Somewhere in there, behind all the leaves, was that decrepit cabin, already collecting dust.

You turned back around to look ahead at the neverending miles and miles of lush grassland stark against the cerulean sky. There was hardly a cloud in sight, save perhaps for a few dusty sweeps of white far up in the air. A gentle breeze swept across the green, rustling the high pasture until it reached you, messing with the fabric you had across your nose and mouth. You tugged at it, pulling it down and pressing it against the plush of your lips, ignoring the words of the two men before you.

"Shit, how far along do ya think Diego got along?" grumbled Johnny, running a veined hand across the width of his forehead, resting his tense fingers along his hairline. His hat resisted futilely, slowly revealing more of his blond hair until he tugged the blue knit forward. In his other hand sat the worn map all three of you had been using since you joined them back in the second stage— the markings from the previous owner had long been written over by three different forms of penmanship.

"There's no point thinking about that, Johnny," Gyro huffed, raising his hands out in front of him, stacking his fingers atop each other, "only two hours of daylight left. We should get moving." Your wristwatch sat heavy with obsolescence. Gyro's brows furrowed tight before he slumped back into his saddle, crestfallen. You were mere seconds from looking away, wholly uninterested in any more of their chatter, when his green eyes shot up to meet yours.

Your heart gave a hollow thump, so you gave Gyro a tight-lipped smile— you could barely call it a smile, though. He looked away immediately, settling into his saddle properly, hands clutched around Valkyrie's reins. You could almost laugh. Almost. Johnny groaned suddenly, dropping his hands to his lap with a deep frown that accentuated his typically non-existent smile lines. His baby blue bottom lip puckered out the tiniest bit.

"But he has a hundred-ninety points! I only got a hundred-thirty, and you- you only got seventy-one!" Johnny protested, his brows furrowed tight until the skin between formed ridges of ivory. And I have 115 points, you thought, letting your eyes travel back to the beautiful green grasses and clear blue skies. If you were ever to settle down, maybe you'd do so over here— far, far away from Johnny, Gyro, and that creepy cabin.

Maybe with...

Your stomach flopped weakly as a scaly smile appeared in the forefront of your mind before quickly being replaced by steely maroon eyes framed by hot pink hair. You brushed the thoughts off just as fast as they had come, distracting yourself with Thunderstruck's impatient huffs. She pawed at the dirt with her hooves, her horseshoes dull and dirtied. You'd have to take the time to polish them once you had the chance. Perhaps there was a town nearby. You weren't sure you wanted to camp out for the umpteenth time in a row.

"Look, there's nothing more we can do. All we can do right now is move forward," Gyro sighed, rubbing the patches of beard on his chin with the back of his hand, "if we head East from here, we should be able to reach the next Corpse Part before he gets to it or gets first in the race." You felt Iron Maiden break away from you to look East, her shining silver armor glinting in Johnny and Gyro's peripheral.

"Since Iron Maiden is back, we're less likely to stray off route," Gyro added, ignoring the stray glance you threw his way, "now, seriously, Johnny, let's get moving. I can't afford to get anything but first place!" Gyro squeezed his legs around Valkyrie, just enough to get her flying forward. Johnny did the same with a soft tug at the reins instead. You followed suit, letting yourself fall to the back of formation with Iron Maiden hovering close beside you.

Just like that, you and your two companions were off, thundering down the Great Plains, held back only by brief gusts of wild wind. The following two hours were devoid of much talking, save for Iron Maiden's occasional interruptions of "East, East" that kept you all on track. You were grateful for that much. It seemed Johnny and Gyro had at least taken the hint that you wanted anything but to talk to them. It made the prospect of leaving them in ten days much easier on your conscience.

You all eventually stopped a good 30 or so miles from the outskirts of Dodge City which had Gyro ranting and raving about all the pretty women they would see. You had tucked in early before he could see the disgust on the visible part of your face. Sleep came begrudgingly slow despite all that had happened two hours earlier. Your mind was littered with hot pink until you had managed to steady your pounding heart— you didn't want to think too much about how you assumed Hot Pants would just let you tag along with him during the fifth stage.

Before you knew it, the early morning came, emphasized by the frigid chill of the wind. From behind the flaps of your tent, you could hear Johnny and Gyro's gravelly voices, roughened by that same cold. You forced yourself to ignore the heat that crawled up the back of your neck, emphasized by the pins and needles that made your head go numb. You adjusted the fabric on your face and shuffled out of your tent, rubbing at your eyes as you did so.

"G'morning," you mumbled, slowly getting to your feet and blinking hard until your eyes adjusted to the change in light. Once your vision normalized, you found yourself staring at Gyro and Johnny who had gone rigid when you appeared before them. Silence sat heavy in the morning air as two pairs of eyes stared you down.

"... What? Is there something wrong?" you muttered, crossing your arms over your chest. You knew things were awkward with them Before you could scoff and brush it off, Gyro pointed up at his head where his hat sat. You mirrored him slowly, reaching up where your hat was— only it wasn't there. Your heart stopped. You scrambled backward, nearly falling on your ass, and practically threw yourself into your tent.

There, sitting unceremoniously next to your pillow, was your beloved hat, the embroidered name under the rim like always.

"Huh..." You picked it up, gave it a brief once over, and plopped it back onto your head, tucking any excess hair into it. You sat there a moment and then crawled back out to where Johnny and Gyro still stood, seemingly still affected by whatever it was that had made them stare so blankly at you. Then it hit you.

"Do I look that weird to you guys without my hat?"

Johnny winced.

"...No?"

"Oh my... you guys do think I look weird."

Gyro gave a pathetic laugh.

"It-It's not that, Speedwagon, it's just-"

"I... don't want to hear it." And with that, you spent the rest of the day in complete silence, relying on Iron Maiden's directions as you all made your way to Dodge City. For the most part, you had managed to ignore the thought that Gyro and Johnny were most likely ignoring the fact that you were actually a girl, but when you did, the sensitive skin under your eye twitched like no tomorrow.

Did you really look weird without your hat? Or maybe... had you managed to pass as a man so well that you had lost that little touch of femininity you had held on to as the sole daughter of a man with almost too many sons? No... surely you hadn't. Diego had immediately asked for your hand in marriage after meeting you. But was that because he thought you were pretty, or was he just trying to get into your head? Your mind, swirling with doubts, kept you busy until you arrived at Dodge City under the light of the moon and the stars.

"Congratulations on your arrival, sirs—" Walter and Wallace Scott, the two identical men who had managed to hop from checkpoint to checkpoint since the first stage, greeted you with clipboards in hand—"The citizens of this fair city have graciously offered their services for use in the race! As usual, we must check your race numbers and your horses' prints." The words managed to break you out of your stupor, and you gave a blank nod before getting off your saddle.

"Could you tell us who's in the lead?" Gyro asked as he jumped off his saddle, patting Valkyrie on the neck. She replied with a soft snort, and Slow Dancer did the same while Johnny unbuckled himself from his saddle. You watched from your peripheral while Thunderstruck leaned down to press her nose against the ink pad Wallace held up. You brushed a hand through Thunder's white mane, watched Johnny spin his way off of Slow Dancer, and muttered "good girl" under your breath.

"I'm afraid not, Mister Gyro," Walter replied, handing his clipboard over to Gyro, who read it over with a scrutinizing eye, "we lost sight of some of the racers in the front lines, you see. We presume that Mister Diego Brando is in the lead, but our people haven't seen him or any other high-placing riders on the suggested course." Gyro hummed as he returned the clipboard, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Great," Gyro grumbled, sighing as he turned to Johnny, who heaved himself onto his wheelchair, "well, we can't do much at this time of night. We'll leave at first light tomorrow." You watched Johnny's bottom lip pucker out once more— did he know he did that? To be fair to him, it wasn't that noticeable, just something you noticed. But someone really had to tell him. It was just laughable. Not in that it looked bad, but-

"My sincerest apologies, Mister Speedwagon! I must have been distracted," Wallace fretted, his hands and red vest coated in black ink. You raised a brow and looked down at the darkening black stain on your shirt and jeans. You froze, scrunching up your features in mild defeat. You then looked down at Wallace, who looked guiltier than you had expected. You let out a soft breath— nothing a good wash couldn't fix.

"Hey, hey, no worries, man," you chuckled, patting Wallace on the shoulder with a smile he couldn't see, "I can just buy something temporary 'till I get these washed up!" You ignored the little voice in the back of your head reminding you of your horridly low funds and the unused clothes in the bottom of your saddle bag that you still hadn't gotten rid of.

"Say, if you're finished with the prints, I'll just take Thunderstruck here to the stables if you could point me in their direction," you prompted with a pat on Thunder's neck. You could already feel the ink seep onto your skin, which meant you'd have to take a shower later, which normally wasn't an issue. But you barely had any money left, which meant you would have to share a room with Johnny and Gyro, if they even would allow you to, and the last thing you wanted was to shower in the bathroom of an inn chamber that you had to share with either of them.

Curse your innate talent to think of every possible horrible situation you could find yourself in.

"Yes, of course! Just take this road and make a left at the end. The stables should be right there!"

"Thanks," you beamed, trying desperately not to show how anxious you already were from just the mere thought of being anywhere near those two when you went to sleep later that night. What if there was only one room left? What if that one room only had one bed? You shuddered and hurried away toward the stables, missing the shared looks from Johnny and Gyro.

The second you stepped foot into the stables, you let out a heavy breath, slinking against your beloved Palomino. Thunder huffed and made her way to an empty block in the corner as she always did, her ears flicking every which way, every time she saw a horse she didn't like. You still don't know how she managed to get along with Valkyrie and Slow Dancer. You opened the block door, allowing her to walk in and for you to follow once she turned around.

"Hope you don't mind me, Thunder," you mumbled, taking off all her heavy equipment and reaching out past the door to hang it on the hooks. All your personal belongings would be coming with you to the inn, but until you could increase your pitiful funds, then... You looked at your saddle bag and almost cried. With a groan, you pulled off the fabric around your mouth and the hat off your head so you could change into the clothes you hadn't worn in months.

It took a good five minutes for you to change, save for the few moments you took to wipe at your ink-stained torso with your dirtied clothes. You had wet your shirt with some water from the trough inside Thunder's particularly roomy block, making taking off the ink easier than you had expected. Still, there was a faint gray spot on your body that you made a note to scrub off later.

But then you were back, dressed in that long brown skirt and a well-worn beige blouse. At least back at the beginning of the race, you had a looser-fitting shirt. Your collarbone felt far too bare, too exposed to the brisk air outside. Not to mention that the blouse was tighter than you had grown accustomed to from your time in the race. You sighed for the millionth time— at least the sleeves stopped at your elbow.

"Speedwagon? You in here?" You froze at the sound of Johnny's signature Kentucky drawl. The last thing you had expected was for him to come after you. He continued calling for you with, of course, your last name. You looked down at your attire and nearly screamed. What if someone overheard or saw you reply to Johnny calling you by your race name? How were you supposed to explain that to a stranger?!

"Speedwagon? Look, I know- mmph-" Johnny had no chance to say another word as you dragged him into the block, clamping a hand over his blue-lipstick-covered lips. God, maybe it was the blue lipstick that made you distracted whenever he pouted. You met his gaze with a finger on your lips, eyes narrowing until he nodded. When you finally took your hand off his lips, you wiped away the blue stain on your palm on your skirt.

"Johnny, you can't call me Speedwagon right now, okay?" you whispered, leaning down towards Johnny, face scrunched as he stared at you absently, "under absolutely no circumstances can you call me that. Not until I can get my other clothes clean. Until then, it's (y/n), and only (y/n)." Johnny kept staring, a small crick in his brow forming while you stepped back and ran your hands down your face with a groan.

"Can you at least respond?!"

"You're that girl Gyro saved after the first stage."

"...Johnny, you are beyond insufferable right now."

Johnny's face scrunched up, lip puckered out again. You wanted to punch him in the mouth.

"The hell?! Why?!"

"It really took you almost a whole stage to realize that?!"

"Yeah?! What's wrong with that?!"

"Seriously?!" You turned and put your face against Thunder's shoulder and screamed into the joint, to which she gave a mere flick of her ear in response. When you turned back around, Johnny gave you that same mindless stare that he had been giving you the entire day. Nine more days, you thought to yourself, nine more days and change until you could get away from these assholes.

"You know what, doesn't matter, let's go get Gyro," you grumbled, ignoring Johnny's protests as you grabbed the handles of his wheelchair and pushed him out of the block. You turned back around to put your clothes into your saddle bag, as well as your hat, which you then hung from a hook in the corner of the large block. With a soft pat to Thunder's flank, you were back beside a very irritated Johnny Joestar.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but Gyro's at the tavern across from the inn," Johnny stated, his brow furrowed as he rolled after you, who walked out the doors of the stables with a huff, "he was talking about gettin' with some woman he saw." You were hardly surprised at what Johnny had told you, but what really shocked you was just how talkative Johnny had become. What? Did he suddenly tolerate you again?

You could feel yourself bristle with every step you made in the direction of the tavern, ignoring the occasional whistle that you got from the men around you. They didn't seem to notice Johnny rolling behind you— it was pitiful, really, but you had lost all ability to feel pity for him or Gyro since the beginning of this stage. You and Johnny maneuvered your way to the tavern with you rejecting the advances of every man who called for you and Johnny grumbling all the way.

When you slammed open the swinging tavern doors, it didn't take long for you to set your sights on Gyro, twirling a strand of some brunette's hair around his finger. Johnny came to a stop beside you, holding up a hand to keep the door from hitting his face had you decided to let go. You watched Gyro give the girl a sleazy, golden-grilled smile, behind his green-painted lips. He hadn't noticed you or Johnny just yet, which was more of a blessing than anything else. You were a moment away from screaming at him when you really took in your surroundings.

The tavern was filled with drunken, disheveled men and a few women who giggled at all of their slurred words. It reeked of alcohol, of course, as well as vomit and another lingering smell you weren't quite sure you wanted to think too hard about. But in the heavy haze of musk, you watched as men slid small pouches across tables, their telltale jingling giving away just what was inside: Money. You suddenly became hyper-aware of the nearly empty pouch in your saddle bag back at the stables— as well as a man sitting at an empty table nearby.

"Great. Y'know, I told him he had to get his own room if he..." Johnny trailed off as you sauntered away from him, heading toward an almost empty table. He watched with narrowed eyes as you pulled out a seat across from a man who had laid cards out across his side of the table. He could feel his heart hammer in his chest as you smiled at the man, tucking stray locks behind your ear. And your lips, you were... biting them. Since when had you gotten so bold? The man mirrored your smile and in an instant, Johnny was headed for Gyro.

"Shit- Gyro!" Johnny blustered, rolling up to the counter, catching the eye of his blond friend and the brunette who scoffed at Johnny at first sight. She was irrelevant anyway, at least to Johnny.

"Woah there, Johnny," Gyro laughed, gritting his teeth into a smile that spoke for itself: Not now. Johnny ignored the silent message and pressed on. The brunette glared and scoffed a little louder, swirling around the drink Johnny assumed Gyro had bought her.

"Dammit, Gyro! Speed- (y/n) is uh- Look, he's- she's- I mean- fuck-" Johnny dug his hands into his hat and then pointed behind him where you sat, swinging your feet in your chair, "Just look!" Gyro flicked his hat up and leaned to the side where you sat, laughing with the man who sat in front of you. He had nearly toppled over at the sight of you, no hat to be seen again, dressed in clothes he had never seen you wear before. He could actually see that you had... well... a chest.

"What the hell is she doing?" Gyro growled, now ignoring the brunette beside him. She made a noise of offense and stormed off, unbeknownst to Gyro or Johnny. They kept their eyes on you and that man who was now gathering up his cards from the table. You put your chin in your hands as you watched him make cards dance across his fingertips, shuffling the cards in flamboyant ways that made Gyro and Johnny scowl. You gave the man a cute round of applause, giggling in a way they had rarely, if not ever, heard.

Little did they know, as you feigned a giggle, you kept a close eye on the cards, the man smiling a little too wide for your tastes. His dark hair cast a shadow over his eyes, nearly distracting you. He distributed ten cards to each of you, far quicker than you could ever manage to do so. You had only ever played this game in passing when Scott or Seth had roped you into playing a quick round with them. While you had gotten a good grasp of it over the years, you could feel your mind shout in protest. The man finally met your eyes again, and for a moment, you swore you saw a flash of flowers appear on the wall behind him.

"READY TO PLAY NOW, SWEETHEART?"

3600ish words, oh my god... guys... it's been too long. I AM SO SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY!! i have had the worst case of writer's block that I have been trying desperately to work through. the fact that I even managed to write this chapter felt crazy to me. here's to hoping I can get my writing back for good because I want to update ALL my fics crazy bad. ESPECIALLY my one piece and jjk one ( I swear I will update it yall)... but THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR STICKING WITH ME AND SUPPORTING ME THOUGH I LOVE YOU ALLLLL SOOOOO MUCH <33333

anyways, semi-unrelated but I have a tiktok where I draw and shit (and post my art for the fics I write) so if u wanna follow me on there my @ is quad.balls !!!

some semi-important notes for this chapter:

walter and wallace scott are references to the scott twins from the band the whispers!! they canonically do not have a name in steel ball run as far as I could find but if they do have names please let me know so I can change that!!

thank you all again for reading this fic and I swear I will try to update more <3333

#palominosbr #steel ball run #sbr #jjba x reader #johnny joestar x reader #gyro zeppeli x reader #hot pants x reader #diego brando x reader

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