#aNYWAY I need to keep my rambling for when i reach Winter chapter again | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

falcor-thee-luck-dragon · 3 years ago

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Let Chaos Reign

Chapter 4- People Of Earth

Summary: On the run from the Avengers in your search for a way off Earth, you meet some mortal annoyances along the way until a certain blue eyed human is able to find you wandering in the forest. But can he convince you to come back to the Avenger’s base with him?

Warning: action, blood, fighting, Bucky doing his best, slight fluff

Masterlist - Chapter 3

So Bucky had been thinking.

If finding Y/N was only as easy as looking at her red dot on the tracker, then damn, he could just teleport to her no problem. Unfortunately the worlds technology hasn't yet reached Star Trek technological advancements, nor can he teleport. It's been a long hectic couple days trying to find her which is starting to drive Bucky up a wall, how is she so sneaky? He can literally see her location at all times but yet she's evaded him at all costs without even trying, she doesn't even know a tracker is attached to the inside of her jacket.

And the team, they haven't been much help at all. They've decided to listen to Fury's orders and stay clear of Bucky's mission when it comes to finding the escaped demigod and bringing her back to the Avenger's base. A lot of help they are. At least Steve checks in for updates when he's not getting pulled into a training session by any particular person of the hour. Maybe the tracker doesn't even work. Maybe?

No, it's Stark made. It has to work, this problem is simply Y/N.

Bucky pulls off to the side of the road near a little park in some rural town way outside of New York City where he knows Y/N went through not even twenty-three hours ago. He opens his door, slamming it shut in frustration before taking in a big breath of fresh air. The day is slightly overcast yet he doesn't appear to mind it at all, having the hot sun blaring down upon him never feels very pleasant. Then again, maybe he's just more familiar with colder temperatures.

A crow flies down across the vacant road from him, it ignores Bucky as it jumps onto the road in order to pick at some road kill of a dead flattened squirrel. Bucky reverts his gaze when his eyes soon land upon a bent wooden telephone line further up the road where it looks like a car ran right into it. Wanting to stretch his legs for a bit and feed into his curiosity, Bucky jogs across the street and over to the area of flattened grass and wood splinters.

He observes the wreckage. Its just as he saw from farther away, a splintered post with pieces of wood spread across the grass from the impact. A couple glass chunks shimmer in the few rays of sunlight peeking out from behind the clouds. There are tire marks imprinted into the mudded ground leading up to the post, he crouches down to get a better look at the source of impact.

A dog barks in the background, its legs getting closer and closer to Bucky until a wet slobbery nose finds its way onto Bucky's right arm. The face of a golden retriever greets him as a young man races to the spot looking very embarrassed.

"Trout! Get away from the man, be nice! Be nice! He might not want your kisses!" He shouts desperately, "Trout!"

Bucky pets the friendly dog while his owner runs to their spot before standing to greet him, "He's fine, don't worry about it."

The red faced man smiles shyly, "I'm so sorry. He gets so excited whenever there's a stranger around I just don't understand it."

Bucky shakes his head, "It's fine, really. I like dogs."

The dog sniffs around Bucky's boots before sniffing the skid marks, "Oh I'm Gio by the way, sorry about my boy Trout. I love him but he can be a lot."

"Hi." Mutters Bucky, "I'm James."

"Nice to meet you..oh..Trout drop that piece of wood you nucklehead it's sharp!" The dog stops before dropping the wood, it starts sniffing around the grounds again. Gio looks at Bucky, "It's too bad what happened here, just last night too. Thank God nobody died! It's just unfortunate."

"What happened?"

Gio nods towards the splintered pole, "Some nutcase ran out in front of the guy driving and then bam, he just swerved to miss 'em and ended up totaling his car and getting a bruised collar bone. He's my neighbor. Poor guy, never got a proper look at the idiot who did it either so there's no one to blame."

Bucky's brows furrow, "No one saw who ran in front of your friend?"

Gio stops a second to think harder on the matter, "Hmm...okay wait a second Nick did say this person moved like faster then a frickin' deer. They were here one second and gone the next, right into the woods."

"Where is Nick now? Is he okay?"

"Oh yeah he's fine, just chillin' in his hospital bed for another day until his headache goes away. Guess he also got a concussion or something, some shit luck I tell you."

"Thank you, I gotta go." Says Bucky quickly before turning on his heels and jogging across the street. Leaving a very confused Gio to go run after his dog again.

There's a hefty possibility that Y/N had absolutely nothing to do with anything surrounding that crash, however, Bucky has to know. He pulls into the Westonville Hospital before Winter Soldier sneaking his way inside and now here he stands on the other side of the door to Nick's room, 213. He knocks, a man answers and says to come in, Bucky does. Shutting the door right after.

The man lays upright in bed, sipping on a juice box as he quickly locks eyes with Bucky. "Hello." Says the twenty-something year old, "You a nurse?"

Bucky could have laughed, "No. Just here to ask you a couple questions."

"Listen man, the police already got my statement. I wasn't drunk...nor on anything at the time. I don't do that shit while driving, I wanna stay alive okay?"

"Right." Mutters Bucky, "I just want to know if you saw this person who caused you to wreck."

He eyes Bucky suspiciously, "Dude are you with the FBI or something? Cause the police think I just saw a deer but I'm telling you it wasn't a deer okay?"

"What was it then?"

The man looks from the door then back to Bucky, he makes a waving motion for him to walk closer, "Dude, this was some lady. She was so fast I never even saw her till she was almost road kill...then....and you're not gonna believe me....then I swear to God, she pushed my car." Whispers Nick before nodding, "Dude that's how I went into the pole, she pushed me and I lost control and BAM! Right into a pole. Asshole, my damn car is fucked."

"Do you know what she looked like?" Nick then proceeds to give an accurate description of you and all your beautiful chaotic-ness, who's apparently still not very fond of human transportation vehicles.

Bucky then glances from Nick still rambling about you and what a dickhead you must be, to the window showing the woods and half a parking lot. He can't let you escape him again, you might end up killing someone next time and that absolutely cannot happen.

——

Stupid men! Stupid humans getting in your way! These people are irritating and bothersome, all you wanted was to search for the Ancient One in peace. All you want is to find her and get the fuck off this planet so you can confront your brother and...

"Miss are you okay?" A scratchy voice speaks to you from the car to your left, you turn your head to meet the face of a young woman looking at you with kind eyes, "You need a ride?"

"No."

She gives you a look, your appearance is admittedly more roughed up then you would like, but it's been a rough couple days since your last shower and you're technically on the run from Earth's Avengers. "You sure? I got room in here, and a nice place to stay with food and a shower too. Just tryna be nice to someone who looks like they could use a hand." You look like you could use a hand to the face.

Your brows furrow, she reeks of too much perfume and something else, "What kind of food?" You technically do need a ride and this may be your only chance to get one somewhere away from this place in the middle of nowhere. Also a place to stay for the night would be admittedly very nice considering you've been sleeping in trees and behind people's sheds.

Her eyes light up in surprise, "Anything you want. Just tell me and I got you."

"Good."

She unlocks the door, "Come on in. I'm Ava by the way. Nice to meet you, now I hope you don't mind but back at my place I got a couple roommates. But don't worry they come and go, they won't bother you I promise." You don't believe her, but hop in next to her anyways. She looks like she could use a better friend then whoever she stays with. You can smell at least one of them on her.

She gives you a strange faltering smile when you take notice of a nose piercing; she wears a jacket and jeans, although an odd tattoo showing off some line of numbers keeps itself on her right wrist hidden by some colorful bracelets. All in all she is an attractive woman. But her car is no better then her person, the scent is vulgar and repulsive but you're admittedly too hungry to care. Too much perfume.

The ride to her apartment complex takes about twenty minutes, in this time Ava has explained to you how her favorite food, chicken alfredo, is made. She also won't stop looking at the long mirror above your heads, it's like something keeps drawing her attention but there's nothing behind the car of any important significance. Maybe that's just a human thing?

Eventually she takes a couple turns that passes more street stores, houses, and apartments until she drives near a gas station and takes a left for an apartment building of reddish brick that looks like a shitty castle.

It's nestled within the town, with its rear to a small park, oddly enough she claims you can see the city from the roof. Getting out, you watch as she shuts her door before jogging to the back and pulling out a couple groceries. "Oh hey there, can you get the waters, there's like three packs here but we can come back for them later."

You quickly walk to the back of her trunk and lean down to pick up all three waters with ease, her eyes go big, "Oh wow..okay yeah, that'll work." She shuts the back, you begin following her across the parking lot. Stomach growling.

Her wary eyes fall onto you, "So uh, you lift?"

"No."

She nods, "Cool cool, uh you from around here?"

"No."

"Okay cool, I am, well not originally...I was actually from Arizona but then I ran away when I was thirteen because my home life was pretty shit and then I met my boyfriend Jed and he took me here and..." Her face shifts into a frown before it regains it's half smile once more, "Doesn't matter now I guess, it's not fantastic here...with him. But I got a place to stay and a roof over my head and he gets me anything I want really. So it's not so bad."

You can't help but feel somethings not right with her, and this bothers you deeply, "So uh, how's your lover? Jed."

She frowns, "Oh he's nice....I wouldn't say lover I guess....and he's kinda older then me but it's fine really. You might see him, he comes and goes yunno?"

She opens the glass doors for you to walk inside, the area smells of stale air and smoke, "How old?"

She purses her lips together, "Not that much older, I'm seventeen he's just a little above that. But it works for us, he's got me a nice place and he loves me so that's nice." Her smile falters, you can tell something isn't right here but can't quite place your finger on it.

Ava keeps silent for the rest of the trek upstairs until she leads you down a long hallway to a tall white door reading A8 on the front, a small glass porthole in the center. She gets her keys out, "Try not to touch anything, he doesn't like messes okay? Just uh, follow me okay, he might have a friend here."

"Alright then. Proceed." She gives a little nod before unlocking the door and opening it up to reveal a large apartment as clean as a button, with the exception of a few tall thin glass bottles empty of all liquid laying on the short glass table in the lounging area. A large screen is on showcasing something of little importance to you.

Ava sets the groceries on the kitchen counter before racing over to the short table, "Oh sorry about the mess, please just set the waters down by the trash can. Give me a moment." You look down to find a tall thin metal can, doesn't look like a trash can but you set the three cases of water down anyways.

Standing in the middle of her kitchen she hastily rushes in to drop the bottles in the trash can, "I'll put the stuff away, do you-do you want anything?"

"Whatever gives me enough strength to continue on my journey."

"Right. Yeah okay uh we got," She opens up the fridge, "we got some burritos from last night. And fruit....a lot of beer....you don't want that. Here, I'll heat this up for you okay." She shuts the fridge and takes the assumed burrito to another square object hanging from the wall. She pops open the door before placing the food inside and shutting it.

She turns it on. "What is that device?" You ask a sit makes a strange vacuum sound.

She raises a brow, "A microwave." Voice on the tinge of humor, the microwave beeps and she soon opens it back up. "Here ya go! It's a day old so don't worry, still fresh."

She hands it to you, you look down at the warm thing wrapped in a brown paper, "Appreciated."

Your meal is well received and admittedly pretty delicious, once finished do you walk over to the giant glass window to have a look outside, you can see the tops of many trees and farther away across the greenery lays a city just as Ava had spoken of.

Maybe the Ancient One resides somewhere in there, hidden, but within the ginormous labyrinth of steel, cement, and glass. Farther down the hallway a door swings open and the pattering of bare feet is heard walking down the tiled floors of shiny white. This place really is clean, like a small palace for the mortals.

The man stops at the end of the halls archway though you don't care to look at him, "Ava who's the bitch over there? I thought Jed wasn't buying anymore for a few weeks." Whispers the man to the kind woman, Ava, who stands frozen in the kitchen.

You immediately don't like him, but stay your ground to listen, she whispers back, "She's a friend. Needed somewhere to stay for a day or so."

He walks over to her, "He's gonna be pissed when he sees your new friend here. If she's not here to sell, get her the fuck out before your man comes home tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yeah tonight. His trip to Vegas ended yesterday, he's on his way. Don't you know how time works?"

She shakes her head, "Guess I just forgot is all. I'll make sure she's gone."

He looks over to give you a proper once over, you can hear his heartbeat quicken, "Not too bad either. Nice ass, she looks good..real good, it's a damn shame she's not here to stay for the fun. I wouldn't mind a couple of rounds with her myself."

Your fists clench, you've had enough of this jabbering animal, "Oh really?" You turn around to watch as his eyes go wide when they take notice of the golden color of your irises, "What filth you spill off of that thing you call a mouth is repulsive and disgusting. Who are you may I ask?"

He quickly retains his swagger once again, he takes a step forward, "I'm Jed's right hand man, Antonio, I run this bitch when he's away and I don't like how you're talking to me."

"I'm not entirely fond of your existence. Leave us, I want to speak with Ava alone."

Antonio's face shows bewildered rejection, "Excuse me?"

You take a threatening step forward, "I don't believe my tongue slipped. You heard me correctly. Leave." He keeps still as a statue, mind still processing your words. Clearly no on had ever bothered to talk to him like this before.

He blinks and points a hand up for emphasis, "No whore tells me what I can and can't do in my own goddamn house!" He immediately rushes past Ava to grab something under the kitchen bar.

She gasps in surprise, "Tony no! Don't do this! Put it away she didn't mean it, she doesn't I swear! I swear!"

He walks back around to shove her into the couch, "Shut up." He throws up his arm to reveal a black hand held object that could be nothing else but a small gun, you stare at it in curiosity, expression interested and unfazed.

He doesn't like that, he tilts the gun at you angrily, "What's up now huh! You ain't telling me to do nothin' I run this fucker up in here! So you're gonna fuckin' listen to me you whore! I'll fu.." Antonio's body stiffens, his eyes go wide as saucers when he realizes he's not able to move, not able to speak.

Hands kept to your sides, you curl the fingers of your right hand to bloodbend this imbecile. Moving this hand to the right, Antonio's grasp is forced open and the gun clatters to the floor. "What are you doing!?" Shouts Ava fearfully.

"Teaching a dog a lesson."

Curling the fingers of your other hand, Antonio is forced to walk in staggered painful steps across the carpet at your will, Ava gasps in fright as she watches your little horror show. "Men don't treat their people like animals, you want to act like a beast. Then you'll be one."

His throat makes a dry crackly sound as he tries to scream when you move your hands to orchestrate a new action, Antonio is forced to his knees where he crawls like a dog across the clean carpet. A frightened man he becomes, his movements choppy and forced, body awkward and stiff as he moves on all fours. Proud of your work, you walk over to the man and crouch down to reach his level, "You see, the universe has created us all for a reason. Whether we are powerful or not, that control we have can be taken as it can be given."

He mumbles a reply that cannot be heard properly even by your hears.

"You know of your power?" He shakes his head as you smirk, "Your strength is built from fear and hatred. That is no way to find your place in the world, that is how tyrants lead."

Drool runs down the side of his mouth as his eyes look up to you pleadingly. "Stop it! You're hurting him!" Shouts Ava.

You give Antonio a pitiful look, "I know. And this creature deserves more then I'm willing him to do, but because you've gained my respect. I will release him." Standing, you flick your hands and Antonio is released from your trance. He coughs and sputters in a curled up heap on the floor like a beaten old dog.

"Pathetic." You mutter dryly as Ava breaths heavily from the couch.

"Wh-what are you?" She whispers, "Are you a witch?"

"No. But I am someone who is done with this place." You give her a respectful tilt of your head, "Ava, I thank you for your hospitality, but I must leave." She watches as you take one last look around the room before walking towards the closed door. Turning the handle you're prepared to exit when she screams. "Antonio no!"

Boom!

The bullet stops three inches from the back of your head, whipping around to face your assailant, he fires two more rounds as you halt the bullets in their tracks. He registers what's happening and quickly chooses to pull the trigger again. As a plethora of steel flies your way, you raise an open palm that causes them all to freeze in place.

The room goes deathly silent before Antonio takes a single step and you've sent all five bullets straight through his vulnerable flesh. Blood flies across the walls as he slumps to the ground while Ava gasps in terror, too afraid to make a sound.

You frown, gaze set on Ava, "I'm sorry I had to do this in front of you. He gave me no choice, but I think this loss will not be mourned over." Your golden eyes flicker back down at the bullet ridden body, "A quick death is more then he deserved. So long Ava, be brave."

The door opens.

"What the fuck happened here?!" Speaks a man most certainly in his late thirties as he sets something on the ground, "Who's this bitch?"

Ava's expression shifts to fear as you let out a tired sigh, eyes set to the man you know as Jed, "An old friend." ——

Crouched down by a river, you rub off flecks of blood that dissipate into the murky water like forgotten memories. You just wanted to eat and rest a while as you gathered your thoughts. But here you are, you've killed two humans and have damaged a couple busses in the process of it all. Not to mention that one car the other night...at least that man kept his life.

This realm is complicated and busy, there's not enough wilderness to hide in and there are certainly too many prying eyes that can catch you with their small square devices easier then you'd like. Thankfully Ava had not seen your rampage on the internet so she wasn't able to instantly recognize you. Then again you weren't wearing your armor.

However your eye color certainly doesn't aid you in finding a way into the city close by, that's still too far for your liking, people will undoubtedly stare. At this point you don't trust a single soul, and anyone close enough to see your face would most likely report you to the authorities in an instant.

Your goal has been thwarted one too many times and that shit does not fly with you one bit. Find the Ancient One, have her open a portal to your realm, and from there kick your brothers ass. It's all very simple, well at least it should be. Stupid Midgardians.

Hrrrrr Hrrrrrrrr! A loud horn blares from within the woods to your back right, twisting around and standing at attention, your fists emit flame when a huge lumbering mass of metal rolls through the trees practically making the ground shake.

It sounds like a tiny thunderstorm, you've never seen anything like it except for when you where in Norway but that vehicle was significantly smaller and less loud. "God this place is insufferable." You mutter, annoyed by the less then peaceful atmosphere of Midgard.

So far you've evaded the watchful eyes of the Avengers for the past three days and have gotten nowhere on your quest for vengeance. And now this thing just adds to your stirred up pot of frustration.

Taking a breath, you decide to wander through the trees until you've found the tracks where that metal vessel was drawing its power from, oddly enough the steel bars attached to plates of wood does not give off energy. Strange.

Figuring it must be the vehicle itself, you sway your mind from pondering the idea as your thoughts drift to that of home and the necklace hidden around your neck. This valued object was your dying mother's, a heirloom of your linage, and a damn powerful piece of jewelry.

But your brother and his wicked ideas, he wanted to use it for his grant thoughts of tyranny and power over the nine realms. A fool, no one could ever claim such a feat, no place needs rules like such from one being calling all the shots. It's madness.

It's insane.

Shaking your head, you keep following down the tracks as you listen to the sounds of cars in the far off distance. Birds chirp and flutter by while minding their business in the forest, although you could have sworn you heard a soft thud in the dirt behind you. A shuffle of stones maybe?

A deer perhaps? No, this is no deer; halting your trek to the city, you place your hands upon your hips before slowly turning around, "I'd expected as much. You are a clever man after all....Bucky."

The dark haired man greets you with a shy grin as he stands there off to the side of the tracks, dressed in casual attire like that when you saw him in Norway. He seems genuinely happy to see you, "I wish I could stay away." Replies Bucky in a playful tone, "But you've killed two human traffickers and I gotta make sure you don't hurt anyone else. Even if they deserve it."

You scoff, "I could end your life right now if I wanted to, kill all your friends next and then burn this world to ash and dust trying to get what I want. No matter the cowards I've killed."

He shrugs, "That sounds harsh. I'd rather you didn't actually, kinda like being alive." He's such a smartass in the best way, yet you hold back a smile to keep your noble aurora about you.

"Fair point I suppose. This Earth may be greatly flawed, but I have no qualms with the people here but that of my own business."

"Right. Your own business, finding the Ancient One and dealing with your brother and all that stuff." Nods Bucky, "Y/N, you know we could help you..."

"I don't need it! I'll find my way through this planet myself. Alone!" You shout, causing the trees to creak and moan from a surplus of wind that blows Bucky's hair about. He knows what you're capable of, but he has to try and persuade you anyways.

He looks almost apprehensive to approach you, "Y/N please. I know we all got off on the wrong foot, probably by a lot. But my friends are good people, we want to help you find what you're looking for. I promise you that." Says Bucky with a pleading look, "No lies. I promise."

You give him a conflicted glare as you think of your options; he found you somehow, he legitimately wants to help, and you desperately need a way off this damn planet. Maybe they do know a way, maybe they'll actually be able to help you, maybe Bucky is truthful?

He goes to take a step forward when you throw a hand out, "Stop." He keeps still as you take a breath, "Bucky, you give me your word?"

"I do."

"Promise!"

Raising his hands up, he gives you a sincere look, "I promise Y/N."

Taking a long moment to think over his words, you finally nod, "Good." He watches as you walk across the tracks until you're within a couple feet of him, he swallows, unsure if you might have just lied and are about to set him on fire. Instead he's relieved when you gift him a tight lipped grin, "Fine then, let us leave this place."

"Awesome.....yeah, okay good...well I'm parked back that way. We can just walk on the tracks instead of through the woods. Easier that way." He takes a couple steps back the way you came, when you don't move does Bucky stop and reach a hand out for you to take, "I'm not going to hurt you Y/N, I promised I'd help you remember?"

"I haven't forgotten." You quickly answer him.

"Good because I intend to keep it." He smiles softly, beautiful stormy blues focused all on you with a gloved hand ready for you to take.

You shake your head before walking past him, "Fine but I'm not shaking your hand."

Bucky chuckles to himself as he watches you practically swagger down the side of the tracks away from him. Quickly does he break from his staring trance to jog over to your side. The two of you walk for a little ways in complete silence until you glance over at him when your curiosity gets the better of you. There's just one tiny question you still need answered, "Well, how'd you find me?"

Bucky holds back a grin, "Your pocket." He points down towards your jackets pocket. Giving him a look of confusion, you reach down and feel inside for whatever he's on about, suddenly your fingers touch something round and metal attached to the inside wall.

Taking a hold of this odd device, you tug it loose before bringing your hand into the open, "What the hell is this?" You ask.

Bucky reaches out to take the object from you, he holds it up, "This. Is a tracker."

"That thing? It's like a thick coin, how does it manage to do such a feat?"

"Technology, radio waves. It's not my design, but with it I was able to follow where you went. Granted you're more elusive with your traveling then I'd first realized, but it did it's job...and now I'm here."

"Yes, now you're here. Maybe you really are braver then I first thought, or just a plain fool. I could have stuck to my word and killed you." You snap your fingers, "Just like that."

He chuckles, "I had a feeling you wouldn't."

"Oh really? What made you assume I would be merciful?"

"When we met for the first time in Norway, and later at the base. You didn't hurt me, well I guess I should say you didn't try and squeeze the life out of me. Or set me on fire.."

"I set your jacket on fire." You point out as he smiles.

"You did. I liked that jacket too." Muses Bucky, "Still, you let me live both times. Even let my friends live too, Y/N, I don't think you're so bad at all."

You hum in thought, "Your words are kind and humbling. But I do not feel worthy of such claims." He has no idea who you are, what you've done. So much he doesn't know.

Bucky frowns, "Why not?"

"I have done nothing but add more chaos to this realm with my existence here, I have been betrayed and for that I was filled with rage taken out on innocent people living their lives. I want to be worthy of what you say I am, but I am not." His heart hurts at your valiantly honest words, if only he could understand completely.

"Believe me Y/N, you aren't nearly as bad as you think you are. There's been way worse people throughout history here before you ever showed up."

"I believe your words though my personal occurrence's chance to lessen these people compared to what I have done centuries ago. Do not misinterpret all of what I speak, I understand there are always beings harming others for their own sick pleasure, however I did not frighten for enjoyment. Quite the opposite."

He could just about give up his metal arm forever just to know what the hell you're talking about. What kind of life did you live before all of this? Bucky soon takes out a small square device with his one gloved hand, "I trust your word on that. And hopefully we're able to help you...I just gotta get us a ride out of here first." He turns on a black screen and slides his finger across to unlock, "I have where I parked pin pointed via another tracker."

"You don't recall where you've come from?"

"Yeah, I mean no..no, I do remember the direction I came in, it's just I was running so fast to find you I forget exactly where my car is. Don't worry this will only take a moment."

Holding back a grin at the way he muddles around on that screen of his, you divert your gaze elsewhere to look around at the trees and other various greenery spread about as usual on a planet such as this one. It's fascinating, almost like that of your home world in Vanaheim. How you miss that place. The vast mountains spread throughout the landscape, huge lumbering trees taller then the cellphone towers you've passed, and great skies of blue where dragons fly at will.

Suddenly a stick cracks in the trees to your right, you turn while Bucky pays little attention, a crow flies out and into the blue sky it goes. Easy now, just a bird, nothing more. The wind picks up for a second and you can almost catch the scent of sulfur when a ball of fire erupts from the trees ready to kill.

The spherical flame screams towards you and Bucky, who's by now dropped his phone onto the tracks, "Y/N watch out!" He shouts fearfully, hand gripping onto your shoulder as you keep a strong fearless stance to the approaching flame.

Throwing a hand out, you divert the ball into the gravel where it bursts like a small firework, rocks flying everywhere as you stand at the ready for whatever happens next. "Y/N! What the hell was that!" Shouts Bucky.

"A scout. I think one of my brother's loyalists found me."

"A scou..." Another ball of flame soars towards the two of you and then another right behind it as you maneuver your body to deflect each of them in quick succession when out of the scorched trees does a smirking woman reveal herself. Her smile is proud and wicked, taller then Bucky she stands and impeccably strong she appears.

She wears armor closely resembling your own, but instead of blues, silver, and white. Her armor is black and red, silver replaced with shimmering obsidian as she walks into the evening light. Her eyes flicker gold like your own, she tilts her head at you, "Princess Y/N of Vanaheim. An honor to meet you, truly." She bows with mockery, you immediately despise her.

"What dog is this who speaks to me?"

She grimaces, "Aüla, master of flame, Phoenix of Vanaheim, I am here to bring what stolen jewelry lays upon your neck. What belongs to King Leyondros." She points a sharp nailed finger to your neck, "That, is a house Lavpranthus family heirloom."

"You think I was born yesterday? That incompetent tyrant who dare claim himself as king does not deserve what treasure I possess. He is barely a brother to me now, and you, what business do you serve?"

She smirks, gifting Bucky with a wink as she wiggles her fingers with flame, "He's sent his best out to find your whereabouts since he's exiled you. I just happened to be lucky enough to land on Midgard where wouldn't you know it, here keeps the banished Princess herself. I couldn't be more fortunate." She opens up her palm like a needy child, "Now Y/N, the object I so desire."

"You will die trying."

She holds up a threatening fist of hot flame, "I will be bathed in riches! I will be loved! King Leyondros will welcome his champion with open arms as I present him with the necklace stolen by his traitor sister! With grand tidings of her annihilation!"

You share a dark look with Aüle as you step in front of Bucky, "I do not care to know what bargaining from the beasts of this realm you made to find me. And I certainly do not care for the false promises my brother has warped into your mind, you cannot take my life and you cannot have this necklace."

She calls flame into both hands, "Then I'll take it off your burnt corpse!" She thrusts her hands forward causing a burst of hot orange flames to shoot like dragon fire straight for yourself and Bucky.

Anticipating this action, you create a wall of your own fire that shatters her advances, you turn to the wide eyed brunette, "Bucky forgive me for not handling this sooner. I hadn't realized she was here."

"It's fine." Mumbles Bucky, chest rising and falling with heavy breaths as he stares fearfully at the angry woman spewing fire at you still.

Focused back on Aüla, she suddenly begins creating whips of flame that crack and slash at the air. She throws a whip towards Bucky but you're able to deflect it easily, in retaliation of her advances, you thrust a burst of dusty wind knocking her backwards.

She tumbles across the gravel like a discarded sack of potatoes, jumping gracefully down from the high point of the tracks, you land nearby this hellfire spawn who staggers to her feet. Rubbing the dust from out of her eyes, she coughs, "Foul play Princess, I should have guessed you'd cheap shot."

"You still believe you're leaving here with my necklace?"

Leaving her charcoal stained eyes be, she opens her palms to flame, "Well I certainly don't intend on perishing at your hand. I will get what I came for."

You throw a quizzical look, is she insane? Not wanting to ponder her mental stability, you use the gravel to crawl it up to her knees where it fuses and roots itself into the ground, she flails her arms trying to regain balance. Angered by this, Aüla clenches her fists, tightly hugging them to her chest as she concentrates.

A small orange glow emits from the center of her chest before she screams while opening her arms to the sky and with that her whole body erupts with flame like that of a Phoenix reborn. Tree branches and leaves alike are burnt and singed nearby while her anchor is melted. Aüla levitates freely now, body a mass of hot flames as she stares furiously down at you with eyes of black charcoal.

"Behold the Phoenix! Now you will obey by law of the one true king!" Fire is thrown like thin arrows towards your face, again, easily deflected into the gravel below.

She chuckles darkly, thrusting a hand of intense flame that causes you to fall backwards across the ground. Pushing yourself up by the pads of your hands, she takes this vulnerable moment to race after Bucky with wings of fire.

Face contorted like a melted candle, her arms open wide as she prepares to embrace Bucky to the flames. Jumping up, you bend your arms, moving them in opposite directions on a linear path to conjure some type of protection. Aüla slams into an enchanted force field of dark blues that sends her flailing backwards like a bursting firework.

Regaining her balance, she levitates, scowling in disgust, "You? Would protect this mortal man?"

Your gaze falls onto Bucky, he's standing there, expression fearful and wide as he looks at you desperately. You take a step forward, "I will."

"But why? He is nothing compared to you, to us, he's simply an insect on a leaf."

"He is someone who has showed me more kindness in the last couple days then some of my own people have in the past hundred years!" You shout furiously before using your magic to paralyze her like you did with Wanda and Vision.

She struggles to move but all efforts are unfruitful, "Do not! Don't. You. Dare!" She screams as you take another fearless step towards her, raising your hands in a beautiful fluid motion, her obsidian irises flash with terror.

"Aüla, Phoenix of Vanaheim, I admire your efforts and valor. But I am not so merciful when my life as been threatened, as someone of these nine realms with some type of authority still. I, Y/N Lavpranthus of Vanaheim, condemn you to die." Your golden eyes flash with a noble flair of judgment while your hands sway like subtle waves on a beach.

"No. No. Nooo..." Her screams are eradicated when a burst of water consumes her entire vessel, she sizzles and smokes as you draw the river water away to reveal nothing but discarded broken armor. She never even noticed you were doing this.

As a plethora of water dissipates into steam from where she once stood, more liquid fills through the cracks in the gravel while you slowly wander over to the dark spot stained onto the center tracks. Kneeling down, you pick up an obsidian gauntlet cracked down the middle curve. "Who was that?" Asks Bucky from behind you.

"One of my brothers scouts. His best fire-bender.." You study the intricate markings that dance like vines around the metalwork, "..a phoenix in human form."

There is a long pause before he asks, "Why are you being hunted Y/N?"

You sigh, head bowed to the earth, "It's a long story."

Bucky frowns down at you, he's not sure what to do, but he knows you're deeply troubled by whatever events have led you to this point. A comforting hand rests upon your shoulder, "You don't have to tell me now. But I think we should go."

Dropping the broken gauntlet onto the dark stained wood, you stand, "Perhaps you're right. Who knows what else lurks in the shadows waiting to pounce. I'd rather not have you injured on my behalf."

Bucky shares a lopsided grin, "Appreciated. Now come on, I know the way home." Directs Bucky as the two of you begin walking down the tracks for wherever he speaks of.

Maybe these people aren't as bad as you'd first thought, unfortunately there are still evils that are desperate to find you. Until that time comes again.

Tagged: @buckylokisimp @diegos-butt @minigranger @bibliophilewednesday @holyhumorliteraturelight @lilacs-lavender @a-girl-who-loves-disney @bizarrebibitch @starkssnarks @vikingqueen28 @jmstz @thehornytitties @staygoldsquatchling02 @cleverzonkwombatsludge @mischiefmanaged71 @noragracebrewer @atomicpersonacheesecake @thescarlettvvitch @shawnartmendes

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x y/n #the winter soldier #the winter soldier x you #the winter soldier x y/n #the winter soldier x reader #fanfiction #fanfic #bucky barnes fanfiction #series #bucky barnes series #my work

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lovenhlboys · 4 years ago

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From a Distance (E.Pettersson X Reader)

Chapter 4

Masterlist

Get added to taglist

A/N: hello there!!! here is the next chapter, I'm so so sorry it took me so long, I was sick for 5 days and no feeling unmotivated, but I hope the others will not take nearly as long!! I really hope you like it and please LMK what you think!! And as always, thank you to my babe Ash ( @imagines-r-s ) for helping me with literally everything🥰💕💕

change in POV is signalized by:

Y/N= regular ELIAS= italics

(any other info is on the masterlist)

Warnings: lots of cursing, specifically excessive use of the word "ass", mentions of iCarly , I think thats it, if you think I missed a warning please inform me!!!

Summary: Brocks plan continues... more stuff happens

Word Count: 2.82k

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< ———————— >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

There was an awkward pause where, to you, it looked like Elias was thinking really hard about something.

“...wait,” he finally spoke.

“Yeah?”

“Okay, like a few weeks ago, we were in the hotel room and, you were upset with Marky because of the whole Gabe Landeskog thing,” he started.

You thought for a second and- oh, “Oh...shit. No. No, no Elias, I'm not having this conversation right now,” you knew exactly what he was talking about since that exact moment had caused about 3 panic attacks in the past month.

“You don't even know what I’m going to say,” he said with a little laugh at how you were reacting.

“Oh yes, I do.”

“Ok, Y/N wait just sit down.”

“BROCK,” you ignored him and got up, shouting at the door that you entered in about, hmm, yep, 5 years ago.

“Y/N,” he seemed like he wanted to talk when you really, truly did not.

“BROCK BOESER OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT FUCKING NOW,” you continued shouting at that damned door.

“Y/N...please,” he sounded sweet and calm. Which kinda calmed you down slightly, so once you realized Brock wasn't going to open that door any time soon, you sat back down on the couch next to where Petey was sitting. You sat a little too close at first, both of you looking into each other's eyes. Your faces were roughly a foot away from each other, as you looked in his eyes, you thought you saw a glimmer of something, something you knew he was seeing in your eyes. You snapped yourself out of it and pulled away, scooching yourself back about a foot. Right then, Elias reached for you and placed his hand on your arm. “Y/N, just...sorry. I was just going to ask what Quinn meant that day when he said ‘you really have a thing for swedes, huh,’” he tried to mimic your other American friend, his impression made you laugh.

You groaned and put your forehead on his shoulder. You stayed like that for a second, taking in his scent. Then you pulled your head back and started to speak, “Yeah, about that. Um, so, yeah, that-that thing, uh,” you cleared your throat.

“Are you going to say anything or is it just ‘um, yeah, so, um?’”

“Shut up” you giggled “I just never thought I’d have to say this to you,” you covered your heated face with your hands.

“Well, I always thought he was talking about Marky, but apparently thats not true. I just didn’t know you knew many other swedes.”

“...yo-,” you sighed. He didn’t realize what Quinn was saying, “oh my god, my dumbass brother is rubbing off on you. Ok, name the other swedes I know.”

“Well there's Marky, Oscar, Loui, Alex, and uh, Brock said you knew uh, Partick Nemeth and Johnny Oduya when you interned in Dallas during college. Oh, and Brock had mentioned you had a crush on Klingberg at one point, right?”

“Yes, but, uh- oh my lord,” you took a deep breath and tried to make sure you didn’t blurt anything out like an idiot would do, “I think you’re missing one.”

“What? Well, Nilsson before he got traded. And Brock was here when the twins were still playing, right?”

“Ok, Elias, you’re missing one person, one fucking person,” you were starting to get frustrated.

“I dont think I understand…”

“Ok, if you were to make it on team Sweden for the winter Olympics, Marky, and Landeskog too, ok?”

“Yeah?”

“Ok, who on that team would know me?”

“Well considering I dont know who else would be on that team it’s hard to say, but me, mark and Gabe would.”

“Ok, perfect. So that list of Swedes earlier was missing…” you gestured for him to finish your sentence.

“Oh, I’m stupid, I forgot myself,” you nodded and waited for him to process, it took longer than one would’ve thought but that's beside the point. His eyes got wide and his face turned red. He didn’t speak, you knew he knew now, but he wasn’t saying anything.

Shit, fuck, it’s exactly what you were afraid of.

WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK??? How did this happen, Elias is so completely and utterly stunned. Y/N Y/M/N Boeser had an actual, real-life crush on him? (God he feels like he’s in middle school again, freaking out about a “crush”)Ok, he’s definitely dreaming, that's the only thing he can think right now because he didn’t think this was a possibility. That’s when he realized, he hadn’t said anything yet, he’d just been staring at her with what he could only assume was an idiotic expression. He took in her expression, she was staring at her lap, her eyes wide, she looked tense, like she needed a hug.

Elias grabbed her and pulled her into his body, she tightened her arms around his waist and tucked her head into his neck. He could feel her heart racing, or was that his? He squeezed her tighter, trying to stall the inevitable. What was he supposed to say? “Yeah, Y/N I’ve had a massive crush on you, even before I met you in person. I’m pretty sure I might just be in love with you, sorry I never said anything. Oh, also, I can’t be with you because your brother and all of our friends would murder me.” Elias knew he wasn’t the smartest, but he wasn’t that much of an idiot.

Just then Y/N pulled back from the hug, looking much happier than before, her eyes met him and they both smiled fondly, just then Elias realized just how close their faces were. Shit, he really wanted to, he could feel her breath and his eyes flickered down to her lips. He unknowingly swiped his tongue over his, and she did the same and bit her lip ever so slightly. His heart was racing, she must be able to hear it. He leans in the slightest bit, to test the waters. To his surprise, she leans in the rest of the way and their lips finally connect.

It’s even more amazing than he ever would have imagined. Every nerve in his body is firing. He grabs her neck and they move together, in unison, and it's almost as if they’ve done this a thousand times before. It feels so easy, so natural, so perfect. He is by every definition, elated. He truly can’t believe this is happening. As he comes back to reality, he feels her hands siding up to his chest, she groans slightly as her hands settle on his shoulders. He slides his tongue across her lips and he can feel her shiver in reaction. They break apart for the first time, both panting into each other’s space, Elias is smiling bigger than he ever has. Their dilated eyes meet, he’s sure she’s probably noticed his flushed skin, his more-than-pale complexion doing no favors to hide it. Elias looks down and notices her smiling. Thank God.

She pulls back suddenly and speaks, “uh, sorry I just- um, I know you didn’t want that.” she stands up, “I-um- I’ll just-”

He touches her arm, making sure not to grab it. He doesn’t want to be controlling. “Hey, who said anything about me not wanting that” he was still smiling and looking up at her fondly, “trust me Y/N, I wanted that. I’ve wanted that for a lot longer than what you know.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have supposed that I may also have a “crush” on you too.”

“Fredrik? Are you going soft on me?” she teased.

“Ok, one: what is with you and my middle name, and two: I don't know if ‘soft’ is ever a word I would use to describe how I feel about you” he smirks, trying to mess with her. Which works as her expression clearly shows, her eyes widen and she looks away from him.

“Elias shut up, you’re such a douche,” though she’s grinning a little.

“Um, I don't know if you know what douche is, but if you want help, if you opened a dictionary, I’m pretty sure it would have a picture of Thatcher Demko, and Troy Stecher,” she laughs, there it is: that damn laugh. “You have the best laugh,” he says while giggling himself.

She smiles and looks into his eyes, purely beautiful as always. “Ok, well I will have you know, I like to call this a cackle” She eventually sits down next to him on the couch again, they’re facing each other, fully enthralled in each other’s presence. “Uh, so I’m not one to say these things, I have actually built up a reputation to explicitly avoid these conversations, but” she starts, “but- uh- what does all of this mean exactly? I like you, you like me, we kissed, I mean there’s obviously something here and I just- I guess, I’m not opposed to seeing where this could go, but you know, you could feel differently and that's ok-”

“Woah” he cuts her off as he’s laughing, “You’re rambling nervously, which is making me even more nervous than I already was, ok?” he placed his hand on her shoulder, “but I do have to tell you something,” this is where Elias took a pause and thought about what he should say, which he now realizes is a mistake due to how long it takes him to make decisions. But anyway, he had to decide if to tell you the entirety of the story, or to keep it brief and hope it comes up later at some point.

“Elias”

“Ah, yes.” he emerges from his thoughts, “so first I want to say that I also would love to see where this can go. I likes you-uh- more than a lot. But, I really have to figure something out before I can even think about doing anything with you, I just don't want to screw it up.”

“More than a lot, huh Fredrik?” you think about what he said. The fact that he felt the need to preface what he said with the fact that he also likes you and also wants to see where this can go, truly made you feel better. It felt like he wanted to make sure you didn’t misunderstand him, and that he didn’t want to hurt you. And obviously, you couldn’t let him get away with saying something like “I likes you- uh- more than a lot,” you did grow up hanging out with basically a shit ton of hockey guys, so you couldn't just let that slide. Plus, it was so cute how he said ‘likes’, instead of like, due to his language barrier.

“Yes, Y/N, more than a lot.” he rolled his eyes, “but is that ok with you, that I have to wait?”

“Yeah, that's fine. I mean as long as it’s not like a year, then that's fine,” you say, giggling.

“Oh god no, geez, not that long I promise. Maybe a month at most, I promise,” you both sit and laugh for a minute. You truly didn’t think he liked you, even as a friend, let alone as more than.

“You’re not going to go back to ignoring me, are you?”

“No, we can be friends until I figure that out. And I assume the reason we’re in here is that Brock thought I didn’t likes you. I mean he had mentioned it to me a few times but I obviously didn’t tell him why so,” he looked nervous, but you could see him try thinking of a way to change that. “ but hey, since we’re going to be friends now, your idiot brother will be pleased, and maybe he won’t lock us in a room again,” That makes you chuckle. You noticed that when you laughed, you could see Elias’s face light up, just a little bit, “I mean, not that it went horribly this time” and of course that made you laugh harder, which made him smile bigger. Then his face shifted a little bit, he looked more serious, “But hey, speaking of Brock, could you maybe not tell him, what we talked about in here?”

“Well, no shit. I wouldn’t tell him about this kind of thing on any day of the week anyways. He gets so nosey,” he looked relieved and smiled.

“Ok, so seeing as how we probably have some time to kill…” he grabbed a remote off of the table next to the couch and pressed a button. Then from the seemingly inconspicuous piece of furniture, a tv rose.

Your face was shocked, “I’m sorry, has it always done that??” you say, confused.

“Yeah. Y/N, you work here, how did you not know that?”

“Well I had seen a TV in here before but I thought they like took it away or needed to fix it or something, I didn’t know we had a magic tv in here!!” Elias laughed. “Wait, you waited till now to turn on the TV. we could have been watching TV this whole time!?”

“Yeah but then you wouldn’t have condensed your feelings for me.”

“Um, it was a mutual confession, jackass.”

Elias was smiling at your sass, “so what do you want to watch?”

“I know exactly what to watch,” you grab the remote from his hand and navigate to iCarly on the TV.

“Perfect,'' he says with a fond smile, and you both relax on the couch and watch the old nickelodeon classic. At this point, you both are sitting far enough apart so you look more like friends, just to make sure that if someone comes in, they cant think otherwise.

You watch 2 episodes and you are in the middle of the third when brock comes in. you both are laughing at spencer trying to tell everyone that a 13-year-old boy, Chuck, is torturing him, when you are both startled, “well you two seem to be having fun.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Brock,” Elias mutters, obviously scared from the sudden arrival of the jack-ass that you are forced to love and call your brother.

“Well if it isn't the champion of ass-facery, congratulations on the medal bro.”

“Ok, before you yell at me and hit me and tell on me to mom, it looks like it worked,” he says, gesturing to the two of you on the couch.

“Yes, it worked, he no longer hates me, blah blah blah.”

“Hey, I never hated you.”

“Suuuuuure,” you say, and you give him a wink only he can see, “well, either way-”

“Also,” Brock interrupts, “you technically did it to me first.”

“In fucking high school.”

“Y/N/N, high school was only 5 years ago. And technically should have been like 3 years ago for you but you went and graduated early so checkmate.”

“I think he’s got you there,” Elias spoke up.

“Wow, thanks ‘new friend,’” you said sarcastically, feeling teamed upon.

“You have no idea how happy it makes me that you two are friends now” Brock was smiling like an idiot at this point.

“Ok, well as much as I'd love to stay, I have to go and meet Hog, he doesn’t like to go to the store alone.”

“Aww, poor, sweet baby,” you said with a frown, "Tell him I say hi.”

“Will do!”

“Bye Petey.”

“Bye champion of ass-facery,” Elias shouts back

You laughed at that as Elias exited the room, leaving just you and your brother there.

“So are you really mad at me Y/N/N?”

You sigh “no, I guess not. I’m just glad he doesn’t hate me like I thought. And also he’s absolutely hilarious.”

“Right!! He’s so funny, and I just wanted you guys to get along. You’re basically the two most important people in my life and I didn’t want you two to be like you were forever. And if you didn’t notice, you two are so similar!”

“Aww Mr sensitive, you’re so sweeeeeet.”

“You’re such an ass,” he said chuckling.

You pull out your phone and check the time, “well, it’s time for me to depart. I do have a job and all.”

“Wait, that reminds me, why didn’t either of you use your phones and call someone?” he asked, “that was essentially the only flaw in my plan.”

Thought for a second, “shit. I mean we basically talked the whole time I guess neither of us thought to do that.” Brock smiled at you and giggled a little. “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just a little sweet, I guess.”

“Shut up ass-munch,” you shove him as you walk out of the door with a small smile on your face. These past 2-3 hours went much better than you would have thought, and now you have a new friend. And maybe at some point, a little more than that.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< ———————— >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

taglist: @habsfan @suffering-canucks-fan @calgarycanuck @suffering-canucks-fan @2manytabsopen @callllumhood @mellany1997 @all-time-fanatic @Fitnessfreak498 @peachyotps @teamcanadasimp @iwantahockeyhimbo @aeyyy-ohhhh @nhlindblom @teenagekook @hockeymockeryandlove

Sorry ☹️ these Won’t tag: @lmao-i-only-know-hockey @predshockeyfan @dolphinahabsfan @starswinheunderwoo @yourlocalgranolagirl54 @peteysimp

#from a distance: series #give feedback 😁#elias pettersson #hockey #nhl #vancouver canucks #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #elias pettersson imagines #elias pettersson imagine #elias pettersson fic #elias pettersson x reader #vancouver canucks imagines #vancouver canucks fic #vancouver canucks imagine #hockey imagine #hockey fic #hockey imagines

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melanielocke · 3 years ago

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Lost in the Shadows - Chapter 18

AO3

Taglist: @nott-the-best @foxglove-airmid @alastair-esfandiyar-carstairs1 @justanormaldemon @styxdrawings @ipromiseiwillwrite @a-dream-dirty-and-bruised

Previous Chapter: Chapter 17

Next Chapter: Chapter 19

Thomas had always enjoyed swimming. He used to be a competitive swimmer in school, and still considered going back to it at university. He was fast and he guessed he’d need to slow down for Alastair, who was not a frequent swimmer at all. While Alastair was fast and nimble on the land, his swimming skills appeared only enough to not drown. Which arguably was the most important when it came to swimming, but Thomas had to be careful, he didn’t want to exhaust Alastair or leave him behind.

‘I don’t usually like swimming all that much,’ Alastair admitted.

‘Really? Then why did you come?’ Thomas asked.

A wicked gleam appeared in Alastair’s dark eyes and he smiled. ‘For the scenery, of course.’

Thomas guessed it was the first time they’d seen each other wearing only swim shorts, although he had seen some of Alastair’s chest after Tessa had bandaged his shoulder. The wound looked closed now, but Thomas knew it was still sensitive.

While Alastair was skinny, he was also lightly toned. Not muscular like Thomas was, but elegant and graceful. He was beautiful. He remembered Alastair telling him he’d gained weight lately because of his new medication, but if this was his body after gaining weight, just how skinny had he been before?

And although Alastair tried to act casual, Thomas caught him staring at him too. Truth to be told, he was a little insecure about his body, and what Alastair would think of it. Thomas knew he was muscular, since he worked out so much, which he knew was considered desirable, but he often felt he was a bit too tall. Not to mention he hated the stretch marks that had appeared on his back, and worried what Alastair would think of those. His mother had freaked out the first time she’d seen them until she’d realized they were stretch marks. They were a faded pink now, although they used to be a bright red like wounds. Hopefully in time they’d fade to white. Of course, after three pregnancies, his mother had them too but everyone seemed to associate stretch marks with pregnancy when it was also completely normal to get them after gaining weight or growing very fast. Thomas sometimes wished he’d known that sooner.

‘My parents would often take me and my sisters swimming when I recovered from one of my fevers,’ Thomas said.

‘In the winter as well?’ Alastair asked. ‘Isn’t that cold?’

‘At the indoor pool,’ Thomas clarified. ‘I always had lots of fun there. There were water slides, a wave simulator bath, tropical plants to create a nice atmosphere. There was this one water slide that was in the dark and Barbara was scared of it so she always claimed I was too small for the water slide and wasn’t allowed to take it either.

Often when I was sick, it was something I looked forward to because I knew I could go to the pool when I got better. When I was older and no longer sick, I started swimming competitively. Didn’t you go swimming as a child?’

‘Not often,’ Alastair said. ‘Cordelia would go with Lucie and her parents sometimes.’

‘I remember getting these invites to classmates’ birthday parties. It’s a surprise what we’re doing, but bring your swimsuit,’ Thomas said. ‘Of course, I could only go when I was well enough, but it was a very common activity at my school.’

‘I was that child who never got invited. Which was fine, I didn’t really like being around other children anyway. My mother couldn’t swim, and my father didn’t really go have fun with us. I did take swimming lessons, passed my exams, but beyond that I didn’t really go swimming. My mother started taking classes not so long ago, though, so she’s learnt the basics. She found a class for adult women and even made some friends there.’

‘Maybe you should give it a chance,’ Thomas said. ‘Unfortunately, the pool I went to as a child closed. They built a mall there, I think. but I’m sure there are other pools I could take you someday.’

‘It’s not so bad,’ Alastair admitted. ‘Maybe if we survive this summer, I’ll take you up on that offer.’

Thomas felt himself become a little warm inside, despite the cold water. Here, spending time together in the lake and in the woods was nice, but Thomas wanted to show Alastair all his favorite places, go to the museum together, go swimming like he used to do. He wanted to introduce Alastair to his sisters, who would undoubtedly like him very much. He hoped they wouldn’t be too protective of him though, Thomas did not think Alastair would react well if Genie started threatening him. He made a mental note to send a warning to his sisters that there would be no threatening Alastair.

‘Do you play any sports?’ Thomas asked.

‘Currently not much beyond generally trying to stay active and taking very long walks,’ Alastair admitted. ‘Cordelia and I used to take dance classes together for several years, Father thought it important we learnt how to dance ballroom. The memory is a bit tainted because it was something he demanded of us, but truth to be told I did like dancing and I was quite good at it. We both were.’

‘Oh, that sounds nice,’ Thomas said. ‘I’ve always thought it would be nice to learn partner dancing, but I never got around to it. Besides, I’m a bit clumsy on my feet so I’d be stepping on my partner’s toes all the time.’

‘That doesn’t happen as often as people think,’ Alastair said. ‘I think there’s a dancing association at the university, so if you want to learn that might be a nice and affordable place to take classes. But you could also join a swimming team there if you’d prefer. Or both, but you’ll need to find time to study too.’

‘Is that something you struggled with?’ Thomas asked.

‘Not really. I had no social life beyond my ex boyfriend and I don’t need much time to study. Magic memory and all. But there were definitely a few students who were partying too much to keep up.’

‘I’m not really one for partying, so that won’t be a problem,’ Thomas admitted. ‘I didn’t realize there were so many options, all I heard about student life was either lots of partying or study until you drop.’

‘Oh no there are definitely options,’ Alastair said. ‘I’m just too antisocial for most of them. I don’t like being around people anyway. One on one is fine, but I’ve never liked groups. And I absolutely despite it when people are loud. What else do you like to do beside swimming?’

Thomas could recognize what Alastair described. He had always been shy as a child, and had never really grown over that. He liked being around people, but mostly in small groups.

‘I like music,’ Thomas said. ‘I play guitar, but I really like writing my own songs.’

He’d never told anyone that. He wasn’t sure why exactly. He’d started playing the guitar after growing over his sickness. He’d tried the saxophone before that when he was younger, but his frequent fevers made it difficult to keep up. To learn an instrument you had to practice daily, and that hadn’t worked out.

He’d started playing guitar at fourteen and he’d written lots of songs, most of which he’d discarded. He never believed they were any good, and he wasn’t very good at singing. He’d practiced, of course, and he knew how to pitch his voice, but he just didn’t sound that good or interesting. He could be a decent back up vocalist, he guessed, but then he’d need to find someone to actually sing his songs.

‘Really?’ Alastair asked. ‘What kind of songs?’

‘Oh, all sorts. Ballads, sad songs mostly, I guess. Love songs too. I’ve never told anyone before. They’re not good or anything.’

He remembered he’d written a very sappy, hopeless pining song not long after meeting Alastair. He was glad there was no remaining evidence of that ever happening, it was exactly the kind of thing Eugenia would use as blackmail. Which he guessed was why he’d never told Eugenia about his songs.

They reached the island in the middle of the lake, and sat down in the shallow water, a comfortable place to rest for a bit and talk. He could tell Alastair was getting tired, swimming was very different from walking or running and Alastair wasn’t used to it. Perhaps it was hard on his shoulder too.

‘You told no one? Really? Why?’ Alastair asked.

‘As I said, they’re not any good,’ Thomas admitted. ‘And I can’t sing well.’

‘Maybe I could sing them for you,’ Alastair said. ‘Although it’s been a while since I’ve really sung.’

‘You sing?’ Thomas asked. He wondered what Alastair’s voice would sound like when he sung.

‘I used to,’ Alastair said. ‘I played the piano too, growing up, but I haven’t played in years.’

‘Why did you stop?’ Thomas asked.

Alastair sighed. ‘I couldn’t find joy in playing music anymore. In anything really. Although I did listen to music a lot, and I do sing along occasionally. But apart from that… I just couldn’t bring myself to play anymore, it hurt too much. I wanted to get back to it, but so far I haven’t found that joy.’

That sounded sad. Would Thomas’ songs be able to cheer him up? Probably not, they were terrible. He would need some good music to play or sing to get back into it, not his hopeless attempts at song writing.

‘I hope you can,’ Thomas said. ‘I can’t imagine what it’s like to not be able to enjoy the things you used to.’

‘Well, sometimes interests change,’ Alastair said. ‘I’ve had a lot of odd interests that changed. But in this case… I want to be able to feel the joy I once felt. I want to play, and sing your songs and feel like myself again.’

Thomas wasn’t sure how comfortable he was with sharing any of his work, but if it would help Alastair then he would let him sing all of his songs.

‘Could you sing something? Now, I mean. If you want to, you don’t have to. I’m just really curious what you sound like.’

Thomas started rambling again, and Alastair silenced him by beginning to sing. The song would definitely sound better with accompanied by a guitar, but even on its own Alastair’s voice was beautiful. It was a bit lower than his speaking voice, but he seemed to have quite a range. Gentle, but firm and when he got farther into the song Thomas realized there was a lot of power behind Alastair’s voice. It was a romantic song he was singing, did this describe how Alastair felt about him? He didn’t catch everything, but some of the lyrics stuck with him.

Never opened myself this way.

Life is ours, we live it our way.

All these words I don’t just say

And nothing else matters

‘Trust I seek, and I find in you,’ Thomas repeated. ‘That sounds beautiful.’

Alastair smiled. ‘I do find trust in you. Even if it is something I still find difficult. I’m trying.’

‘What song is that?’ Thomas asked.

Alastair stared at him in shock. ‘You mean to tell me you don’t know this song? You can’t be serious.’

‘It sounds vaguely familiar, but I can’t name it,’ Thomas said. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘It’s Nothing else Matters by Metallica,’ Alastair said.

‘That does sounds familiar,’ Thomas admitted. ‘I’ve never listened much to Metallica.’

‘You should, their music is very good, and it’s very melodic for a metal band. That’s what I like the most, when music is both heavy and melodic.’

‘What other music do you like?’ Thomas asked.

‘Breaking Benjamin must be one of my favorite bands. You probably haven’t heard of them, they’re not very famous. They’re probably best described as alternative metal. Very angst heavy lyrics, things I can relate to. And I like Metallica, Skillet, Three Days Grace. Within Temptation and Nightwish occasionally. What do you listen to?’

‘I like Green Day,’ Thomas said. ‘And As It Is, which you might not know because they’re not very well known, but they’re a pop punk band.’

‘I don’t know As it Is. I do know Green Day though. I’ve always liked Boulevard of Broken Dreams.’

‘Me too,’ Thomas said. ‘But 21 guns is my favorite from Green Day.’

They talked some more about music, and Thomas made a note to listen to some of Alastair’s favorite songs when they got back. He hadn’t had the time or inspiration to write songs lately, with everything happening, but he wanted to write something for Alastair. If he ever found the time in between trying not to die.

Truth to be told, Thomas found it difficult to have people worry about him so much, risk themselves for his sake. He didn’t want to die and was grateful he had people who were willing to help him, but he hated how all this was because of him. He hated being taken care of, being someone’s burden. It was something Thomas had always struggled with. When his mother had quit her job because Thomas was sick so often it wasn’t doable for both his parents to work. Since his mother was a primary school teacher, it had made sense for her to quit working as his father made more money and worked more hours. When his sisters would come straight home after school to keep him company rather than spend time with their own friends. When his father would come home early as often as he could, passing on opportunities at work.

It wasn’t just that the amount of attention could be suffocating, it was because he didn’t want to be difficult, he didn’t want other people to change their life, their habits for him. But as a sick child, he’d had no choice but to let people take care of him. Everyone had had to adapt to his sickness and even in a loving family such as his own, it wasn’t easy to have a child who was ill so often. Sometimes Thomas feared he’d taken up too much attention and had taken that away from Barbara and Eugenia.

‘You’re thinking of something,’ Alastair said. ‘Something that is bothering you.’

‘It’s nothing,’ Thomas said.

It wouldn’t be fair to complain about his childhood to Alastair. Compared to what he had been through, Thomas had wanted for nothing.

‘It’s not nothing,’ Alastair said. ‘I can tell when you tense up, when you’re thinking of something hurtful. Is it something I did?’

‘No. You didn’t do anything wrong.’ Thomas brushed his hand across Alastair’s cheek. ‘You’re perfect.’

‘Then what is it?’ Alastair looked away. ‘Look, I know how difficult it is to talk about how you feel, how vulnerable it makes you feel. But I can tell when things are bothering you, I know when people are upset. If you don’t want to share, at least tell me you’d rather not talk about it. Because people always like to pretend they’re fine but they’re not and…’

Alastair didn’t finish his sentence, he seemed upset too now. Thomas felt horrible. He didn’t want Alastair to worry, he didn’t want to hurt him. It made sense Alastair could read people well. Thomas had always been good at reading people’s body language, but Alastair had had to deal with his father’s changing moods, anticipating them had to be how he’d survived. Of course people’s bad moods were stressful for him, because Alastair had learnt he’d get hurt when other people were stressed.

Perhaps it was better to tell, that might set Alastair’s mind at ease. Even if it was difficult, even if he did not quite understand why he felt this way.

‘I was thinking about how you’re all risking your life for me, and I find that difficult. I’ve never wanted to trouble others, I’ve never wanted to be a burden. But I also know I cannot do this without help. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you or to Cordelia or Lucie because of me.’

Alastair put his hand on Thomas’ cheek, wet from the lake water.

‘I understand. But none of this is your fault, Tom, and you’re not a burden.’

‘I’ve always felt like a burden,’ Thomas said softly. ‘I always needed to be taken care of because I was sick.’

‘Is it a burden when the people caring for you love you and gladly care for you?’ Alastair asked.

‘I don’t know,’ Thomas said. ‘With James and Matthew, I was so glad to find friends, people my own age. But James’ mother and Matthew’s mother are my mother’s best friends, so we already knew each other from a young age. We were very close when I was still a child and they would come by to keep me company when I was sick. I am grateful, but they learnt I needed to be protected and when I grew over my sickness, Matthew still believed I was meek and dependent and needed to be rescued from you. James wasn’t as bad, he never noticed I liked you because he was always reading. I think the reason we drifted apart a bit is because of that. I never dared tell them how I felt about you, and I don’t think they would have reacted well. And again, I feared my feelings would make me a burden. That was less of an issue with Lucie, so I think that’s why I’m now closer to her. It was never a problem to tell her I liked you, and that’s why she was the first person I told.’

‘I didn’t realize you’d drifted apart from them. At school, it was always the three of you,’ Alastair said.

‘True, and I still care about them, I really do. But I think they’re closer to each other than to me, and that made me feel out of place at times. I still see them and spend time with them, and we text often, but not as much as we used to. But that’s fine, I think it was for the best. I still have plenty of people around me, enough friends, and we probably work better with a little more distance anyway.’

‘I didn’t realize, that’s all,’ Alastair said. ‘Sometimes change is for the best. How are James and Matthew anyway?’

‘I haven’t contacted them a lot with everything happening, and the last few days I haven’t been able to reach them. But I’m not yet sure what to say when I do call them. Do I tell them about us? Or about what’s going on? Do I tell my sisters? I do not want anyone else to come here and put themselves in danger.’

‘I have not yet decided what I will tell my mother either,’ Alastair said. ‘I did tell her I liked you, before I realized you liked me as well. But the past few days I haven’t been able to reach her, or Risa. Wait a moment, you said you couldn’t reach James and Matthew.’

‘Nor my sisters,’ Thomas said. ‘And my father said he was unable to reach uncle Gabriel. I don’t think uncle Will has had any success calling uncle Jem or your father either. Which is odd. You’d think out of all these people, at least someone would pick up a phone.’

‘Or perhaps that is part of what Tatiana is doing,’ Alastair said. ‘Isolating us so we cannot call anyone for help.’

Thomas tried to think that through. If he were in Tatiana’s shoes, he definitely wouldn’t want them to be able to contact uncle Gabriel and aunt Cecily. Nor uncle Jem, he guessed. Matthew and James were no threat to her, nor were his sisters, so he wasn’t sure why they were unable to contact them. Nor did he suspect Alastair’s mother was a threat. Perhaps it was simply easier to cut them off from everyone.

‘That makes sense,’ Thomas said. ‘But if we can’t call them, how far away from the town and the forest would we have to be if we were to reach people again?’ Thomas wasn’t so sure it would be that simple though.

‘I’m not sure,’ Alastair said. ‘Perhaps it’s like the land in between, except bigger. Perhaps something Tatiana did will not only cut off our ability to contact people who aren’t here, but will also prevent us from leaving.’ He paused. ‘I assumed there would be no point in leaving, because whatever is happening to you would simply follow you wherever you go. But perhaps Tatiana does need you here.’

Thomas wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He hadn’t considered running, didn’t think there would be a point to it. How could you run from a powerful being? But perhaps Alastair had a point and he was running from Tatiana. Perhaps that powerful being would simply take Jesse back if Tatiana failed, and that would be it. The thought brought no comfort. He would never want Jesse to suffer. None of this was his fault either.

‘It makes me wonder why that being picked Jesse over me,’ Thomas said. ‘It must have liked Tatiana a lot better than my parents, and I think when Jesse died Tatiana already knew what was happening. I think she assumed I would be the one to die, and when Jesse died and I didn’t, she got mad with my father.

But wouldn’t it have made more sense to take me instead of Jesse? Since Tatiana knew more about the deal, knew about the creature, knew how to barter with it?’

Alastair grimaced. ‘No. I think that is exactly why it chose Jesse. I don’t think the thief of souls intended to keep Jesse forever. If it had taken you, your parents would have been heart broken, they would grieve you, they would have sustained a wound that would never heal. But they would not have tried to get you back, not at the cost of someone else’s life.

Tatiana, on the other hand, would do anything for her son, and seems to hate everyone else. It doesn’t matter to her that lots of people will die, souls forfeit, as long as she can have her son back. She knew what was going on, what would happen to her son. Perhaps she tried to appease it, to make sure you would be chosen and not Jesse. But that’s exactly why it chose Jesse. Because with Jesse dead, Tatiana would do anything to bring him back, and she would exchange your life for Jesse. And the thief of souls could have asked her for anything it wanted, anything else she would realistically be able to give her.’

Thomas stared at Alastair. Everything he said made perfect sense. He had been looking at this from the wrong angle, from his own perspective of someone who made decisions based on emotion, based on his love for the people around him. But the thief of souls wasn’t like that, he didn’t care for Tatiana just because she liked him better than his father did. He saw her as a tool he could use. He played a strategic game and souls were the prize.

‘Why now, though?’ Thomas asked. ‘Jesse has been dead for years. If Tatiana already knew what was happening, wouldn’t she have gotten him back sooner?’

‘I think the thief of souls must have demanded much from her,’ Alastair said. ‘He could ask for anything. Do any of you know what she’s been up to the past years?’

‘She moved away from London, left her house in a state of disrepair,’ Thomas said. ‘My grandfather was incredibly rich and Tatiana inherited lots of money, so she could afford to just move around and leave her father’s house.’

Thomas knew his father and uncle Gabriel had often wondered what to do with the money inherited from their father, money he’d earned through dark deals and exploitation. Money none of them deserved. But for uncle Gabriel and aunt Cecily the money had allowed them to hunt the supernatural, stop people like Benedict, since such line of work wasn’t exactly paid. His father had donated some of the money, but for them it had been convenient too since his illness meant he always needed someone around to take care of him.

‘Meaning, you don’t know where she’s been?’ Alastair asked. ‘I can’t imagine having so much money that you can just leave an entire house for several years without selling it. Honestly that should be illegal, considering how difficult it is for some people to even find a place to live.’

‘It was her father’s manor, had been in the family for a long time,’ Thomas said. ‘I don’t think she could have even considered selling it, it was very important to Benedict. But no, we don’t know where she’s been. My father and uncle Gabriel did try to reach out to her occasionally. At the very least they called her on her birthday, but she never picked up.’

‘So these past years, maybe she had to complete other tasks first, offer him other souls, anything he could have wanted. And at some point she must have captured Grace, which I imagine made completing his requests a lot easier.’

‘How long do you think Grace has been her prisoner?’ Thomas wondered. ‘I assumed it was a recent thing, what if she’s been with Tatiana for years?’

‘No idea,’ Alastair said. ‘Perhaps capturing Grace is what finally allowed her to win enough favor to get back Jesse’s soul. Whatever he wanted from her, it must have been easier with a siren under her control. But I think there’s still more she must do to bring him back to life. Perhaps that child that drowned was part of it too.’

‘And when Jesse lives, I die,’ Thomas concluded.

Thomas had no idea how to fix this. How to survive without sacrificing Jesse. He knew Lucie and Cordelia wanted to kill the thief of souls, but they didn’t even know what it was. Their attention had to be on Grace right now, if anyone knew more of Tatiana’s plans it had to be her.

‘We’ll get Grace’ skin,’ Alastair promised. ‘Tomorrow. And when she is free, she can tell us all she knows of Tatiana. There must be so much Grace knows.’

‘Will you be alright?’ Thomas said. ‘After this morning… will you feel up to it? I can’t imagine how exhausting that must have been. It’s fine if you need more rest.’

‘I hope so, but if not I can function pretty well while tired. At some point you get used to it. I have good days and bad days. Today was not so good, you’re right that I’m still very tired from this morning. Such breakdowns are always exhausting, that is not something I’ve gotten used to. I would go to sleep early, maybe take some melatonin, but I’ll only have nightmares. And we don’t have the kind of time to wait for me to recover from this morning, I’ll have to do with how I function tomorrow morning.’

Thomas considered for a moment, turning a little red before looking Alastair in the eyes. Thomas had always found Alastair’s eyes beautiful, big and so dark it was difficult to tell apart the iris and the pupil. He’d never quite understood the way people obsessed over blue or green eyes, described as sapphires and emeralds in many of Lucie’s books. Green and blue eyes didn’t even look like that. Light eyes might be less common than brown eyes, but Thomas had always found dark brown eyes combined with dark hair like Alastair’s far more striking.

‘Maybe I could sleep over,’ Thomas suggested. ‘I mean, do you think that would help?’

‘I don’t know if it would help with my nightmares, but I would certainly like it if you stayed with me,’ Alastair said. ‘I like to cuddle. It is very nice when you hold me, sensory wise. So, where are we sleeping? I think my bed is bigger, we could easily both fit in there.’

Thomas wondered what Alastair meant with that it was nice, sensory wise. It sounded like something Lucie, who was autistic, might say, but Alastair had not mentioned such a thing, had he?

‘Alright, then I’ll sleep over at your place,’ Thomas said. ‘And I’ll cuddle with you as much as you want. And when you have a nightmare, I’ll be there to remind you that you’re safe.’

#Thomas Lightwood #Alastair Carstairs #Lucie Herondale #Cordelia Carstairs #Thomastair #Lucelia #fanfiction #the last hours #tlh

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cathrrrine · 3 years ago

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RUN | Pietro x Reader

Originally from my Wattpad

CHAPTER 18: SAFE HOUSE

—

A/N: I hope you guys like this one ! I just wanted to add a little bit of fluff after all that angst-fest. Happy reading my loves! :)

———

"Enigma." I mumbled, the strange woozy feeling in my chest expanding as I shifted in my car seat to turn to Pietro.

"What?"

"I figured it out. I'm your enigma. Everyone has one." There was a lightness to my words as I said them and oddly enough, I didn't really mind. "You said you couldn't figure me out, therefore I'm your enigma."

I could see his hands on the wheel tighten just a little bit. The whole car ride, I'd been observing him. I just couldn't get his words out of my head.

You're driving me crazy, Y/N.

My head felt like it was about to explode by the sheer amount of force it took for me to figure out what he really meant. I felt...perplexed. I was wracking my entire brain out by trying to decipher the whole point of our previous conversation. Why did I drive him crazy? Why did he feel the need to tell me that?

Why did I feel like I should trust him?

"My enigma?" He scoffed, throwing a playful, cocky look my way. "You are nothing close to anything I'd call mine."

I rolled my eyes, "You know, it's no wonder you've got a head full of grey hair, you grouch."

"Hey!" He gasped, genuinely shocked at my comment. "I am most definitely not a grouch."

His accent made his reaction much better than I could've imagined. The way he rolled his R's made me laugh a little, so I copied it just for kicks, the letter teetering on the edge of my tongue. "Yep, a grouch would most definitely say that."

I scanned his face for any signs of annoyance, waiting to see if my words left any impression on him. Instead, I saw his expression grow heavier. I'd miss it if I blinked, but I swore I saw a flash of that same expression he wore when he confronted me before in my cell. Seriously, I have got to figure him out, and soon. Before I'm too vulnerable.

"We're here."

I turned around, looking out of the window to see the building I'd been dreading to return to. My heart felt like it had been dipped in acid and encased in lead. Suddenly, I knew why Pietro grew quiet.

Getting out of the facility had been fun, exhilarating almost. Steve had helped me escape just as he promised and left me with Pietro in the garage, handing him the car keys and giving him strict instructions to drive away while remaining incognito.

Pietro had a dazed look on his face then, part-confusion and part-anxiety, but I knew that we had one thing in similar; roguery in our veins. Pietro is a little troublemaker, I had mused as I eyed his way-too-giddy movements. He had no trouble following his Captain's orders, he was eager almost.

I told Steve that we could hide in an old safe house of mine, a tiny studio located somewhere in a sketchy town that was close to the facility so it was reachable by car, but far enough so that it wouldn't be a problem if any of his teammates were to come looking. At least we'd have enough time to escape if they did.

The last time I'd been here had been 2 years ago. Back when I thought I was still running from The Winter Soldier. Everything the Captain had revealed to me made me want to throw up. How else were you supposed to feel when someone told you that you'd been running and hiding for years, from a ghost? I felt like I'd been on an unprompted wild goose chase, except that instead of chasing the 'goose', I'd been chased by it. What a joke.

"You alright?"

Pietro raised an eyebrow, nothing but that disgusting kindness in his eyes. I wanted to strangle him right then and there. Was he offering me pity?

I threw him a half-hearted scowl, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I'm just asking. This can't be easy for you, no?"

His words hit me like a truck, and the realisation that he wasn't offering me pity, but simply just inquiring, soon came after. It was an odd question to be asked. I'd rarely been offered that luxury, of someone caring enough to ask if you were alright or not. It felt weird to be on the receiving end of that kind of sincerity, something I thought only existed out of my own realm. Yet here I was, trying to figure out the answer to his question.

I shook my head in an effort clear my thoughts, sort of like an etch-a-sketch. "I've been through worse."

We entered the building quietly, ignoring the looks thrown our way from a few bystanders. It was a rather rundown building, just as I had remembered it to be. I'd never made company with any of the people who live here, because how could I have? What kind of shit assassin would do that?

"They must not be used to new faces, huh?" Pietro tried—and failed—to ignore the man eyeing us from our right, clearly uncomfortable with the unwanted staring.

"I'd assume not. It's a pretty small town."

Pietro cleared his throat, "I see."

He looked a little uneasy, shifting from foot to foot. I followed his line of gaze and oh my god, the man was still staring.

"What the fuck are you looking at?" I snarled. He scurried away immediately, eyes averting from us either in shock or in fear. Though it was most likely the latter, considering the way he kept looking back with wild eyes to see if we would chase him down.

I turned back to my speedster companion, and sure enough, he looked much better than he did before. "It's fine, he's just a creep."

He nodded, "I was never fond of creeps."

We climbed up the flight of stairs that lead to the studio apartment, silent the whole way up with Pietro taking in his surroundings and with me being a bit preoccupied with the thoughts swimming in my head. Memories from my past kicked in violently, and I tried to swallow them down.

"Is this it?" He said as I stopped in front of a tattered door with the number 42 on top of it, pointing to it with his right hand.

"Yep." I walked closer to the door, reaching up to the number 4 and trying to detach it from the wall. Apparently though, it was too high for me, sitting just at the tip of my fingers. Either someone had moved it higher, or I'd grown shorter since

Heels. I'd worn my goddamn heels when I last set this thing up. I'd have slapped myself by now if my hands weren't occupied.

Annoyed, I groaned and stood on the tip of my toes. Just a bit more.

"Here."

My breath caught in my throat as I felt his voice reverberating through his chest which was now level to my head. Pietro came up behind me with his taller stature, his height enabling him to reach for the 4 in less than a second, his hand brushing against mine in the process. I blinked, hard, trying to steady myself and grab hold of my thoughts. I felt my face grow hot, warmth spreading through my skin like fire.

I tried not to make it obvious, how much his skin contact had bothered me. I felt stupid for making such a big deal out of it, and even more so that it was caused by him. What the hell? My throat felt tight, so I cleared it with a cough and put on a neutral expression seamlessly.

He backed away as soon as he grabbed hold of the number, twirling it around his fingers with a playful, lopsided smile. Holy shit, I want to rip it off his face. Just punch the living shit out of him.

"Hmm, maybe you're not that useless after all." I scoffed.

He grinned, "Well, if the grouch hadn't been here, it would've taken you all day to reach for this thing."

"Huh, so you admit you are a grouch."

"I didn't—Whatever you say, gnome."

"Wow, look at you." I snickered. "Practicing sarcasm are we? Pray, do tell, was I your inspiration?"

He shook his head in defeat, then he flipped the 4 over, eyebrows meeting in the middle. "What is this anyway? Some sort of secret hidden in here?"

Classic topic changer.

"Yes," I snatched the sign from him. "A very important secret actually."

I turned the thing around and pressed hard on the back of the long vertical line with my nails, breaking the plastic cover. It gave in with a little bit of pressure, and I dug my fingers in to pull out the slender, metal object that I had hidden 2 years ago.

"Ah. The key." Pietro looked impressed.

"Smart, isn't it? It's an old trick that I stole from a woman in Amsterdam."

He moved closer, and I felt myself flinching a little, afraid my body would have the same reaction that it did just a few seconds ago. Luckily, he didn't notice how distressed I was.

"Why bother though, if you weren't going to keep the key with you? Why not just kick down the door or climb in through a window or something?"

There he goes again, with his perpetual rambling.

"We're 4 floors up idiot, climbing in through the window is too risky, people might see and I might fall and die, which is not very ideal, in case you haven't figured that out yet." I inserted the key into the lock and twisted it, hearing the clack of the latch and bolts as they moved.

"Plus, I just did it for fun. I never even knew if I'd come back here or if this building would even still be intact by the time that I did."

He didn't take up the trouble to reply, or even if he did, I didn't hear him. The moment the door opened and I stepped foot inside the room, I was immersed in the haze of my past. A version of my life that was drastically different to the one I had now.

My emotions were all over the place.

A cloud of dust covered the room from years of vacancy, our shoes creating imprints onto the floor. I was surprised no one had broken in for the whole 2 years. Somewhere in the back of my head though, the memory of me threatening the landlord popped up.

"If I come back and I find out that my house got fucked up, I won't hesitate to drive this knife through your chest."

It's a wonder how far a knife and few sharp words could get you.

"Looks like it needs a bit of vacuuming, just a bit. But that's just my opinion."

I fumbled around for something hard and chucked it at Pietro's head with full force, earning an 'Ow!' immediately after.

"What was that for?"

"I've been meaning to throw something at you for a while now." I shrugged, then continued to explore my previous home even further.

It was exactly as I left it, minus the accumulated bits of dirt and the herd of dust bunnies. I walked to the small kitchen space, opening the cabinets and finding the slightly dented kettle and the 2 mugs I had kept there, untouched. Then I fished around the drawer beneath it and eventually found the box of—hopefully unexpired—tea packets and some Sweet'N Low's.

My fingers clasped around the faucet knob and turned, waiting for a good minute for running water. "Come on, come on..."

After some violent sputtering and grumbling from the sink, out came the water flow. Yes! I cheered mentally.

Then I turned to the silver-haired grouch, gesturing to the tea packets I held between my fingers. "Care for some tea?"

He shrugged, "Only if you won't poison me."

taglist: @ifilwtmfc

#run pietro x reader #pietro x y/n #pietro maximoff imagine #pietro maximoff #i want this slow burn to end already oh my god #marvel #marvel female reader insert #slow burn enemies to lovers #mcu imagines #avengers age of ultron #marvel reader insert

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padme-parker · 4 years ago

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Collide / Anakin Skywalker x Reader (Chapter 6)

[a Star Wars x Avengers crossover]

Summary: You go to Onderon and meet someone you’ve been longing to see. Another call to home ensues and hearts get broken.

Warnings: angst, maybe cursing, I can’t think of anything else. oh and bad plot lmao

WC: 4.0k

A/N: this isn’t proof read so it might be scuffed.

read chapter 5 here

C O R U S C A N T

After the nightmares began, Anakin was rarely around, only making you more susceptible to the dark side. You truly did want to tell him about what had been keeping you up at night, but how were you going to contact him when he was never around and the connection the two of you shared was seemingly cut off? You weren’t able to feel his emotions nor feel his presence. It was as if he had blocked you off, almost like he was dead, but he wasn’t. You knew that he went on more campaigns as he was barely spending time in the temple, wanting to stay as far away from you. And if the two of you ever were in the same room by sheer luck, he pretended that you didn’t exist.

On days where both Anakin and Obi Wan were gone, you trained with a girl named Xin. In a way, she reminded you of the mandalorian Sabine: intelligent, strong, and creative. She was skilled with her lightsaber, but also greatly skilled in hand to hand combat, making her an excellent training partner. When all three of them were gone, you spent time learning binary after shortly being gifted a droid. R2-KT, or Kaytee as you liked to call her, accompanied you on your walks around the Jedi temple, often telling you random facts about it or Coruscant.

As time passed, you noticed how the council became weary of your presence. After noticing the color of your saber, which wasn’t hard to miss, the Jedi Masters seemed to focus their attention on you whenever you were in the room with them. You would have liked to believe that you had begun to earn their trust, but you understood their cautiousness towards you. Hell, you would’ve probably reacted the same way if someone came to Earth using a big stone hidden in the middle of nowhere claiming that the fate of the universe rested in their hands.

The halls of the temple were empty- excluding the sentinels- as you roamed around with Kaytee at your side. It was still so surreal being in the Jedi temple. Six months ago you were on Earth, spending time with your family. It seemed so long ago since you were first introduced to Star Wars.

You were foreign to the concept of bonding, spending time with your peers. After spending almost 17 years in foster care, you learned to not attach yourself. To become cold, detached, and observant of your surroundings. With your arrival to the tower, it became a shock to you when you found out that the team spent time together willingly. Some nights they played games like Uno and Cards Against Humanity. You would always sit in the corner and watch them, not comfortable enough to be engaging with them in such a way like that. On the nights where they watched movies, you would always sit in the furthest seat away from the group. It stayed like that until Peter started coming to the bonding nights.

Due to the fact that he was still young, he stayed with his Aunt May. Only coming to the tower to help Tony with his projects. So it was a surprise to see him there, but you couldn’t help feel more comfortable knowing that someone else your age was there.

“So, what’re we watching tonight?” He asked. The team let out a couple of groans, unsure of what they were getting into. “How about we watch Star Wars? I bet you those two grandpas haven’t seen it yet.”

“Hey! Watch it, Peter.” Steve said, putting his hand over his heart to feign hurt. All it took for him to apologize was one glance at Bucky. “Sorry Mister Winter- uhh James- Bucky-- no. Sir Barnes. And Steve.”

He goes to sit down, but before he does, he takes a survey of the room. He notices you sitting alone on the couch, “Hey, why don’t you come sit closer?” He asked. You shake your head, telling him that you were alright where you were. “What about you? Have you seen Star Wars?” You quickly shake your head, you see Peter’s eyes widen and he takes off to sit in the empty spot next to you.

“OMG. WHAT? How have you never seen the movies?”

“Not everyone has the privilege to have a normal childhood. I just so happened to be one of those kids.” You informed him.

“Right, sorry.” He apologized, his hand awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. “I’m sure you’ll love the movies though.”

Peter was right. After watching A New Hope, the team had retired to their respective rooms, but the two of you had stayed up all night finishing the movies. After watching all three trilogies, you had a new found obsession, especially for a certain Skywalker. Even though some people thought that Anakin was a bad character, and sure the script was really bad, you really did love him. So when he betrayed Obi Wan to save Padme, your heart couldn’t help but break. Poor man was so whipped for the pussy :( I guess you could call it to die for.

Although your time on Coruscant was limited, you did your best to enjoy it. The six months you had spent here so far had been a gift. The environment was truly mesmerizing, and you wanted to share it with Peter. You tried not to call him often, the time difference was just slightly confusing. While six months might’ve passed for you, it had only been a month for your family back home.

You were broken out of your reverie by the buzzing of your holocom, requesting your presence in the council room. Making your way into the room, you told Kaytee to wait by the doors. You stood in the middle of the room with your hands clasped behind your back, waiting for them to address you.

“Nice to see you it is.” Master yoda said. “A task for you, we have.”

A task? What could they possibly want you to do? There was no way they’d be sending you on a mission, they never did.

“We want you to travel to Onderon. They are celebrating their liberation from the separatists. I don’t know why but Anakin and Obi Wan would like for you to be present-” Before Mace can finish his sentence he is cut off.

“I believe what Master Windu is trying to say is that they would both like for you to experience what our galaxy has to offer.” Shaak Ti answered for him. “There will be other Jedi there too, but you will be traveling on your own.” She said. “Oh, and please keep in mind, this celebration is also being held in remembrance for Steela, their fallen leader.”

“Understood, may I leave now?” Master Yoda gave you a nod, allowing you to leave. You made your way to the hangar, Kaytee following close behind you. Well, it looks like it was time to see Anakin again.

O N D E R O N

Your journey to Onderon is short, but you take the time to fiddle with Kaytee. Cleaning her up to make her look presentable. Weeks after you were gifted the droid, you took the time to fix her up and reprogram her to your liking. With the touch of a button, you could make her record a hologram, send her your location, or gouge out someone's eye if needed. You truly did love your droid, and you thanked the stars that Stark taught you how to code, program, and build trinkets of your own.

Kaytee lands the ship with a heavy thud, “I know you're excited to see Artoo, but we need to be careful with this ship. It’s not ours.” You told her, and in return you get a series of apologetic beeps. The door opens with a hiss, you signal for Kaytee to follow you. Stepping off, you notice all of the other ships outside of Iziz. It was like all the entirety of the galactic senate was here, which you really didn’t doubt. You felt out of place in your Jedi robes. People were arriving in magnificent, mind blowing outfits. Gowns with tails that trailed far behind them and tuxes with flowy capes. This ball was going to have it all.

The bustle of the market only intensified with the oncomers. You had to make your way to the temple before you got distracted. By the time you reached the temple doors, the crowd lessened, or so you thought. Entering the temple, you were greeted at the sight of hundreds of people. You felt blood rush to your cheeks as people began to turn and stare at you. Screw the Jedi Council for not giving me a nice outfit to change into. Just as you were about to turn around and wander through the market, you heard your voice being called out. You tried to find where the sound was coming from, only to get confused and jolt your head around violently as if you were a loth cat.

“Alyra! Over here!.” Your feet began moving on their own accord. As if you were being drawn to a presence. You come to a screeching halt in front of.. Anakin, of course it's him. Why am I not surprised that the force has literally brought me to him? Along with Obi Wan, R2, and Padme. Oh my god, wait, it’s Padme. I could kiss her right now if I wanted to. But I won’t. That would be weird, won’t it. Kissing her in front of her husband, who is my-

“Alyra, are you alright?” Obi Wan asks, breaking you out of your internal ramble.

“Yeah, I was just...trying to take all of this in. I’ve never seen anything like this.” You responded, pretending to look around the temple.

“It seems like you space out a lot.” He jokes, a smile on his face before he realizes no one else is laughing. He rolls his eyes before continuing, “Anyways, welcome to Onderon. This is my good friend, Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo.” He turns to face her while he introduces you to her. You hold out a hand, expecting for her to shake it. Instead she walks up to you and takes you within her hold. She hugs you tightly, you can feel her protruding belly.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you! Anakin has talked a lot about you.” Both you and Obi Wan furrow your brows at the mention of Anakin speaking of you. Padme is quick to notice this and corrects herself, “I mean of what he’s mentioned to me about you today. Right, Ani?” She validates.

“Yeah, only good things though.” He testified, avoiding your gaze. It was weird that he was mentioning you to his pregnant wife, what was there to talk about? Not to mention the fact that he had been avoiding your presence for months now.

You squinted your eyes at him, “I could only hope so, seeing as though we haven’t spoken in awhile.” you accused. What in the world is he up to now?

You can practically see the gears turning in his head as he tries to come up with a comeback, before he can utter a word, he’s interrupted by Padme.

“C’mon, let’s go to your room and get you changed.” Once again, you furrow your brows.

“Changed, what do you mean changed?” You ask her.

“What, did you think I’d just let you roam around the ball in those ugly Jedi robes? Come, I’ll let you borrow one of my dresses.” She drags you away by the arm, Anakin and Obi Wan shouting at her. Something about Jedi robes not being ugly, you couldn’t really hear with Padme’s giggles silencing them. Kaytee let’s out a giggle of her own as she follows you, Artoo’s personality rubbing off on her.

Padmé all but practically throws you onto your bed as she ushers one of her handmaidens, Teckla, to bring the dresses into your room. Teckla wheels in a rack filled with elegant looking dresses, along with a bunch of different heels. All looking like they could snap your ankle in half if you walked the wrong way. The first dress she hands you is body conforming up until it reaches your knees, from there it fans out creating a mermaid gown effect. While the dress itself was very beautiful, you thought of it to be too plain for an event like this. You and Padme both share a look before agreeing that this was in fact not the dress.

However, the next dress she hands you is a proper ball gown. You slip it on, taken aback by how heavy the dress was. She walks up behind you to tighten the corset of the gown. She does her best to tighten it up without hurting you, but you can’t help let out a wheeze as she gets closer to tying it off.

“Sorry, as much as I love this dress, I also hate it. I’m so glad I’m pregnant so I don’t have to feel it stabbing me at every given chance.” She said, breaking the silence.

“How many months are you?” You asked.

“I’m six months along now, almost seven.” She finishes tying up the corset before stepping aside. “What do you think?”

“Well, it certainly is fit for an event like this and I do think it’s beautiful. But it’s crushing me with every breath I take. I feel like if I sit down, I won’t be able to get back up.”

“Right, well I can fix that.” This time she takes her time picking out the next dress. She lets her fingers brush across the different fabrics, stopping at one that caught her eye. “Here, try this one!” She suggests. By the look on her face, you can already tell that this is the one. The dress is flowy and soft looking. You step into the dress, pleased to find yourself correct. It feels like you have nothing on. Padme helps you zip the dress up, along with clasping together the leather pieces. The light blue tulle layered over the dark blue, almost purple material complimented your skin tone. The dress had a deep v-neck, showing off your cleavage. Right below your collarbone laid a strap of leather, connecting to either side of your thick shoulder straps. From those straps, a thin piece of tulle was stitched on, giving you two separate mini capes for your arms. Aside from a strap of leather covering your spine, the dress is completely backless. It feels like you could go frolicking in this dress. Who am I kidding, Padme probably went frolicking in this dress with Anakin.

“So, what do you think?” Her tone is hushed, as if she was trying to figure out whether you hated or loved the dress.

“It’s beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.” You respond. “Kaytee, what do you reckon?” The droid let’s out a series of delights beeps, showing her contentment towards the dress.

“Great!” Padmé says before ushering you into a chair. “Now, we're going to do your hair and makeup. So sit still.” For once in your life, you shut up and sit still, allowing Padme to work her magic.

“Do you know the gender?” You asked, your question breaking the silence, and while the atmosphere wasn’t exactly awkward, it wasn’t comfortable either.

“Oh no, I’d rather not. It’s not like it matters to me anyways. As long as my child is happy and healthy, then so am I. But it’s ironic because I haven’t been to a check up yet.” Padme gently pulls your hair back, leaving two pieces in the front to frame your face. It was simple, not taking any attention away from the dress.

No check up? Maybe that’s why Padme didn’t know she was having twins. “So you haven’t seen a doctor or a medical droid yet?” Your eyes follow her as she pulls makeup out of her bag, her collection vast.

“No, not really. I don’t have very much time to myself due to the fact that I’m a part of the senate. But I do my best to make sure I stay healthy for my baby and me. I also just want it to be a surprise.” Padme finds a foundation shade similar to your skin tone and blends it in.

“What if you have twins? What will you do then?” You probably weren’t supposed to be asking her questions like these, but you couldn’t help it. Maybe you should’ve asked why she had so much makeup instead.

“Well..” She sighed while blotting powder all over your face. “..I suppose if it happens, then it happens. It’s the will of the force.” She finishes powdering your face before moving to your eyebrows. Padme takes an angled brow brush and begins to fill them in, giving it a naturally fuller look.

“So, you believe in the force?”

“How could I not? I work so closely with the Jedi, I’ve seen what you guys have done. The father is very close friends with the Jedi.” Padme said, implying that the father was in fact a Jedi. It felt like you were intruding, but then again, you weren’t necessarily forcing her to tell you this. You had only met her moments ago and she already trusted you enough with her secrets.

“Really? I thought the Jedi weren’t allowed to form attachments?”

“Oh… we weren’t really together. It was sort of a one night thing. But he’s going to be in the child’s life.” She covered up.

The conversation went on like that for a while before Padme announced that she was finished with you. After finishing your makeup and adding some finishing touches to your hair, she finally stepped aside, letting you see yourself in the mirror.

The second you saw yourself, your mouth fell open in shock. You looked absolutely ethereal. Padme kept your makeup very natural to bring out your features. She also added small, white flowers into your hair. You excitedly thanked her and got up to hug her as a way to show your gratitude.

“Shall we get going now?” She offered

“Oh, if it was alright with you, I was going to stay behind. I have to contact somebody.” You asked

“Of course, I’ll see you later then.” She said before gathering all of her belongings and leaving with Teckla. As Padme arrives, Anakin notices that you weren’t with her.

“Where’s Alyra?” He asked her, eager to see what she would look like out of her Jedi robes.

“She said she had to talk to someone.”

Meanwhile, in your room you were getting ready to call Peter. Honestly, you had no idea if you had connection on Onderon, but you were about to find out. Taking off your necklace, you were pleased to see the green light, indicating that you were indeed connected to the bridge. You scroll through your contacts before finding Peter’s name. You hit the dial button and wait for it to connect.

E A R T H

Peter is sleeping when he gets a call, the bracelet on his left hand vibrating. He thinks nothing of it and almost declines the call. That is until he realizes it’s you calling on the bracelet he had designated just for you. He jumps up from his sleeping position and quickly answers your call. Peter can’t help but let out a gasp of awe the very second your face pops onto the hologram.

“What? Is there something on my face?” You move closer towards the camera and inspect your face, only to find no flaws.

“Nothing...it’s just been so long since I’ve seen you like this.”

“Like what?” Your eyebrows scrunch together, the confusion clear on your face.

“All… dolled up.” Peter’s response makes your face blush a hot red. You let out a shy laugh as your hand comes to rest at the back of your neck. He was right, it had been so long since you’ve felt this pretty. It felt good, for once you had felt good.

“Thanks, Pete. It feels good to be in something other than Jedi robes.”

“Not that I’m saying you can’t be dressed up like this, but exactly why are you so dressed up?” He pondered, he knew it wasn’t like the Jedi to go about their duties in exquisite gowns.

“I’m actually on Onderon.” You pan the camera towards the view outside of your window. “The Jedi have invited me to a celebration of Onderon’s liberation. But also in memory of Steela I believe. I really wish you were here with me. I still don’t understand why they couldn’t have sent both of us.”

“I miss you too, but you know I have a duty here on Earth.”

“Duty? So did I Peter!”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that. With me being Spiderman-”

“It’s not like they don’t have any other superheroes. I mean come on, admit it! You know more about Star Wars than I possibly could. You should be here with me.” You huff out before changing the subject, “Anyways, how are you? Did you end up fixing things with MJ?”

“I’m fine, but no, we didn’t. We both agreed that we’d be better off as friends. Besides I’ve already moved on.” He confessed, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. It’s now or never Peter, you’ve gotta tell her.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear about your split. But hopefully you and this new person will work out-”

“It’s you.” He says, abruptly cutting you off. Peter watches you tilt your head as your brows scrunch together again.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s you,” He repeats, taking a deep breath before speaking again, “It’s always been you. I didn’t realize it until you had left… I didn’t think I could miss someone so much.”

“Peter…. I don’t know what to say.” You uttered out,

“Please, say something- anything.” He begged, hoping he hadn’t just ruined years of friendship. Peter watches as you open and close your mouth, searching for the right words.

“...I can’t.” You say as you shake your head. “I can’t be with you, Peter.”

“Why? Is it because of my age? Come on, Y/N, I’m only two years younger than you.” He pleads

“It’s not that. You’re just not the right person for me, Peter. I know it in my very soul.”

“Oh yeah? And who is, Anakin?” He taunts, he can feel his eyes water as he watches you look away from him. “No freakin’ way. You’ve got to be kidding me.” Peter lets out a scoff.

“You’ve got to understand Pete, I love him. I really do.”

“NO! You don’t love him. You’re just obsessed with him. You think you can save him but you can’t! No one can! You can’t change his destiny.”

“What do you even know about love? You can’t tell me who I can and can’t love. It doesn’t work like that. You know nothing about it-”

“I LOVE YOU!” He screams, breaking the silence in his Queen’s apartment, surely waking up May. “Why isn’t that enough?” Peter watches as tears slowly stream down your face as he lets out a few of his own.

“I’ve got to see this out until the end, you know that Peter...I could only wish that it was enough, but it’s not. You’re like a brother to me, don’t do this to me. To our friendship...I’ve got to go now.”

“No, you don’t get to leave again-”

“I’m sorry, goodbye, Peter.” You end the call and Peter is left staring at the wall, mouth hung open in shock. He couldn’t believe this just happened to him. He faintly makes out the sound of Aunt May knocking on his door.

Without waiting for a response, she cracks open his door. She takes notice of the tears falling off of his face and closes her mouth. Aunt May is silent as she makes her way across his room, holding her arms out for him. Peter gratuitously accepts her embrace, his sobs muffled by her clothes.

No words are spoken as Peter cries his heart out, never in a million years did he think you’d be the one to break him.

collide tags: @deepcollectionmagazine @amesstm @haileyybird

#star wars #anakin #Anakin Skywalker #anakin skywalker x reader #anakin skywalker x you #Anakin Skywalker x Padme Amidala #anakin skywalker fanfic #Padme Amidala #obi wan kenobi #marvel #mcu #marvel cinematic universe #peter parker x reader #Peter Parker x reader angst #unrequited love #its been so long #sorry lmao

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heynikkiyousofine · 4 years ago

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It’s a little late, but it’s still Sunday, so Chapter 2 is up and going, where we see Inuyasha and Kagome meet, but not the way you expect. Let me know what you think!

Taglist: @bitchywhisperswizard @sailorlolo @master2kboogaloo @enchantedink-ag @skelebeee @dukina @disneysooner @purplegirl152 @lifecolouredpurple @nerdfighteriac @julyzaa @kokomiapologist Like to be added to my tag list ☺️

Love and Flowers Chapter 2

Inuyasha gritted his teeth as the chilled November air hit his sensitive nose and shoved his hands into his pockets to stay a bit warmer, tugging the jacket around himself for warmth. His idea to walk to lunch sounded like a good idea until he realized how cold it was outside. Fall was heading into winter fast, he mused as he laid his ears down under his black beanie when another gust of air breezed past him. Feeling his phone vibrate in his back pocket, he decided he was close enough to the cafe where he was meeting Miroku, he could wait to answer it. He wanted to think more about this soulmate mark situation. It wasn’t exactly something he could hide, he knew that for sure, especially in the arena. But what about the other person? Would they want a hanyou for a soulmate? Why did he get a mark? It wasn’t like they were common anymore, most people deciding that they would find the love of their life on their own instead of waiting for so called soulmate mark. He knew so little about, so talking to his dad later might help, might not. Picking up his pace, he was so engrossed in his own thoughts, he didn’t see the young woman until it was too late.

“Ahhhh!!” A loud shriek filled the air, causing Inuyasha to pin his ears even farther down. The young woman hadn’t even looked up at him, focused on the hot coffee now all over her cream blouse and plum scarf. “Oh great…” she muttered. “Uh, I’m really sorry. I should’ve paid better attention. Uh, are you, okay?” He stuttered, ashamed and afraid. “Oh!” Her grey eyes quickly looked at him, a small blush forming across her cheeks. “I’m okay, I promise. I’m always running into people, did I get any coffee on you?” Inuyasha just shook his head, not knowing what else to say, afraid she might become even more disgusted at him., while she continued to ramble on. “Well good, I’m glad. I’m sorry for running into you.” “You’re good. Uh, I need to get going. You gonna be good?” He asked a little more confidently, not looking away from her gaze just yet. Those eyes were something else, he thought, shaking his head quickly to focus on the situation at hand. “Oh yes! I’ll grab a shirt from my friend inside, thank you.” She smiled at him brightly, her grey eyes shimmering. Nodding, he quickly turned away and headed around the block when he felt his phone vibrate once again in pocket. Where did that thought earlier come from? I didn’t even know that woman. Pulling it out, assuming to be Miroku again, he swiped up on his screen to see a text from him dad. “Your mother would like to know if you want to come over for dinner?” Responding a quick yes, he noticed the other text was from Miroku, saying he was running five minutes late and to go ahead and grab a seat. Sliding his phone away, he turned the corner to the brick cafe, as the young woman behind him rushed back into the coffee shop, both forgetting about the other for now. After changing into an extra shirt Sango had at the coffee shop, Kagome exited the public bathroom just as her phone began to ring in her purse. Quickly pulling it out, she swiped across the screen when she saw her mother’s contact appear. “Hey mama! What’s up?” She smiled to herself, always loving her conversations with the older woman. “Hello dear, I was wondering if you were still planning on coming over Saturday evening for dinner like usual?” “Yes! I’ll head over after my shift at the hospital, around 7, is that okay?” “Of course! Kagome? Is everything okay? You seem a bit frazzled.” Concern clear in her mother’s voice. Sighing a bit, Kagome began to tell her how she had yet again spilt coffee on her blouse while she was out running errands. Looking up as she finished her story, she saw Sango at the counter handing out drinks to customers, smiling. Waving quickly, mouthing a quick thank you to coffee shop owner, Kagome turned her attention back to her mother. “Oh my, well it’s a good thing you had extra clothing dear. Get to your errands, I’ll see in a few -“ “Mama?” Kagome interrupted before she hung up the phone. “Yes dear?” “Do you know anything about soulmate marks?” “The same stories you do, why do you ask?” Biting her lip, “Oh nothing, I was wondering a few things. Do you think Gramps has any books on the subject?” “I’m sure he does,” she began laughing quietly, “He has many folklores and legends in the shrine. Just ask him on Saturday.” “Thanks mama, I’ll see you Saturday.” Hanging up, Kagome signed, before wrapping her scarf around her neck again and waved goodbye, before heading out into he cold air once again. “Ah Inuyasha, thank you for waiting on me!” Miroku smiled at the grumpy hanyou as he settled in the seat across from him. “Should we go ahead and order, my friend?” “Yeah, yeah. How’s the wife and kids?” The silver haired man waved at him to go ahead as the waitress walked up. “They are good. The girls are turning three soon, of course, you’ll be invited to their party. Kin’u and Gyokuto asked about you this morning actually.” He responded, laughing heartily. The waitress returned with two steaming bowls, asked if they needed anything else and walked away, giving the two men some privacy. “Alright, alright. What did you wanna discuss?” Inuyasha asked as he began to dig into his ramen, while Miroku reached for his spoon. Ignoring the rudeness of his client, they began to discuss business details and Saturday’s upcoming fight against a certain wolf demon. “Koga’s gonna try and deter the fight isn’t he?” Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he asked. “Yes, he thinks he’s going to be beat you easily, since you’re a half-demon and all. He thinks this will be an easy win. You have been training correct?” “Yeah, Totosai’s been keep my training rigorous these days. The wolf’s got nothing on me.” “Good, good. Say, Inuyasha, when did you get a tattoo?” Looking up, golden eyes watched as indigo towards his neck, at the branches that had began to peek out from underneath the jacket. Quickly zipping his hoodie back up despite it being warm inside, he looked around to make sure no one heard their conversations, ears flicking beneath his beanie. Deciding it was safe, he leaned forward. “I got one a few days ago, it covers my back. I wanted to ask you about it. It won’t be a problem for Saturday will it?” “Not at all my friend, I was just curious.” Miroku responded quickly, his hands raising up, a mischievous smile spreading. “This won’t be a problem.” “Okay, I gotta go, lunch is on me. I’ll see you Saturday.” Inuyasha threw a couple of twenties on the table, slapping the grinning man’s shoulder as he headed towards the door. He headed south, towards his apartment, needing to change into something more acceptable before heading to his parents this evening. Kagome sighed as she once again stood in front of her mirror, after changing for the third time. She twirled around in her forest green dress, knowing she would just wear a sweater over it, but couldn’t figure anything to do with her hair. She decided wearing it down might be best, so she could cover the mark that was high up on her neck. Looking at herself, she couldn’t help but study her appearance. She didn’t think she was anything to look at. Her eyes were always an odd color, but had always attracted attention. So why did she get a soulmate mark? What was so special about her? It was almost time for her to leave to make it to dinner with her boyfriend. All day, she had managed to avoid his texts, saying she was busy with errands. She technically was, but she didn’t like lying to him. She had decided early this morning that she would straight up ask him about soulmate marks, if he had received on too. She liked the guy. Bankotsu was good to her, made her feel cherished. When he wasn’t flying as a pilot, he made sure he took her out on the town. She was afraid of how to break up with him if he didn’t have a mark, knowing how she felt inside. To her, love was passionate and meant to be. She saw love from her parents, before her father had died when she was young, in their actions and gentle smiles towards each other. She saw the love in Sango and Miroku expressions whenever they play fought or shared a special secret. She was hopeless romantic at an early age. Her high school boyfriend, Hojo, was sweet and caring, but she ultimately ended it with him because there was no passion in it. Heading off to nursing school, she had met Hiten, and had that fiery passion, losing herself to him many nights. In the end though, he only cared about her body, not her feelings and had reveled he slept with most of the dance squad while they were dating. Starting her most recent job at the local hospital, she met Bankotsu one night while he was in town at a bar with Sango and Miroku, they had been together on and off for a few years, Bankotsu never stepping forward with commitment. Kagome didn’t think she wanted to marry him. Maybe it was time to end things with him indefinitely anyways, soulmate mark or not. Sighing to herself, she slid into her black ballet flats before grabbing her purse, cashmere sweater and black scarf before heading out the door. Kagome reached the restaurant quickly, despite her taxi getting stuck in traffic. Reaching for brass handle, she saw Bankotsu inside, gathering herself, she stepped inside.

#inuyasha #inuyahsa #kagome #inukag #inukago #soulmate #soumateau #inuyasha au #new wip #wip #love and flowers #love #romance #eventual smut #happy ending

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zeppelin-and-unicorns · 4 years ago

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Black Peonies preview

A/N: This is the first chapter of the J/H soulmate AU fanfic I’ve been working on for a really long time. I do not plan on posting it on AO3 or ff.net for now, because I have yet to finish writing the last couple of chapters.

That being said, I hope you enjoy this sneak peek.

Trigger Warning: Explicit child abuse

Chapter one:

January, 1970

Steven Hyde walked through the dark streets of Point Place alone. Mr. Forman’s brother from Chicago got hurt, and the whole Forman clan went to see him for the weekend, which means that Hyde had nowhere to go.

He stayed with Kelso and Donna for a big chunk of the day, but Bob doesn’t like when Donna has boys over after it was dark out, so he and Kelso had to take off.

He walked Kelso to his home, because Hyde was not in a hurry to get to his own house. It was a Saturday, and Edna tends to go a little crazy on Saturdays, that’s why he would often sleep over at the Forman’s.

He was lucky Bob and Midge made them snacks too, because Edna rarely buys any food for the weekends. She tends to spend the little money they have on booze and drugs.

He spent as much time as possible walking around, trying to avoid going home to Edna, but there wasn’t much he could do, it was very cold outside, and he didn’t have a nice jacket to keep him warm, he needed to go home. It was trashy, but at least there was heat. He hoped Edna would be passed out by now, but he doubted, it was still early.

The minute he reached his block, he sighed. He could already hear the sounds of beer bottles clinking and the voices of his mom’s stoner friends, she definitely was not asleep, crap.

Someone threw a beer bottle at his direction, and the glass shattered all over the shitty pavement. He glanced at the direction the bottle came from, and saw his mother’s laughing figure sitting on the porch. Fucking fantastic.

“Home already, kiddo?” She asked, slurring with her words and blowing the smoke from the cigarette in her hand.

“It’s cold” He shrugged, and tried to get inside the house before his mother would start with her usual drunken ramblings, that usually ended up with her blaming him for her shitty life.

His mother grabbed his arm to stop him and he sighed in frustration.

“You couldn’t have stayed with your friend today?” She asked bitterly

“He’s outta town with his folks” He answered, hoping she would drop it and let him go to his room.

“It wasn’t enough for you to ruin my career, now you have to ruin my weekend too?” She said, puffing out another cloud of smoke

“Believe me, I wouldn’t be here if I had somewhere else to go” Hyde answered

“Aren’t you a smartass?” Edna taunted him, and laughed slyly.

“I want to go inside, it’s cold” Hyde said simply, if he learned something from all of his 11 miserable years with Edna, is that there was no use in arguing with her.

“I know something that will warm you up in a second” She slurred out and laughed, forcefully grabbing his right hand on her bony fingers and putting out her cigarette on his skin.

He felt his skin burning and tried to pull his hand off her tight grip, the pain brought tears into his eyes and it was almost unbearable. But she held on tighter, pressing the burnt stub onto his skin as she laughed.

"Tears?" Edna mocked at the sight of Hyde's teary eyes "Aren't you supposed to be a tough guy?"

He held himself back. He wanted to tell her to fuck off so badly, but he knew better. If he did, he would have to spend the night wandering the streets, and he wasn't in the mood to freeze to death.

She flicked the bud onto the snow, and finally let go of his hand. The pain didn't go away though, in fact, it got worse. He thanked a God he wasn't so sure he believed in for making Wisconsin winters so cold. He would be able to hide the burn by wearing gloves and ease the pain by shoving his hand onto the snow that probably accumulated by his bedroom's dingy window.

Hyde glanced one last time at his stoned and drunk pathetic excuse of a mother and headed inside the house, holding his right hand on his left one.

Sometimes he wished the soulmate thing wasn't real. He doesn't like the thought of an innocent girl suffering all the pain his mother puts him through.

But he knew better, the universe never cared about his wishes, otherwise he would have a different mother. He just hoped that the girl who had the bad luck of being his soulmate had a strong support system or whatever, because his shitty reality isn't changing anytime soon.

Meanwhile, in Point Place's community theater…

10 year old Jackie anxiously tried to peek through the closed blinds, today was probably one of the most exciting days of her life, she was about to play on her first piano recital ever! She was trying her hardest to not be nervous, because she’s a Burkhart, and Burkhart’s excel on absolutely everything they do – according to her mother. She practiced every day for hours, she wanted to be perfect, because both of her parents promised they’d watch her play today.

“Miss Burkhart, it’s almost time, are you ready?”

“Yes I am, Mrs. Crawford! I have my sheet here with me – even though I don’t need it, just as a precaution” Jackie said excitedly, and her music teacher smiled

“You’re going to do great, Jackie” She said with a small smile “Go wait over there, you’re up next”

Jackie nodded and went to wait where her teacher indicated. Her heart was beating so fast, and she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She couldn’t wait to be praised by her parents.

They already missed her dance recital, and neither of them were there when she won the trophy for “Prettiest Ballerina”, but they promised they would attend her piano recital, that’s why she decided she would play one of the hardest songs, so she could impress them.

She knew none of her colleagues had the ability to play this song; most of them were playing “Fur Elise” or “Ode to Joy”. She wanted to be the best, so she chose “Clair de Lune” by Debussy, one of her father’s favorites songs. He likes to listen to it when he’s smoking his cigars, so she made sure to learn just to make him proud.

When she heard Mrs. Crawford calling her name, she’d put on her stage smile, the one her mother taught her so long ago. When she entered the stage, she glanced at the audience, trying to find the familiar faces of her parents. She didn’t see either of them, and she had to repress the urge to cry.

They bailed on her, again. They promised they would make it!

She took a deep breath and saw Martina’s familiar face. She was giving her a sad smile, and Jackie sighed. She likes Martina, but she would never fill the hole left by her mother. It’s not like Martina wants to be there anyways, she only went because she’s paid to do so.

Jackie quickly forced a smile and went to sit at the piano bench. If her parents didn’t want to be there, that’s their loss. There was a good amount of LOPP’s mothers there, she hoped they would tell her mother later how she played beautifully, and her mother better feel bad.

She stretched her fingers the way Mrs. Crawford taught her, and placed the music sheet on its proper place. The second her fingers touched the piano keys, she felt herself relaxing a bit, and when she started to play, she genuinely smiled. The first couple of minutes of the song went smoothly, some people even clapped when she mastered the transition from the slow part of the song to the slightly faster one.

Then she stopped playing, and not because the song was over.

Out of nowhere, she felt a blinding pain on her hand. She whimpered in pain and held her right hand with her left one, tears involuntarily falling from her eyes.

Mrs. Crawford quickly ran to see what was going on with her best student, and she sighed when she saw a black peony forming on the girl’s hand.

“It’s burning, Mrs. Crawford” Jackie cried, and the older woman placed her hand on her shoulder.

“I know honey, you know what that means, right?” She said, and Jackie nodded.

That means that her soulmate was hurting. Again.

Last week Jackie got a new flower on her shoulder, and the week before that, she felt like someone was slapping her on her face.

Thank God that bruises on the face don’t leave flower marks, otherwise people would see her as a freak, because she feels like she’s being slapped or punched on at least once a week.

Mrs. Crawford guided her out of the stage, and made her sit on a small bench near the dressing rooms. Jackie carefully rubbed her hand, the pain was starting to subside a little, the black peony marking the exact place where it was hurting.

“Do you want to go back and start again, Jackie?” The woman gently asked, and Jackie shook her head.

All she wanted to do was go back home and pray for her soulmate to get the help he needs. She doesn’t know why he gets hurt so often, but she wanted it to stop. For both of their sakes.

#jackie x hyde #jackie and hyde #soulmate AU #black peonies #fanfic #zenmasters #that 70s show #that '70s show

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forever--rain · 4 years ago

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hi ever!! 3, 4, 8, and 18 for the ask game!

BLUE!! 💜💜 (Like, “SUKI!!” But it’s you!)

3. What is that one scene that you’ve always wanted to write but can’t be arsed to write all of the set-up and context it would need? (consider this permission to write it and/or share it anyway)

Oof... This is tricky.

Okay. So I reference this conversation in a future chapter of Covered in You, so you guys haven’t seen it yet. (I guess that makes this somewhat of a spoiler.) Without giving away too much, the scene I would like to write but likely won't is a scene in which Katara ends her relationship with Aang. They have to come to terms with the fact that they see their lives going in very different directions and that they have some very conflicting values regarding certain things. And she has to tell him that she just doesn’t see a way for them to move forward together.

It’s not that I can’t be arsed to write it because of set up and context, it’s that I’m very aware of the fact that people really love Aang and I don’t want to make waves. (Not that it would be a scene that bashes him. It just involves some headcanons that I’m hesitant to write.)

4. Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you’re really proud of (explain why, if you like)

“Katara is not to be underestimated either, however. As victory flashes in Ayako’s dark eyes, the waterbender kicks out, landing a blow to her opponent’s calf and knocking her off balance. Faster than lightning, she pivots, her fingers wrapping around Ayako’s wrist. There is a weight shift, a tipping point, and Katara rolls forward like a cresting wave, bringing Ayako over her shoulder. The other girl’s body slaps to the ground, the breath whooshing from her lungs.” - Your Soul Has Crushed Mountains

I don’t write action scenes! I consider myself very bad at them. But I worked hard on this opening spar in YSHCM and I think it turned out okay, all things considered! (You wouldn’t believe how many martial arts videos I watched in order to get that scene somewhat readable.)

8. Is what you like to write the same as what you like to read?

Yeah! I think so. I’m a big sucker for Zutara AUs. I love to write ‘em. I love to read ‘em. Let me watch them fall in love with each other over and over again in a million different (and sometimes similar) ways! I’m not much of an action/adventure person (can’t write it either). Gimme my OTP staring longingly at each other from across crowded rooms and pining for one another any day of the week!

18. Tell us the meta about your writing that you really want to ramble to people about (symbolism you’ve included, character or relationship development that you love, hidden references, callbacks or clues for future scenes?)

AHHHH! YES! Okay. So.

*takes a deep breath*

*the intro to TSwift’s “...Ready For It?” plays*

You were supposed to see this idea in Ten Strides first, but it ended up making its first appearance in Covered because of how prompts fell for Zutara Month. I know we’ve all spent a lot of time positing what the Southern Water Tribe’s betrothal item(s) would be. And this is my take on it.

Rewatching ATLA, I’ve noticed that Katara starts wearing her hair down once they reach the Fire Nation. I’m sure there are any number of explanations for it. I myself first thought, “Oh, well, she’s just trying to fit in with Fire Nation folk.” But then I thought of Ty Lee and her braid and that started me off down this headcanon I’ve developed regarding Katara’s hair (which will now feature heavily in any fic I write from here on out).

So my theory is that braids are for young girls in the Southern Water Tribe. Girls who haven’t reached the age of majority. But when they reach the age of majority, they wear their hair half up, the way Katara does. In my mind, the age of majority for girls in the Southern Water Tribe is fifteen. Which would mean (in my own personal headcanon) that Katara is fifteen by the end of the war (you can see evidence of this headcanon littered throughout my fics). This also makes sense if you believe that most waterbenders are born in winter. If the seasons and hemispheres in the world of ATLA work the way ours do, then the fact that they’re in the Fire Nation by summer would mean that Katara has turned fifteen because it is winter in the South Pole. Thus, Katara wearing her hair half up (as she does for the remainder of the series) means that she has reached the age of majority in the Southern Water Tribe!

I then theorize that women in the Southern Water Tribe wear their hair this way until they settle on the person they want to marry. When they’ve decided, they then wear their hair in some kind of updo as a signal to their tribe and that person. If that person reciprocates, they present her with a set of beads for her to wear in her new hairstyle. (Hakoda keeps the beads he carved for Kya in a jar on his desk in the beginning of Covered and Sokka is carving beads for Suki.) This makes the process of getting engaged in the Southern Water Tribe one of much more equal footing that the tradition of betrothal necklaces in the Northern Water Tribe.

Following that, women wear their hair up for as long as they are married. Nobody aside from their S.O. and children is ever supposed to see them with their hair down again as it’s considered too intimate.

These meta asks for writers are pretty cool! Come ask me some things!

#anti kataang #antikataang #zutara #headcanons #swt headcanon #southern water tribe #southern water tribe headcanons #katara's hair #meta #atla meta #ask evergreen #evergreen answers #meta asks for writers #thebluesunflower44

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a-solitary-marshmallow · 4 years ago

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Please Don‘t See Me - Chapter 7

Ford was early to rise, intent on packing for a day of research in the forest. His journal and writing implements went into his backpack along with some mushrooms, in case he had to bribe any gnomes. Sample bags – for taking samples, obviously. Trail mix for Ford and jerky for Rebus. A pocket knife for cutting through any unwanted vegetation. A small case of tools in case any of his equipment needed recalibrating. The equipment itself; most notably, the old metal detector he had converted into a handheld mutation-scanner.

Well, technically it detected a currently-unknown element he’d found traces of in a mutated squirrel’s body, that he suspected was the cause of the mutation. Close enough.

Ford fiddled with the makeshift scanner, checking that it was in working order, before he aimed it at the freezer. After a brief hesitation the machine chirped.

“Yes!” Ford grinned excitedly. And then hesitated. “…perhaps there is a better place to keep specimens.”

Hmm.

Rebus shot him a look across the kitchen that seemed to say, ‘why yes, maybe you shouldn’t be keeping a mutated squirrel corpse in the same freezer you store food in’. Ford huffed.

“Well, for the moment it’s the only place I have where it can be properly preserved. Now come here, I want to test something.”

Rebus trotted forward and Ford lifted his scanner towards the wolf. The scanner remained unresponsive.

“…that’s odd.” Ford had been sure that the wolf’s eccentricities had been the result of the same mutation. If it wasn’t that…

It beeped. Ford studied his scanner curiously.

“The element’s presence is weaker in you than in the squirrel, but that could be due to the level of exposure, or perhaps the amount of time since the exposure. In any case, my hypothesis was correct! You must have come into contact with the source material somehow…” Rebus cocked his head inquisitively. “How should I know? That’s what today’s expedition is for. If it’s not the crystals I may try to retrace your steps before you came here.”

At the last moment Ford pulled on a thick coat to hide from the winter chill. It wasn’t yet snowing but the ground gleamed with frost. He shrugged on his backpack and, armed with his journal in hand, started the trek into the woods.

Rebus padded alongside him – Rebus went everywhere with him. Ford could hardly remember not having the massive, shaggy hound around. Who did he used to talk to while he worked? Himself?

…when he was younger, he used to talk to Stanley.

His brother rarely understood the content but he always listened intently while Ford rambled on about parabolas or string theory or whatever he was studying. Stanley had always seemed to know exactly what Ford needed. He gave his undivided attention even to subjects he found boring, just because Ford loved them. Their parents often thought Ford was annoying but Stan listened and it had been one of Ford’s favourite things to rush to him with whatever exciting new fact he’d learned so they could be excited together. When Ford had gotten self-conscious about stimming in public Stan would blow a raspberry, flap his hands and jump around until Ford couldn’t help but join in too, and he was having so much fun that didn’t much care anymore what others thought.

A bump against Ford’s side brought him back to the present and he stumbled, catching himself on the tree trunk Rebus had just stopped him from walking into face-first.

Ford gave his head a quick shake to clear it, irritated with himself. Why was he thinking about Stanley? He was in the process of making a scientific discovery! There were more important things to think about.

…if this truly was a previously-undiscovered element, would Ford get to name it?

The deeper they walked into the forest the more uneasy Ford’s travelling partner seemed to get. Rebus’s thick fur prickled and he pressed close to Ford’s side, casting wary glances at the forest around them. The anxiousness was infectious. Ford gripped his sensor tightly and rested one hand on the wolf’s back, taking comfort in the contact. Ford didn’t notice anything amiss, but canine senses were notoriously sharper than humans’. Perhaps the crystal formations grew in the territory of another predator; or, perhaps, the griffin flock from earlier had passed through this area. Whatever the reason Rebus remained on-edge through the majority of the hike.

Ford’s apprehension, however, was forgotten the moment the crystals came into view. He picked up his pace and hurried into their midst, chatting to Rebus as he did.

“Now, last time I was here I planned to measure the crystals’ growth, and I made a mark – ah, here! Hmm. They haven’t grown since I last checked, which was… four months ago. My, time does fly. I suppose I can disregard the theory that they have an accelerated growth rate. When we return to the house I must remember to investigate natural crystal formation. There’s still the possibility that their growth rate is slower than the norm!”

Rebus let out a curious-sounding rumble, wariness seemingly sidelined for the moment. It wasn’t a question, but Ford elaborated anyway.

“Ah, you see, investigating the conditions of their formation will allow me to deduce what other places they may exist in.” Ford glanced up at the sky, reassuring himself that the mildly overcast weather had not cleared up since he began this expedition. Fluctuating levels of sunlight would increase the chance of either Ford or Rebus getting caught in a stray size-altering beam.

Ford lifted his sensor and ran it carefully over the nearest crystal, which was a lovely blush colour. There was no reaction so he moved onto the next.

“Now, hopefully my scanner here will pick up traces of that mystery element. Considering it has been present in every creature I’ve known to be affected by the mutation, there is a high chance that it will be present in the source of the mutation.” Ford glanced over his shoulder at Rebus, who seemed torn between watching Ford curiously and glaring at the forest around them. “Hmm, perhaps your presence here might skew the results if you carry traces of it… then again, the element’s presence in you is quite weak, and… aha!”

The last part was a triumphant cry as his sensor beeped. The crystal it had landed on looked very much like its neighbours but for the tiny flecks of some sort of mineral deposit inside its translucent body, peppering the stream of sunlight focused through it with tiny shadows. The grass around this particular crystal grew thicker and more virulent than in the rest of the clearing. Perhaps…

Ford plucked the leaf from a nearby tree and experimentally dropped it into said beam of light. It plopped lightly to the ground and did not grow or shrink as expected. Instead, as he watched, the delicate veins began to swell and bulge.

Ford let out a rush of air. “The light. The minerals in the crystal must be distorting its natural size-altering properties! Don’t you see Rebus, this is most likely the source of the mutated creatures running around Gravity Falls.”

Rebus padded over leaned against Ford’s side, a steady presence. Ford whipped out his journal to start jotting down observations.

“But why only now… the crystal fragments in the grass suggest that one was damaged recently, perhaps a formation that prevented light reaching the deformed crystal. In the wake of its absence the deformed crystal has been exposed to light and thus will affect any creature that walks into its path!” He studied the swollen leaf. “Yes, that would explain the disproportionate physique of affected creatures; and I wonder if it influences their disposition as well, or if the ones I’ve come across were already predisposed to violence. Perhaps the latter, given that you seem to have been affected both physically and mentally and yet are non-aggressive towards humans.”

Rebus let out an offended huff.

“Don’t give me that look. The fact that you seem to have some understanding of what I’m saying to you at all suggests heightened intelligence that I suspect came from this very source.” Ford nodded to himself. “Yes, yes… I’ll definitely have to run some experiments on this. Perhaps I can isolate and identify the mystery mineral. It will be a good excuse to test my new Mass Spectrometer!”

Ford (very carefully) scraped off several samples of the crystal. Drilling into it to extract a fleck of mystery mineral took quite some time. He frowned to himself as he guided a pair of tweezers into the narrow hole, trying to extract one while causing minimal damage to the crystal. Fiddly work indeed. He was glad he’d packed a small hand drill and a facial mask, to avoid breathing in any of the dust.

Rebus let out a distressed whine from behind him.

“Yes, yes, I know. We’ll leave in a second, I just need to collect this sample.” Ford carefully lifted the glinting fleck and dropped it into a plastic bag, quickly folding it up and securing it into his pack to avoid any light shining onto it. He had enough oddities already, thank you very much. He wasn’t looking to be mutated on top of that.

Ford packed up his equipment and shrugged on his pack with a wide grin. Rebus shook himself and padded over to join him as Ford began the walk back. Ford’s mind raced as he walked. With these samples he should be able to run tests and deduce the exact nature of its effect on organic tissue. Hopefully he would be able to reverse-engineer its effects to cure affected creatures. Perhaps he should pull a tarp over the deformed crystal to prevent it from mutating anything else?

Ford was still deep in thought when they broke the thick tree cover and headed through a more sparse area of vegetation. Rebus growling was his first clue that they weren’t alone. His second clue was something growling back.

Ford froze as a low, aggressive huffing filled the air. He turned slowly, shoulders hunched, to catch a glimpse of a big body across the clearing. Big, covered in patchy, shaggy brown fur, disproportionate as it gathered up its huge mass to stomp and woof angrily at the growling wolf. The Rebus of bears, as it was. The hairs on the back of Ford’s neck prickled.

…ah. So that was the reason for Rebus’s wariness.

Ford took a slow step backwards and the bear stomped and whuffed, peeling back its lips to display yellowish teeth. Rebus’s rumbling growl got a little louder. Ford tried to think. Why would a wild bear attack them? Maybe there were cubs nearby, or simply they’d wandered too close into its territory and it felt threatened. Their best bet was to back away slowly, appear small as they edged out of its territory-

Rebus sprang forward.

“No!” Ford yelped but the wolf was already charging for the creature’s throat. The bear hunched its shoulders to protect its vulnerable neck and its teeth snapped shut just shy of Rebus’s leg. The wolf yelped and the bear swung one massive paw and sent him skidding.

Ford yelled, which, in hindsight, may have been a mistake, because the now-enraged bear charged towards him.

#werewolf stan au #werewolf!stan #gravity falls #fic #my writing #chapter 7

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fletchphoenix · 4 years ago

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Skating On Thin Ice

Chapter 4 of the Varigo Coffee Shop AU is upon us!

Agh, I LOVE WRITING THIS SO MUCH!!! I’m so so sorry if all the content is getting annoying - I really want to get as much as I can done before school starts up again (in a week,,,,aha) so just let me know if it’s annoying y’all. Anyway! Thank you for the support!

Word Count - 3588

TW - Strong Language

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Varian tied his hair back into a ponytail as he walked downstairs to the kitchen, Ruddiger strutting after him happily. He dragged his feet across the silver carpet in his still-sleepy haze, passing awards and family pictures that were displayed proudly in the main hall of the house. A yawn escaped his mouth despite his attempts to hold it back, and he reached up to rub the tears that built in his eyes away along with the last remnants of sleep. A sleep his body desperately wanted him to return back to, judging by how sluggish he felt. The kitchen door moaned as he pushed it open, taking his time on every movement he took.

He scavenged through the kitchen for something to eat, all the while Ruddiger mewled and meowed to gain some attention and, while he was at it, some food to eat. Varian eventually gave in, lifting the bowl onto the counter and grabbing a sachet of cat food. He emptied the packet, the tabby cat jumping onto the counter and scoffing it down, causing him to chuckle while he took out the bread and butter from the refrigerator. “Toast it is, buddy.” he uttered to himself as he slid the bread into the device.

While the toast was..well, toasting, he climbed onto a counter and opened the cabinet near the stove. An assortment of cups greeted him - all with different colours and various patterns. A certain one met his eye. The corners of his lips quirked up in a smile as the memories came flooding back to him.

“Are you sure you want me to have this? After all I’ve done to you..?” his nervous voice asked. He was sixteen again in Rapunzel’s kitchen after his father had woken up from his coma. The aroma of cinnamon was in the air combined with apple, creating the illusion that it was fall in the small room as Rapunzel set aside the gift and took his hands in her own. Her expression was earnest, honest.

“Varian..I don’t care what you’ve done in the past. We’ve all forgiven you, regardless of what you may think. You’re family.” she stated with a smile that held nothing but love for the boy in front of her. Tears built in his eyes as he looked over at the silver box, wrapped in a teal bow, set on the kitchen table by the blonde only a few moments prior.

Taking a seat on the lilac cushioned chairs, he brought the box closer to him with shaky hands and unwrapped the dainty bow carefully, as though it would fall apart at even the slightest amount of force. Upon lifting the lid, he was met with the sight of some paper - matching the color of the bow. Pulling it out, he gasped as his eyes met the mug that had been placed in the box with care. He took it out and examined it in his hands.

The mug was teal (also like the bow and paper it was packed with) decorated with paintings of test tubes, beakers and a small raccoon on the side. Ruddiger. Unwillingly, his eyes started to water again, tears betraying him and rolling down his cheeks hitting the table cloth below him. “Thank you.” He uttered, his voice barely a whisper as he struggled to hold back his tears. Arms came around from behind him and pulled him into a motherly embrace, a gentle kiss being placed on the back of his head as he let himself cry freely. A swift turn allowed him to hug the blonde, his eyes squeezing shut to rid them of the last few tears that had developed in them before he moved away.

“Me, Eugene and Cass searched for hours, but couldn’t find the right one. Then I thought ‘Hey! Why don’t we paint a mug for him?’ and thus..that was created. It’s okay, right? I tried to put everything I knew you liked on it, but I wasn’t sure, so I had to get Cass to-” Her rambling was cut off as the boy clinged to her with his face buried into the fabric on her shoulder. Reluctantly, she ran her fingers through his raven locks and exchanged the hug.

“I love you, Rapunzel. You’re the best sister in the world.” he whispered as he held onto her, his hands gripping onto her shirt as he let himself be vulnerable around Rapunzel. He’d tormented and hurt her so much..but she still cared for him.

“I love you too, Varian.” She replied, moving out of the hug when he was calmer and ready. “Anyway, Cmon! We need to make you one of my infamous vanilla lattes now that you have your own cup!” She declared, clapping her hands and picking up the cup to start the drink. His eyes followed her as she moved expertly around the kitchen and prepared his drink. A smile steadily grew on his face.

He was forgiven.

He was home.

He seized the cup and hopped down from the counter, closing the ivory door of the cabinet and heading towards the coffee machine. He set the cup under it and started up the machine, leaning against the counter and checking his phone. Wednesday, 8:14am. Good - he woke up in time to get ready for his class at 11. “No messages from Hugo though.” his brain reminded him, disappointment making a heavy weight in his stomach. Maybe he wasn’t up yet? Probably, he reasoned as he took the toast from the toaster and buttered it before grabbing his coffee and sitting at the table.

Ever the greediest cat on earth, Ruddiger settled at Varian’s feet and swatted at them with his paw. “Oh my god, you’ve just had your breakfast! No!” he shook his foot to scare the cat away, but he didn’t let up. The evil little bastard continued swatting at his foot until, eventually, Varian let up. “Okay!” he yelled, accepting his defeat as he opened another package of cat food, emptied it into the burgundy food bowl and threw it away. That seemed to do the trick - the stubborn feline finally moving away from the table and leaving his owner in peace.

“I swear..all you do is eat and sleep all day, every day.” he muttered to himself as he took a prolonged sip of his coffee. It hit the mark - him feeling way more energised as the caffeine kicked in. Taking a bite from his toast, he smiled to himself and looked around the kitchen at the wallpaper that had been wearing away for quite some time, at the window just above the sink that looked out on the garden (that they honestly never used enough now) he used to play in as a kid with his mom, at the small frames across the wall holding precious memories of his childhood from before the incident. It wasn’t much by any means, but it was his home.

He glanced at his phone screen again. 8:30am. “Okay, time for me to get ready.” he proclaimed to no one in particular, moving to his feet and scraping the chair back across the kitchen floor. Cringing at the noise, he cast a glance to Ruddiger, who was sleeping contently on the windowsill. He could be so cute sometimes. Only sometimes though. He picked up his plate and cup, placing them in the sink underneath the cat. He reached his now-free hand out and ran it down the cat’s fur gently before heading back upstairs to his room.

Once he was dressed, opting for a black sweater and navy trousers along with some sneakers, he picked up his bag. Packing in his laptop and chemistry books, he moved downstairs for the final time to head outside. He glanced at the coat rack, pulling on an ink-like coat and a knitted emerald scarf Rapunzel had given him as a Christmas present one year - him silently noting that it matched the color of Hugo’s eyes. (This thought made him feel bubbly - knowing full well Hugo would love it if he saw it. He made a mental note to wear it next time Hugo offered for them to go on a date.) He unlocked the door, scooping up his keys and heading out the door.

The first thing that he noticed was just how cold the temperature was - the chill travelling down his spine. Nonetheless, he shoved his hands into his pockets and began his journey to the campus, eyes focusing on the floor in silence. It wasn’t long, only 20 minutes, but the chill got to him fast and by the time he’d stepped into the labs, he was shivering intensely. Giving a nod to his professor, he took his seat (second to last row, three seats from the aisle) and took out his equipment, ready to start the lesson.

He couldn’t focus - all lesson he subtly scrolled through his phone as he prayed Hugo would send him a text or something to let him know he was okay. He gazed down at the phone screen. Surely he would be awake by now, so why wasn’t Hugo texting him. He huffed and slid back in his chair, desperately trying to keep his focus on the lesson.

The professor kept them late. Again. Varian hurriedly shoved his stuff into his bag and began rushing down to the library. Wind whistled past his ears and his scarf blew frantically around his neck from just how fierce it was. His cheeks went a deep shade of scarlet, dusting his nose and ears. Freckles sat defined over his face as he made his way past the nameless students and over to Nuru and Yong - who, by the looks of it, had started astronomy without him.

“Sorry guys, I was just-” he cut himself off at the sight of Hugo, leaning over Yong and explaining part of the physics work set out in front of him. God, he looked breathtaking. His hair was tied back in its usual small ponytail, with a moss green winter coat around his shoulders and goggles hanging round his neck. He glanced up at Varian and immediately straightened, pushing his glasses up his nose with a broad smile on his face. Fuck. Why did he have to look so good in green?

“Varian! Hey, I’ve been waiting for you!” he commented, making his way around the table to put his arm round the other boy’s shoulders. The mere action made Varian’s face flush in embarrassment, Hugo not helping whatsoever as he pulled the younger closer to him. He seemed to be revelling in the way he was making Varian a flustered, stuttering mess. “Well then. I know this may be extremely heartbreaking for you, Nuru, but we must be taking our leave now. I bid thee farewell!” he declared, ushering Varian towards the door as Nuru rolled her eyes and muttered ‘Yeah, you wish.’ under her breath.

“Hold on-what do you mean? Where are we going?” Varian queried, looking up at the taller boy who had just swept him away from his friends with absolutely no explanation. His mood became disheartened as a wicked grin grew on Hugo’s face, him stepping back and raising his eyebrow. “What are you planning, Hugo Atkinson?” he implored.

“Welllll….” Hugo began as he took Varian’s hand in his own and interlaced their fingers, moving to stand in front of him. “I promised you another date! So I came to pick you up and remembered ‘Shit, it’s Wednesday!’ so I drove to the library and waited! Your friends showed up and you hadn’t yet, so I just..sat down with them and decided to offer my extensive knowledge on literally everything to them. And managed to convince Nuru to give you up for a day so I could take you out. Also off topic but..I’m ninety-eight percent sure she hates me, but as if I care!” he rambled, looking down at the confusion on the raven haired boy’s beautiful face. A smile tugged at his lips. “Long story short, I’m taking you on a date. Surprise!”

Varian stood dumbfounded before a breathy laugh left his lips, bringing Hugo down to his level and placing a fleeting kiss on his cheek. “That’s adorable. Go on then, take me away, Casanova.”

He relished in the blush that flooded over Hugo’s cheek and the stuttering that followed as he held Varian’s hand tight and led him along the cobbled streets of Corona. They walked and walked until Hugo gestured to a small ice-skating rink in the town centre. “And our date is ice-skating!” he remarked, squeezing Varian’s hand. “I hope that’s okay. I just thought we needed a little switch up from the coffee shop.”

Varian gasped in excitement and gave a frantic nod. “Hugo, this is perfect! Thank you so much!” he cried as he dragged the blonde along to go and get some skates so they could go onto the ice. The taller boy merely laughed and looked down at the childish excitement on his face. God, he loved this boy so much. It didn’t seem real.

As soon as they got their skates on and headed onto the ice, Varian’s mood soured.

He must’ve slipped a billion times as soon as they got on, finally relenting and heading to grip onto the barrier. His mom took him thousands of times when he was little. Why was he forgetting how to do it now? He let out a groan of frustration and rubbed his face with his hand. Why was this so hard? Now he was embarrassing himself in front of Hugo and Hugo would never want to see him again and-

“Hairstripe?” a voice came from behind him, a hand resting on his waist. “Hey, no. Let me show you, okay?” Hugo gestured and trailed his hand down, linking it with Varian’s and beginning to glide, moving further and further away from the barrier.

It felt like time had frozen, or the universe had fallen away and left only him and Hugo as the travelled in continuous circles round the rink. Hugo squeezed his hand in reassurance whenever he thought he might fall and caught him when he stumbled. It was perfect - just them with no interference from anyone else. It was perfect.

After a while, they exited the rink laughing and high on a cloud of pure euphoria with their hands still interlaced and warm. Varian let out a happy sigh and turned his head to look at Hugo, who’s free hand snaked around his waist. “It’s been fun today. I wanna do this again. All the time.” He muttered, moving his hand to cup Hugo’s cheek and rub it with his thumb absentmindedly, his eyes focusing on the way Hugo’s sparkled in the soft light of the lanterns outside.

“Varian.” Hugo whispered his name in response, letting go of his hand to rest under the boy’s chin. He tilted his head and began to lean in. Varian’s eyes fluttered shut as they were only centimetres- no. Millimetres apart. He could feel Hugo’s breath on his lips. Just a little more-

He was tugged back by a hand grasping his collar to see Eugene in front of him. “Varian what the fuck are you doing?! Why the hell are you out here with him?” he yelled and turned to face his little brother. Varian took a mental note on the fury painted over Eugene’s usually relaxed demeanour. “Y’know what? Tell me in the car. We’re leaving.” He grabbed the boy’s wrist and forcefully tugged him towards the car, despite Varian’s struggling and protests.

Hugo stood dumbfounded and watched as Varian was pulled away from him, tears building in his eyes as he looked at the sidewalk he was left on as the car drove away. He pulled out his phone to make a call.

“What.” Donella’s voice dripped with annoyance.

“I won’t be coming in tonight, sorry.” he declared as he hung up the phone. Quietly, he pulled up the hood of his coat and picked Varian’s emerald scarf off the floor before silently putting it on and beginning his journey home. He knew full well he’d suffer tomorrow for that, but it didn’t matter anymore. He pushed his glasses into his hair and wiped away the tears they were hiding, continuing to walk away from the town centre and to his apartment.

Unlocking the door, he leaned back to shut it before sliding to the floor and letting himself cry unabashedly. Why? Why did it have to be like this? Did life really hate him that much? Now he’d never be allowed to see Varian again-or Varian would find out about everything he’s done and decide he didn’t want someone like that in his life and leave him. Just like everyone else.

He felt like he’d cried for hours when he finally went upstairs and lay on his bed, letting Olivia out of her cage to sit on the bed beside him as he stared numbly at the ceiling. Maybe that's how it was meant to be. Maybe him and Varian weren’t meant to be together. Someone as perfect as Varian deserved better than him...he let out a pained sigh and turned to face Olivia. “Well Liv..it was fun while it lasted, huh?”

As soon as they were in the car, Eugene’s tangent had begun. “What happened to texting, huh? To letting your family know you weren’t gonna be there because you were busy with something else? Jesus Christ, Varian, we’ve all been terrified! I have been waiting outside the library since 5! Now it's 8pm! And what’s worse is you were with a criminal! A goddamn CRIMINAL!” he ranted on and on, Varian turning his head and glaring at Eugene.

“What do you mean ‘criminal’? Weren’t you one before? Never mind that, I was a criminal before too!” he snarled, his head whipping back around to glare out of the car window. He didn’t even recognise where they were driving anymore - the surroundings too dark to see anything.

“That little shit has been committing petty theft in the area - pickpocketing and all that. And so what if we were like that? People like him never change. I would know!”

“But we’ve changed, Eugene!”

“We’re different to him, Varian-” “How the fuck are we different to him?!”

“Varian-” “NO! Tell me how the fuck we are different to him!-”

“THAT'S ENOUGH, VARIAN!” Eugene’s voice boomed through the car, stunning Varian into silence as he flinched away from the brunette in shock. His bottom lip trembled and his shoulders shook as he desperately attempted to hold back his tears. “Shit-Varian, I-”

“Pull over. Now.” Varian stated, his voice oozing with hurt and anger as he kept staring at his feet. Eugene obliged sadly and pulled the car over, watching the younger boy get out and start sprinting into the night. He rested his head against the steering wheel, tears building in his eyes. Well, now he’d fucked up. He hadn’t meant to yell so loud at Varian...fuck. He sighed and began the drive home, praying to himself that Varian would get back safe.

Once he knew he was far away from the car, he stopped running. He sat on the floor and pressed his head against his knees. In 7, hold 7, out 7, he told himself and kept repeating multiple times. His chest eventually stopped heaving and his limbs stopped aching. He leaned back and stared at the stars in the sky, deep in thought.

Everything was perfect. He was happy, Hugo was happy..so why did it all have to end so badly? He bit the inside of his cheek as he thought of Hugo. He had to see him again. He couldn’t just leave him. His hands shook as he unlocked his phone and scrolled through his contacts. He took one final deep breath and called Hugo.

“Hello? Varian?” Oh god. His voice sounded so broken. He must’ve been crying this whole time. It was so much different from how it usually sounded. Varian felt his heart shatter a little bit more as he listened to the boy on the other end of the phone. “Varian, whats up?”

“What’s your address? I’m coming over. Now.” He bluntly stated, more of a request than a question. He definitely needed to see the other boy now, desperately.

Confusion laced Hugo’s voice as he replied to Varian, a light creaking sounding in the background as he presumably moved to sit up. “Are you sure, Varian? What’s going on-”

“Just tell me, Hugo!” He yelled, his desperation clear. “Please. I need to see you.” He added the last part, lowering his voice significantly and brushing his tears away at the other boy’s barely audible ‘okay’ in response.

Hugo shut himself up, sending through the address and hanging up on the distraught boy. He lay back on his bed, a frown on his face before heading down the hall to sit in the living room. 20 minutes later, a knock rang through the tiny building and he sprinted to unlock the door, his eyes meeting the tearful boy that he loved so dearly. Silently, he stepped out of the way to let the boy in before closing the door and pulling him into an embrace. The younger gripped onto his shirt and cried, each sob wracking his whole, thin frame. Hugo bit his lip and let out an exasperated sigh.

This really was going to be a long night.

#varigo #varian and the seven kingdoms #varian x hugo #varian tangled #tangled varian #hugo tangled #tangled hugo #alchemy boyfriends #varigo coffee shop au

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earamis · 5 years ago

Text

Crescente, cum Dilectione

“You were bound to Hojo as a protege and mentor. He had trusted you with various responsibilities, some were praiseworthy, some better kept hidden. It was a mutual kind of dependence that benefited both parties. One day the professor granted you access to a whole new part of The Shinra Tower. There laid an unfamiliar territory with a surprise at the end.

One surprise in the form of silver and jade barely two winters old.

When you first saw him, the thought of witnessing the growth of a child who'd eventually change the world for either worse or better never once crossed your mind.”

Sephiroth x reader fic reposted from my AO3 account.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24734419/chapters/59792911

Before starting to read, there are some things I want to point out:

1. I gain no profit from writing this. It is written solely for the heck of it, cause I think the fandom deserves more Sephiroth/reader stories.

2. Reader is female, uses feminine pronounce, and can conceive, but in terms of the level of femininity and visual characteristics, I try to be as vague as possible to give more space for the reader's imagination. So, please, visualize yourself as freely as you are possible to do.

3. Reader is called “Praenomen” instead of Y/N. It comes from Latin and translates to “forename”, so reader can treat “Praenomen” or “Nomen” (name) as Y/N, and change it with yours respectively.

4. I will try to include as many canon references as I am able and cater to the timeline of events accordingly (probably some tweaks of time here and there, but not much aside from the reader's part that will be added).

5. Please feel free to ask me anything or point out any mistakes that I make, I will be honored to answer your questions!

I hope you enjoy the story :)

Good day.

Chapter 1: Two Seasons Old

Rain had been pouring outside your room since midnight. The air of early morning hours became colder both outside and in. The corroded, rickety heater your landlord was too lazy to repair could only help so much. Chill seeped from the cracks between windows to invade what warmth was saved inside your blanket. You had been awake for quite some time, and been pretty much reluctant to leave the coziness of your bed. Pitter-patter of tiny raindrops kept knocking on the glass as you watched it with fluctuating sobriety.

The lids of your eyes fought to keep themselves open. Getting some more rest sounded like a really good idea. The clock showed barely six, and work wouldn’t start until nine. Yes. You supposed more sleep would do no harm. You slowly let yourself be lulled back to slumber as you gave up the thought to wake up early and actually do your laundry before going to work.

‘It was raining anyway’, your mind supplied. ‘You won’t be able to dry them.’

So you slipped back to oblivion with the drizzle of morning rain as your lullaby.

Until one and a half hour later, the loud ring of a PHS jerked you abruptly awake. You tangled yourself between the sheets and slipped twice in a hasty attempt to reach it. Swiping your unruly hair from your face, you flipped the device open, then instantly paled to find Professor Hojo’s name blinking on the screen. On what business your mentor called you, you could only guess. It was only thirty past seven, far from being considered late. Strange. So it must be another matter. You quickly fixed your appearance out of habit and cleared your throat before pushing the green button.

“Nomen!”

“Yes, professor?”

“Come to the lab, I must show you something.”

You looked at your state of your partial undress, then at the mirror to find your disarrayed reflection. Your eyes blinked frantically for a moment. “R-right now, sir?”

“Yes!” His curt response left no room for compromise.

You hadn’t got the chance to say anything for he hung up as sudden as he’d called. Stunned, you took a few seconds to process what just happened. But then another sound, this time a small ping, from your PHS broke the silence. You saw a following message from your mentor.

‘Bring the first volume on Mako Molecular Anatomy.’

That book was stranded somewhere beneath the pile of your hoard. The old shelf at the corner had been filled long ago with tomes of your past research. Dozens of newer volumes ended up getting stacked on the floor around it to accommodate them in your snug apartment. Under a brief glance, this part of the room might cause befuddlement, but for you, well, they were still chaos alright, but a neatly organized one.

The required volume laid at the bottom of a stack labeled as “mako basics”. You lifted the heavy books above it one by one, wondering if you needed to up your workout routine after all. You were panting like a dog barely halfway. An academic life really made it easy to submerge one’s attention. For years you’d been doing mostly nothing but burying your nose in books and scriptures. What free time you had you spent either assisting your mentor, writing your own research, or to catch some sleep, hence the embarrassingly lame mass of muscles in your arms. After nearly dropping the last book and toppling every towering stacks over, you breathed a loud sigh of relief at the sight of Mako: Molecular Anatomy and Structure Divisions, First Volume.

For fear of risking your mentor’s wrath, you washed yourself lightning fast, forgetting the idea of brushing your hair altogether as you grabbed a lab coat and your bag in one arm and cradled the book in the other. The sound of your rapid footsteps must be bothering the neighbors. One grandmother from somewhere in the lower floor shot you her elderly disapproving look when you rushed past her. You didn’t even have a care to say sorry. If Hojo lost his patience waiting for you, he’d ignore your reports for the rest of the day and that would be problem. He was a man slightly screwed in the head but an exceptional mentor none the less. He’d given you priceless insights to boost your performance time and time again.

You ran through the morning drizzle with the book wrapped under your coat. Shinra tower was just three blocks away. You entered one of the entrance tunnel reserved for employees to avoid getting wetter. A guard saw you panting at the entrance, definitely suspicious toward the disheveled woman holding a bundle of fabric this early in the morning.

“Halt!” The guard approached as you stood still to catch your breath. “What’s inside that?”

Still panting from exertion, you answered with haste, “It’s a book.” Hojo must be wondering where the hell you were at this point. That man did have some crazy standards.

“Show what’s inside or you will be denied entrance.”

“Oh, Shiva.” You unfurled your coat with slight difficulty, revealing the cover of a thick book.

The idiot guard was still unconvinced. “Open it.”

You blinked incredulously, what in Ifrit’s name did this look like to him? “It’s a book! See? Plain old paper!”

When the guard didn’t say anything, you chose to just ignore him and go ahead, but he pulled the strap of your bag, causing you to jerk backward. “What’s in the bag?”

“For real?!” Hojo would definitely be pissed.

“Entrance will be deni-”

Fortunately, or rather unfortunately in a sense, your PHS rang again, and it was Hojo. He was pissed. You swallowed thickly and slid the device out of your pocket. Answering him was daunting, but not answering him meant certain hell.

“Yes, professor?”

“What is taking you so long, you slug?!”

You peered at the guard. “I’m currently denied entrance, sir.”

“What?!” He screeched so hard, you had to distance your ear from the speaker. “By who?”

You looked at what was written on the man’s nametag. “Uhm…. Markus P., sir.”

Hojo spat at the end of the line, “Tell him to let you pass or he’ll be the one passed into my lab.” Then the professor hung up, leaving an awkward silence to hang between you and Markus P. Said man was dumbfounded. You decided to pass on what your mentor had said, then, in a moment of peculiar understanding, his face turned five shades paler and let you pass.

You muffled a thanks.

Down in the lower levels of the tower, was Shinra’s Science & Research Division. The floors was each designated to one specific subdivision. Environmental research would be at the topmost, followed by civil engineering, mako development, bio-engineering, and lastly were Hojo’s personalized research labs. Only authorized personnel belonging to one of the subdivisions might enter. Every subdivision hosted plenty of confidentiality that not all members were permitted to move freely between the levels. You were one of the few who were granted more access due to working directly under Hojo’s mentorship.

The elevator ride was long enough to give you plenty of time fixing yourself. You put on your white coat and combed your hair between your fingers as best as you were able to. Thanks to the early hours, you’d only have to pass three other people beside Markus P., and two of them were overtime workers already knocked out on their desks. Hojo’s labs were inaccessible via the main lift. You had to transfer into a private entrance beyond the common area. The machine blinked green when it scanned your fingerprints, allowing you to descent straight into the professor’s office.

“Nomen. You’re finally here.”

“I’m sorry. I was-”

“Yes, yes.” Hojo waved his hand dismissively, not in the mood to hear your ramblings. “Come here child, and did you bring the book? Good.”

He led you away from the main hall to a winding pathways even you weren’t familiar with. You had the urge to ask where he planned to take you, but thought better. Hojo wouldn’t have called if this was anything but pertained to his research. There was a double metal door at the end of the aisle. Hojo scanned his palm to allow both of you access. You looked around, this was definitely an area you’d never ventured into. Everything about it was unfamiliar. There was an open space with multiple doors on its walls. Several glass windows showed medical facilities and rows of sealed bio-pods. Now you couldn’t scratch the itch to ask away.

“Professor, what’s in the pods?”

Hojo knew exactly what you were referring to. “Those, my dear, are the chrysalis of my latest experiments,” he said. “Let me show you a glimpse of their beauty.”

Your course teetered to one of the door. He entered with you on his tail. From this distance you could see series of numbers written at on each pod. There were about twenty of them connected to one another and by a single gargantuan pipe. Every pod had a small window about on its door, about as high as your head, but the glasses were tinted in black that you couldn’t get a glimpse of what was inside.

Hojo stopped in front of one labeled P-XII-001. He beckoned you to come closed and you did. A panel on the right side of the window was opened. Hojo typed a series of code and with a smooth whirr, the machine came to life. The tinted glass began to set alight, revealing the familiar green of liquid mako. You stood on your tiptoes to try and get a better look.

“Chimeras?”

“Yes!” Yelled Hojo with a childlike glee. “Oh…. Aren’t they exquisite?”

You observed with keen interest. The specimen behind that door wasn’t anything you had set your eyes on before. It looked humanoid with the characteristics of a cuahl – its skin was patterned, extended whiskers protruded from the top of its mouth, and two huge feline ears stood above its head.

“Taken straight from Gaea’s Cliff, I have enhanced its ability to thrive amongst the harsh winter of the north. They are suited to conquer mountainous terrain as they please.”

“Have you made prototypes, sir?”

“I have, and none were as perfect as this one would be.”

Amazing was too degenerative a word to describe him. You always wondered just how he found the time to create this things amidst the chaos of Shinra’s busiest department. Moreover, lately President Shinra himself had decreed expeditions to plant new reactors in strategic locations. Probably half of the Science & Research Division had to be deployed and here was Hojo, managing everything under his thumb like he was merely playing chess. Even Hollander, the Division Head himself, was having difficulties splitting his responsibilities.

“Alright, that’s enough.” He said suddenly, turning the pod back to sleep. “This is not what I had intended to show you. Let’s not get sidetracked, shall we?”

The professor moved along. In deafening silence you began to wonder who else had ever roamed this place. Curious tools and paraphernalia were scattered all around. You thought the winding path would never end, but then Hojo stopped once again, now before a small metal door. He opened it with, surprisingly, a set of analog keys instead of digitalized lock system.

“Now…. I know I need not ask this of you, Nomen. You have proven yourself reliable beyond my expectation. But still, I feel like I must inquire something.”

You stared at Hojo. His black eyes behind the round spectacles probed yours. Aware that you were treading on the edge of something unknown, you hesitantly nodded your head. “Yes, professor?”

His glasses flashed for a moment as his chin upturned.

“Do you like children?”

You needed a moment to let the question sink in.

“Do you?”

“I- I’m sorry…. I fail to see how that is relevant to….”

“Just answer me.”

You cleared your throat. “Uh, I don’t have any particular feeling, or, um…emotion toward them.”

Hojo nodded, apparently the answer was enough. “I suggest you get yourself used to one.” Then he pushed the door open.

Behind it a view you would least expect to be found in the deepest part of a Shinra lab was revealed. The professor had stepped aside to give you better vision. You doubted your eyes for a moment, but as you moved inside, slow on your feet, you knew that the object lying right before you was, in fact, a crib. A baby crib, complete with colorful ornaments and a heap of soft blankets. Such infantile properties were clashing horrendously with the sterile white and grey of the lab. You scanned around it to find even more objects of similar quality littered around the floor.

“What is…,” your words were cut short. As you casted your gaze back into the crib, the previously unmoving lump of velvety blankets had sat up to stare at you with equally curious eyes. They were most beautiful color of jade you had ever seen.

And they belonged to a baby.

“Behold, my ultimate creation.” Hojo slinked past you, waving his hand to the tiny form in the crib. Said infant followed the movement of your mentor with alertness uncanny to his age. “My son, Sephiroth.”

Right in that moment, your jaw dropped. That was…?

“Your s-son…?”

Hojo pushed the rim of his glasses up his nose. His face looked maniacal with a grin splitting it. “And you, Nomen, are the only one besides me who’s privileged to witness the wonders of this being. Give me the book and take him out.”

You absently handed the book to your mentor. He had asked to get…what was his name...? Sephiroth? “Pardon me, professor, but I’ve never lifted a child in my life.” You gawked at Hojo with wide eyes, hoping for leniency, yet Hojo had buried his nose inside the pages. Just like any other scientist and their tomes, he was immediately lost, deep in his own mind. That left you with his round-faced ‘offspring’ alone. The little boy directed those jade irises at you, blinking innocently. That only served to unsettle your nerves.

‘How does one even lift an infant? What if I drop him?!’

Steeling your resolve, for the sake of your mentor’s trust and your career, you lifted your palms toward the child. They were slightly trembling and your back was damp with perspiration. This felt ridiculous in a sense. Sephiroth was just a bundle of softness oblivious to your inner turmoil when you were only supposed to lift him up. And how in Shiva’s name you were going to get used to this, pray tell.

That calm eyes flicked to your hands as you froze in your way to hold him. You swore you saw him tilt his head one side like he actually understood what was going on, and lifted his arms. Either it was an encouragement or a force of habit, you didn’t know. Since the party involved had seemingly gave you an explicit clue on how to handle him, your hands finally landed around his middle. And, boy, was he soft.

A smile inadvertently bloomed on your lips.

Sephiroth was unexpectedly heavy when you lifted him. Or you were simply weak. The living, breathing bundle in your arms offered zero resistant. You cradled him to your chest and immediately the scent of chamomile and all the things calming hit your nose. You’d like to think this was exactly how purity would smell if it had one.

“…the aforementioned properties of its distilled liquid will cause the chain reaction of so and so and such…,” Hojo’s mumbling took your attention away from the boy that had begun to suckle on his own hand. You were considering taking it out but the professor addressed you first.

“Put him on the table.”

You walked to the mentioned furniture and carefully put him down, feeling somehow reluctant. Hojo came next to you, dumping the heavy volume in front of his child. He opened a chapter on distilled mako before pointing a finger upon one passage.

“Read, son.”

Your breath literally stopped in your chest. You made a sound teetering between a chortle and a gasp. The sun must have barely reached a quarter of its course yet today had presented so much anomaly. This infant couldn’t have lived longer than 3 winters and his self-proclaimed father asked him to read, an advanced mako science none the less! What in the world was going on, you didn’t know. Maybe your glorified mentor had finally snapped. He did have some screws loose in that big head of his.

Hojo casted a challenging look in no way you were capable of defeating, snapping you back in place. You quickly realized your slip and was planning to rectify that mistake when an ambiguous gurgling sound was heard.

If jaws could be taken off its hinges like a door, yours would certainly drop to the floor.

“mmako…ditti..aion”

“In Holy’s name….”

The pipsqueak just spelled freaking mako distillation, with baby language!

“…te…a- aometioned poppetie isth dilled…,” Sephiroth made a pause, his nose scrunching in confusion.

“Liquid…,” somehow noticing his difficulty, you unconsciously said the next word. The baby pouted for a moment before he tried to copy you and continue the rest of the passage. You were so dumbfounded, you didn’t realize when the miracle had ended until Hojo patted your back.

“I haven’t described your responsibility yet you’ve done it so well. I was right to choose you.”

There wasn’t a word to describe how you felt right then. Years of assisting research under Hojo’s mentorship had put you up against some of the strangest conditions. But this, by far, was the strangest of strange. You swore not once the thought ever crossed your mind, that you’d be a nanny when you signed up to Shinra’s exalted Science & Research Department, still green and a living proverb of an ‘empty cup ready to be filled’. You guessed there would always be things left to surprise you, huh….

“First of all, I have to remind you that what happens in my lab; my research, your work, and anything pertaining to my son, is of utmost confidentiality. You are to assist me in monitoring the growth and development of this child. To make sure he turns into the utmost prodigy, will be your sole purpose under my wing,” the professor was kind enough to explain only what you needed to hear, as you doubted you’d be able to process much right now. Not after this shocking turn of events. “You, Nomen, are thus now a member of my innermost circle of team. Pack your belongings and move to the tower. You are to stay near my son at all times.”

Your eyes opened wider than the Gold Saucer. Whether you wanted to thank Hojo for suddenly exalting your status and career prospect or sue him for dumping all this responsibility like cold water without consulting you first, you weren’t quite sure. You’d be justified if you sue him for labor extortion. But all was good still. You were the one who sold your soul to the devil when you requested Hojo a mentorship all those years ago after all.

Such was the prologue to your newest chapter in life. It was brusque and unceremonious to a fault. The oath of confidentiality forced you to keep mute. Nobody was to know about anything, not your shock, nor your bafflement upon how to properly approach the change. Your mentor was the only other person who knew and sadly was better posed as an academic than a colleague. He’d try to analyze the workings of your mind before you even finished telling a thing. Maybe, you consoled yourself, maybe some other human being would come into the picture later. Although you haven’t seen any, you were sure there must be more people wandering these labs besides just the professor and you.

At the beginning of the next day, this particular chapter had progressed quite dramatically. You found Shinra personnel moving to and fro your rickety abode with boxes and boxes of your belongings. Mainly consisted of books and clothes, then a small number of trivial objects like your favorite chocobowl with its moogle spoon. There were a couple of low-rank guards supervising the whole process, to which their purpose was quite ambiguous to you, but as they didn’t try to piss anyone off like Markus P., you supposed it was fine. Some nosy neighbors peeped with curiosity, either wanting to know with whom Shinra had business with or wondering if you were up to some shady deals with them. You tried your best to ignore them.

To be honest, the whole affair of moving was inconsequential in a greater sense. You have never felt any particular attachment to your home. There wasn’t much to incite emotional fixation, except, perhaps the memory of peace after a hard day’s work, after shower, buried beneath the layers in your bed. But it was just one between too many discontents accumulated throughout years – for instance, the heater could do with some maintenance. Winters were always arctic. You were gladder to finally break free from an old routine. Taking care of a Promethean scientist’s infant certainly opened the door to new and exciting opportunities.

The professor had prepared an empty room prior your arrival. It was deep down the basement of Shinra Tower, right next to his son’s. Whatever plan Hojo had for you to partake in, he surely thought it out well. Accommodation was taken care of and its basic facilities already provided. The new lodging had a bedroom, a living room, one spare room you planned to turn into a study, private bathroom and a kitchen. Though not by much, the space was larger than your previous home, and most importantly, the air conditioner worked out perfect. The only downside was an absence of windows. Bereft walls gave quite the forlorn impression without any chance to glimpse beyond them and into the sky. This would take some time getting used to, but you would manage. Slum residents beneath the plates had it way worse.

When the last of your boxes had been transported down, you learned two things at once. One, your hypothesis was proven true. There were other people besides you and the professor roaming these lowest levels. Janitors and technicians, mainly the latter, had been tirelessly helping you. And two, Sephiroth actually had another proper, professionally acclaimed babysitter named Eredith. You immediately approached to introduce yourself after chancing upon her with the infant. She had offered her name in return before excusing herself with the boy in her arms. It wasn’t the warmest of welcome. You didn’t mind one bit. Simply knowing that she existed to fill that role had lessened the burden you previously thought was much bigger. As they went down the aisles, the baby in her arms turned to stare at you with his jade irises. You absently waved a hand, which, to your delight and astonishment, was replied with a grabby-hand.

The rest of the day was spent unboxing. You had only a handful of things to be unpacked, except of course, the books. Half were deliberately left untouched for another day of labor. The muscles in your arm already screamed with exhaustion before you could even finish arranging the unpacked ones inside the shelves. That left you with two boxes abandoned in the corner of your to-be study. Everything else was already in place by night. You took a long bath afterward and only after you were sure pretty much everything had been settled, you allowed yourself to relax.

*******************************************************************************************

You made a humble portion of toast for breakfast to start the day. Hojo didn’t require you until sometime around 10 in the morning. He had told you to prepare a list of basic science textbooks, preferably illustrated, for his son to begin reading. So you made use of the free time to continue unboxing. From this collection alone, you could submit more than 50 titles to the professor. The existence of multiple bookshelves, each one bigger than what you previously had, displayed the diversity of your collection perfectly. The books were gathered into sections of congruous topics. There were plenty to choose, you had a habit of buying whatever writings caught your attention, though when you finally thought about it, nursery rhymes and clean energy looked astoundingly disparate next to one another.

Just before 10, Hojo took you on a tour while explaining the nature of your job. Beginning from the entrance where you first arrived, to the winding halls and the rooms he deemed necessary for your work. He had programmed an almost unlimited access for you. Only one area remained off-limit for some reason. Despite your curiosity, you decided against probing further unless the man himself allowed you in. Sometimes not knowing was actually easier. The ones you were allowed to enter was interesting enough. You even thought to propose borrowing the bio lab for your own research. Maybe later after having familiarized yourself better, you’d ask the professor.

Sephiroth was waddling around his room when you entered with Hojo sometime near noon. Eredith watched attentively from a distance with his bowl of lunch half eaten. The infant had been engrossed by a stuffed chocobo that he ignored everyone else completely. The professor glanced at his son once, dismissing the babysitter with a wave of his hand.

“Pardon me, sir, but Sephiroth hasn’t finished his lunch.” Eredith tried to explain.

“Your time is up, Edith. Just put the bowl somewhere, you are no longer needed.”

Surprisingly, she didn’t leave right away. She gave you a look that could almost be interpreted as a plea. Either she was asking for your help to reason with your mentor or actually hoping you’d continue feeding the baby, you could only stood in silence. The woman received a harsher repetition of the command before she dejectedly put the bowl down on a table. She bowed to Hojo and excused herself. It was the silent frustration on her face that suddenly moved you. Maneuvering with three heavy volumes in your cradle, you called out to her as she was about to close the door.

“I’ll continue feeding him, don’t worry.”

She paused to look at you as if you had grown a wing. Her smile was subtle yet genuine as can be when it appeared. “Thank you,” she said with relief, then left.

“Troublesome woman, that one,” you heard Hojo mutter in her absence. “Sephiroth this, Sephiroth that. Always making excuses for her own incompetence.”

You’d been here barely a day. Everyone but Hojo were still strangers to you. There was no way your input on the matter would be credible, so you opted to make none. You simply headed to the table where the last half of Sephiroth’s lunch was, putting the books you brought right next to it.

“Come here, Nomen.” Your mentor gave you a clipboard. He showed the papers attached to it. There was a table containing multiple statements which had to be filled and sometimes rated from scale one to ten. “My son is unique. He is far beyond his age, he knows how to process more and more complex stimulus everyday as his adaptability runs high compared to most, mediocre infants.” You had never heard your mentor spoke with that level of pride before. “But alas,” he casted his eyes at the sight of Sephiroth not six feet away, playing with the same stuffed animal, “A child is still a child.”

Hojo closed the distance between him and his son. His figure towered over the boy. “He lacks the ability to focus on what matters.” Sephiroth didn’t even heed the other’s presence, still too happily hugging the chocobo when Hojo took it from his tiny hands. For a second there was this stifling, immovable tension going on between them. A battle of willpower between a father and his son. Hojo kept the toy away from him, staring the infant down with intense scrutiny. “Bring the book here.” You snapped out of your trance, scurrying to get the book for the man. He exchanged the book with it. In lack of a better thought of what to do, you just held it like an idiot.

The child looked really upset. His mouth curved downward, his hands made tiny fists where they previously held the stuffed animal, and his eyes…. You thought he was about to cry, but looking closer, those jade irises actually held an entirely different emotion. Never have you ever saw a baby held such anger in silence. Children are supposedly prone to tears and tantrums. Not with him. He, for the second time, looked uncannily beyond his age. It was honestly ironic because mere moments ago he looked exactly how any infant would with the toy you currently had.

“Playtime’s over, son,” Hojo shoved the book closer. He opened its first chapter. “You have so much potential. I didn’t go through the trouble to create you with failure in mind, so don’t waste your time.”

That immovable tension increase tenfold. You shifted in your spot, wondering why the mere scene of a parent scolding his child seemed to bother you. But then again, seeing as the parent was your mentor and his child had the tendency to be creepily uncanny each time you saw him, this couldn’t be considered normal at all, and you didn’t have a child anyway, you wouldn’t know.

“Make sure you don’t miss anything on that list.” He said to you. Sephiroth was still glaring at him from the floor. “All the tool you will require is in there,” he said, pointing at an overhead cabinet. “If you have questions, message me.”

“Should I call Eredith back when I’m finished?”

Hojo snorted. “Just leave after you’re done. This child gets too spoiled with her.”

Like countless times before, you shut your mouth even though you disagreed. That child was independent enough. Hojo just had illogical standards most times.

“I will leave you to it, then. Report to me later tonight.” Unexpectedly, he began to go. You hastily asked the man in panic. “Wha- You’re not staying, professor?”

Said professor sighed with his distinct flair. “I am occupied and will be for some time. The President require me. That’s why I must entrust some things to you, Nomen. I believe you can handle it well. Now, I shall leave you to it.”

Just like Eredith previously did, he was gone, leaving you and his less than pleased infant alone. You peered at him nervously. He was hunched over the book that looked too big for his tiny figure. The child still looked upset.

“Um….” There was that list in your one hand and his toy in the other. You tried to weigh the value of each. As you inspected what was on the list, you instantly thought it was both intriguing and ridiculous.

PROJECT-S

Report: 07-10-1983

J-01.S1.16817.00599.000.6

Subject Name: Sephiroth

D.O.B.: 05-05-1981

Age: 2 year 5 month

Physical Development

Cephal

Circumference:

Shape:

Facio

Length:

Width:

Iris color:

Teeth condition:

Brachium

Length:

Circumference:

Flexibility:

Strength:

(….)

The whole first page of the document was all about the boy’s physical growth. There were even 10 pages in total, things were quite normal up to the point where Hojo actually wanted you to rate the child’s understanding of certain vocabularies like ‘cathode’ and ‘anode’. You didn’t mean to underestimate Sephiroth’s ability as he had proven to be quite the anomaly just after three brief meetings, you simply found it hard to believe that a two-year-old had to put up with this level of standard. You shook your head incredulously.

Looking at him now, it kind of answered some of the mystery his uncanny behavior omitted. If Hojo had done something to make ‘his son’ biologically enhanced, he was bound to be different in some ways.

“Sephiroth?” He gave you a scrunched nose and nothing else. The child fumbled with the hem of his shirt under your constant gaze, as if hesitating with whatever he decided to do next. You were about to struck a conversation when his tiny hands landed on the book.

He began to read.

“In e be..begin’in o’ e book-”

“Um…Sephiroth?”

“-a in…indodooction o ele..men-”

“Hey,” you put a hand to cover the page gently. “Seph, stop for a second, yeah?”

He turned to look at you with the most flustered expression a baby could ever muster.

“I haven’t told you my name, right? My name’s Nomen.”

There was silence after your awkward attempt at introduction. He still didn’t say a word, just stared at you with the same expression. You started to wonder if he actually get what you said. The child got tired of looking at you after a few seconds and dived back into the book, but you were persistent yourself.

You plopped the stuffed animal in front of his line of vision.

This time when he looked at you, not only was he flustered, but his eyes also round with surprise. He was visibly teetering between holding himself back or just accept the offering. Almost a minute passed with him freezing up. To your surprise he pushed the animal back to you. His face looked so conflicted it made you feel bad.

You quickly put the toy back on top of the book. “Didn’t you want to play?”

Sephiroth now fumbled with his fingers. His pout was back. “Tis a test….”

“No! I’m not testing you, kid. Oh, by the Goddess.” Your lips turned to a smile. Without even giving it a second thought, you patted the boy’s head. He then froze again. It was unclear whether he felt offended by the touch. Do kids even feel offended? Alas, you began pulling your hand away, but he suddenly grabbed your wrist with tiny hands and put it back on his hair, looking at you with an annoyed expression.

He liked it.

Just like you would with a cat, you petted his head. He leaned into your touch with the same pissed off face, but his body was relaxed. You took the chance to shove his chocobo at him. Fortunately, he immediately accepted. The two of you stayed that way for a while. It felt comfortable. Your heart was warmed up in the face of this unexpected softness.

“I promised Eredith you’ll finish lunch, sooo…before we start everything, let’s eat first, okay?”

His jade irises peered from below your palm. He looked unsure.

“You can keep the chocobo. I won’t take it away. I promise!”

After he nodded, you immediately took the bowl temporarily abandoned on the table. He was nothing but cooperative and you were relieved for it. Sephiroth munched his food with the toy never leaving his hands. You utilized the interval between each spoon to start measuring the boy’s physique. He was quite the slow eater, taking all the time in the world to chew. By when he finally finished lunch, you had managed to fill the first page of the document.

Hours went by unnoticed as the examination process was carried on. He time and time again amazed you with the ability to maintain almost unwavering focus. He actually always wanted to play, sometimes allowing himself to take a toy lying around when your attention was elsewhere. But once you subjected him to another test, he rallied all of himself to it. It was mesmerizing to watch.

Somewhere along the way, Eredith actually came knocking at the door. She brought biscuits and a bottle of milk for the infant’s afternoon meal. The woman didn’t say much to you, she just politely asked to feed Sephiroth again and brought the empty bowl away. Nothing much happened after that. You allowed the boy to munch on his snack while you asked him questions or told him to perform some task.

At some point you came across the question of whether Sephiroth understood some terms written on the paper – the cathode and anode one. You sighed exasperatedly. The child was currently drawing something resembling his favorite stuffed animal, if you weren’t mistaken. You leaned over him, asking just for sure, “Is that your chocobo?”

“Uh-huh.”

You nodded appreciatively. His skill was decent enough for his drawing to be understood. That indicated a capability to understand and replicate the existence of objects around him. You quickly took a note.

“Um…kid?”

“Hm?”

“Can you read these two words for me?” You showed the nouns for him to spell. He studied them momentarily and tried. “Ca’ffode an’ an….”

“Anode.”

“…aode.”

“That’s right,” you gave him a smile and another pat on the head. “Do you know what they mean?”

He shook his head hesitantly.

“Alright….” You thought to yourself the best way of explaining it to him. “Do you know battery?”

“Un…yea.”

“Cathode is the part of a battery that has the [+] symbol, while anode has [-].”

Sephiroth stared at you silently. He didn’t seem to get what you mean, so you looked around. Amidst the toy lying around was a fake gun, colored in bright colors appealing to children. You took it and opened the battery case.

“Here, look, there’s a [+] sign here and a [-] sign. This one is the cathode and this one is anode. The battery has power, it runs to the gun from here to here. Without one of these two, the power is stuck in one side, just like a road that’s blocked.”

“They…’re like ‘oors?”

You smiled fondly, “Yes, yes! They’re like doors. If they’re not set in properly, the power from the battery won’t flow to the gun, just like one can’t pass through a door if it’s not opened.”

The boy was astute. You never had to explain things twice as long as you gave him a good example. Filling the rest of the document became nothing but a breeze. Before you knew it, you had completed the day’s report. Sephiroth also looked bored, the chocobo was back in his cradle as he laid on the floor, his tiny fingers fumbled with its feathery butt. You couldn’t help the laugh that escaped your lips. This was the first time you interacted with him and you could already see various shades of his personality. At times, his calm demeanor and self-restraint made you feel like there was someone much older trapped inside that tiny body, then there were also times like these, when he behaved innocently like every other child in the Planet did. He was highly intriguing at such a young age and you dared to bet he would continue to be so when he grows up.

Having nothing else to do left but gawk at the tiny fluff caressing a chocobo butt, you took another brief moment to appreciate it before preparing to leave. Your task was over technically, but you couldn’t help feeling like there was more you could do. Then an idea struck your mind.

“Seph, stay here, okay? I’m gonna get something for you.”

You hurried to your room, heading straight to the bookshelves. At the children’s section was a compilation of nursery rhymes and tales. You scanned the titles with keen eyes, finding the one you were looking for right away, then quickly headed back to Sephiroth’s. The boy was still on his back when you returned. You approached him with an enthusiastic smile plastered on your face.

“Look what I’ve got.”

The boy looked at you half-heartedly. He was definitely done for the day. Then he saw the book you had brought. He quickly sat up to take it.

Below the title – Pickle in a Fickle! – was a picture of one golden chocobo, just like his toy, staring at two gysahl greens completely bamboozled. “Chochobo!” Sephiroth pointed at the character.

“Yes, the same as yours. His name is Pickle.”

“’ickle…,” the boy copied. He wasted no time opening it, eyes seemingly glittering with wonder to see illustrated pages instead of black and white passages. You waited patiently for him to start reading. But the moment he saw some passages, he pouted.

You blinked in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“’m tired weadin’.”

Ah…. That made sense. He’d been forced to spell hundreds of words in a day. Some people didn’t even bother to read. The young boy had accomplished nothing short of a feat. You supposed he was justified to call it a day.

“Do you want me to read it to you?”

His giddiness was back instantaneously, “Yea! Wead it!”

So began your habit of bringing children’s books to him. He spent morning ‘till sundown doing his best with the examination and you rewarded him with new tale almost every day. He was always tired by the end that you had to read to him. The young boy listened with rapt attention, sometimes sitting beside you while playing with Pickle – he named his chocobo after you narrated the story, some other time getting into your lap to see the pages as you read.

Eredith started to give you smiles that grew bigger each time you saw her, though you two still hadn’t talked much aside from some pleasantries and formalities. She was always there when you came in the morning, then proceeded to make herself scarce all day long, only coming in once or twice to deliver foods and drinks. By sundown, you’d be bidding little Seph a goodbye. Eredith was already by the door when you exited. You nodded your head politely and let her be to do her job.

By night, Hojo would call you to his office and ask for report. He’d inspect the document you filled every single day, taking notes of certain aspects that he deemed significant. The professor was overall pleased with his son’s progress, seemingly unaware of the new habit you had helped him build. If your mentor knew anything about you adding non-academic books – nonsense jabberwockies, he’d said – to his son’s curriculum, he had certainly done nothing to stop it.

Sephiroth had become much more open to you after a month of constant meeting. He would happily stand by the door every day at 10 o’clock, the time you were supposed to get in. He kept urging you to hurry with the tests so he gets to hear another story. You gladly did as he asked, it was a win-win situation for all anyway. The effects of your diligence was showing and it affected everyone. Hojo rarely spoke harshly to his son nor Eredith, he gave you a raise, and most importantly, approved your proposal to borrow the bio lab for the sake of your own research. He didn’t question your intentions much, simply asked you to not let it hinder your main responsibility with Sephiroth. He only allowed you to use them at night when you were done reporting. Without hesitation you agreed.

Life became much easier than ever before. For once things were actually going the right way. You couldn’t be more grateful, to the professor, to fate, and to the fluff of silver and jade who was the reason of it all. By the time you went to bed, the only thing that came to your mind was which story you should bring tomorrow.

#ff7 #ffvii #ffviiremake #ffvii remake #ff7 remake #archive of our own #sephiroth x reader #reader insert #hojo #professor hojo #sephiroth is a baby #baby sephiroth #young sephiroth #young hojo #young president shinra #everyone is young #fanfiction #my fics #e-aramis

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kezikatescribbling · 5 years ago

Text

Witness to Monsters- Chapter 2: Smile and Nod

Heeyyy, it’s chapter 2! And it took less than a month! It’s a miracle! I’m kinda sleepy, so not sure how this chapter turned out, but I’m posting it anyway!

***

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 |

Or read on AO3:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21639121/chapters/54362587#workskin

Word count: 2575

TW: Ughhh, nervous behavior? Awkward teasing.

Leon’s POV

Hunnigan wasn’t kidding when she said this girl had been through a lot. Every reaction he’d seen so far spoke of the way [Yn] had been treated since being arrested from the Umbrella facility. The way her eyes widened when she saw his gun, and kept watching it, as if waiting for it to be turned on her. The nervous, defensive look she gave him when she saw the anger on his face, even though his anger wasn’t in any way directed at her, but at the state she was in. And worst of all, the way she flinched when he reached for her, the genuine fear he saw in her eyes...had just about broken his heart. It didn’t matter what she had done while at that lab; this was wrong. He’d relied off of the fear from his enemies to get him through battles, but this was different.

Which is why the last thing he expected was for [Yn] to hug him tighter while pushing her face into him, like she was hiding-like he was protecting her from some unseen predator. He looked down to confirm the movement, and sure enough, her face was burrowed into his shoulder, a chunk of stray hair that had come undone from the low ponytail at the back of her head obscuring part of her face.

Leon realized he’d been holding his breath, as if the quiet noise would scare [Yn] and ruin the moment. He resumes his even breaths and [Yn] stays with her face hidden until he sits her in the passenger seat of his car. Even then, she doesn’t seem willing to let go of his jacket until he loosens her fingers. As he’s getting into the driver’s seat he notices [Yn] shiver, not a surprise since she’s not even wearing a coat and the chill autumn air is nearing freezing.

“It will get warm in a second,” Leon informs [Yn] as he starts the car and turns the heat up to max, as he does, he feels his phone buzz. Pulling it out reveals a message from Hunnigan with information to get a bag of essentials for [Yn]. A picture goes along with the message to show who Leon is supposed to meet at the bus station. The DSO sure is being careful with this assignment, judging by how clandestine this meeting is supposed to be. ‘Just how desperate is Umbrella to get [Yn] back, and what did she do for them?’ Leon wonders to himself before shaking his head. It doesn’t matter. His job now is to keep her safe.

“It looks like we have a drop to pick up with clothes and supplies for you. Good, you can finally get out of those awful scrubs.” [Yn] looks down at herself as if she didn’t know what she was wearing; green scrubs and a long sleeved shirt underneath, thin socks, and ratty looking gym shoes. The fabric looks rumpled and Leon has to force himself to think of something else besides wondering how long she’s been wearing the same clothes. Leon puts his phone in the hands free holder on the dash and buckles his seatbelt before looking at [Yn] again. She looks thin, but not dangerously so. The way she sits slumped in the seat makes Leon wonder if she’s going to fall back asleep, but her eyes are alert, an awareness that calms some of the worry he’d been carrying since seeing her lying dazed on the cot in her cell. ‘Her cell.’ Leon shoves more dark thoughts from his mind, focusing on what he could do now.

“After when get the drop, how about we pick up something to eat. I’m starving, and I don’t know what kind of bland crackers and water diet you’ve been on, but I’m sure you’re ready for some real food.” Her eyes light up and she gives him a cautious smile that burns it’s way to his soul and takes his breath away. Leon can’t keep the bright answering smile off his face, “I’ll take that as a yes.” For some reason he’s feeling giddy at each positive interaction between them. It hasn’t even been an hour.

Leon focuses his attention on driving to the bus stop, which is about a half hour drive. He spends the trip trying, and failing, to keep his attention off of [Yn], but the way she stares at everything is captivating, and when she flinches from a car zooming past them, Leon reaches across the center console slowly and takes her hand, rubbing small circles into her skin to calm her down. She startles a bit at first, but doesn’t pull away, instead looking from their hands intertwined up to Leon’s face.

“It’s alright. These busy roads can be pretty overwhelming, especially with assholes like that driving.” [Yn] cracks a smile, so Leon continues, “But don’t worry, I’m a good driver, despite what some of my friends would say. I’ve had some...exciting experiences with vehicles. If you’d like I could tell you some of those stories. They’re kinda funny looking back on them. But maybe we should wait until we’re off the road, don’t want you getting so spooked by my bad luck that you jump out of the car. It’s still a long walk to my place and I get kinda grumpy if I’m on my feet for too long.” Leon knows he’s rambling at this point, but when he hears [Yn] giggle softly he decides he would gladly talk until his voice gave out to hear it again. And when he looks to see her smiling eyes, biting her lip, her cheeks rosy, he can’t imagine anything more beautiful.

All too soon Leon pulls into the bus station parking lot. A man matching the picture Hunnigan sent is standing in the smoking area dressed plainly to avoid drawing attention. Leon parks and reaches over to grab a cigarette lighter from the glove box, stashing it in his pocket.

“Ok. I’m going to meet that man over there, get the stuff, and be right back here.” Leon wasn’t warned about [Yn] being a flight risk, but then again he wasn’t given much information in general. “I’ll be able to see you, and you’ll be able to see me the whole time. If you need help just flash the lights at me, ok? It’s this button here.” Leon shows her what to do, but [Yn] still looks concerned. “I’ll lock the doors, I’ll be back in ten minutes tops, and that man is another agent. You’re not going anywhere without me, ok?” He doesn’t want to scare her, but he needs to be sure she won’t run away. [Yn] seems to trust him at least a little at this point, and she hasn’t seemed interested in getting away, but she is an unknown Umbrella asset, and he needs to remember that. [Yn] still looks concerned, but nods in understanding. “Back in a flash.”

Leon exits the car and fights off a shiver as the cold air hits him. Stuffing his hands in his pockets he approaches the small group of smokers standing in the designated area. He makes a show of pulling out his lighter and patting his other pockets before sighing in mock defeat, looking to the man beside him in the non descript black outerwear jacket. “Got a spare?”

The man nods and pulls out a pack and shakes it, “Last one, lucky you.” Leon thanks the man and pulls out the last cigarette, pocketing the empty wrapper. The man nods and flicks his spent cigarette into the ashtray before walking away. Leon lights his and stands for a few minutes until the people around him leave before putting it out in the tray and walking to the lockers just inside a glass door. He takes the “empty” pack out from his pocket, tearing off the top and tipping the box until a small key falls into his palm. Smirking and mumbling under his breath about ‘mission impossible bullshit’, Leon opens one of the big lockers and removes a duffle bag and a warm winter coat hanging next to it.

Walking back to the car Leon can see [Yn]’s nervous gaze flitting over everyone at the station, before she noticed him coming back. A relieved smile crosses her face and her shoulders relax. Leon smiles at her as he unlocks the car and puts the bag in the back before taking his seat.

“Here. You can change once we get to my place, but for now at least you won’t be freezing.” Leon passes over the jacket and watches as [Yn] runs her hand over the fluffy fabric of the lining. Her eyes look far away, hand sweeping back and forth. “[Yn],” she blinks before her gaze focuses on Leon, “You ok?” She smiles and nods, but he’s still unsure. “Alright, what do you want for lunch?” He was sure that would get more of a reaction based on last time they discussed food, but [Yn] only shrugged and closed her eyes. Leon takes the quiet moment to think and decides it shouldn’t be anything too greasy or rich, unsure of how close he had been with his guess of crackers and water, and not wanting to overwhelm [Yn]’s stomach.

“How about sandwiches? There’s a good sub shop not too far away. Sound good?” [Yn] smiles and nods again, but at least she looks more enthusiastic. “Alright. Subs it is.”

***

Leon counts himself lucky that the sub shop seems to be having a slow day. A couple people are inside scrolling through their phones and a tired looking employee is sitting behind the counter. There are only a few cars in the parking lot as well, and no sign of more people coming down this part of the road. Leon gets out of the car and walks around to [Yn]’s side, opening the door for her, a hand out to help her if she needs it. “Are you ok to walk now? Do I need to carry you again?” [Yn] jumps down easily from the seat, giving Leon a haughty look. He puts up his hands in a placating gesture, closing the door and leading the way to the door.

As they walk in, they are hit with a mouthwatering wave of scents; fresh baked bread and cookies, spicy veggies, and assorted meats. Leon goes up to the counter to grab a menu and hands it to [Yn]. “What would you like? Get whatever you want.” [Yn] looks over the menu for a minute before looking up to Leon with a lost look. “There’s a lot to choose from, huh? How about this, I’ll get what I like, and we can split it, see what you think of it. You ok with that?” [Yn] looks relieved as she nods, and Leon walks to the counter to get his normal order, minus the usual spicy peppers.

[Yn] stands next to Leon as they watch the person behind the counter make the sandwich, but her eyes keep traveling to the other people in the room nervously and when a new person walks in with the chime from the bell on the door, she flinches closer to Leon, grabbing onto his jacket like a lifeline. Leon controls the urge to wrap an arm around her waist, instead taking her hand and holding it tightly in his, smiling down at her. He pays and takes the sandwich, leading [Yn] to the table in the corner, far from the door. She sits and he picks up the drink cups, “They have really good lemonade here. Would you like some?” [Yn] nods again and he has to keep himself from sighing. He’s glad [Yn] has some level of trust in him, and is comfortable enough to be close to him, but he wishes he could get her talking. He smirks when a plan forms in his mind.

Leon sits down across from [Yn] and slides her one of the cups. She takes a few large gulps of hers before coming up for air. “Thirsty?” He smiles at her so she knows he’s joking and she returns it with a sky look. Leon opens the wrapper and hands half the sandwich to [Yn] with a few napkins. He watches her take a bite, waiting for a reaction before starting in on his own. He can’t tell if she likes it or not by her expression, and after chewing and swallowing his first bite he puts his plan into motion.

“You know, this is one of my favorite places to eat? This shop has been here for years and I’ve never had a bad sandwich. And I love the sauce they make! It’s the owners recipe and he won’t tell a soul what’s in it.” All of what Leon is saying is utter bullshit. He’s been here before, sure, but he’s never seen the same person twice behind the counter, all bored college students who half the time look stoned out of their minds. But [Yn] is listening to everything he says with a neutral look on her face, a silent participator in the conversation, so Leon pulls out the acting skills, “So, what do you think? Bet you’ve never had a sandwich better than the ones they make here.” He worded the sentence carefully so she won’t have an easy yes or no. She shrugs instead, with the same polite smile, and Leon lets his face drop, his shoulders deflate, a look defining defeat, “Oh, ok. It’s ok if you don’t like it. I understand.” Leon almost feels bad when a stricken look crosses [Yn]’s face, but the next moment makes it worth it.

“What? No, I...I like it. That’s not what I…” She stops, confused when Leon’s face breaks into what he’s sure is a devious looking smile. She seems to understand what he did and she...rolls her eyes at him. But she doesn’t stop there, “Asshole,” the word is just a whisper, but Leon hears it anyway and can’t help the laughter that breaks out of his chest, and when [Yn] slaps her hand over her mouth, eyes wide, the laughter becomes uncontrollable. Only when she tries to fumble out an apology does he control himself, smiling across the table at her.

“No, I’m sorry I’m sorry. You’re right, I was being an asshole. I just wanted to see if I could get you to talk, besides to say that I’m pretty.” Her face grows even more red and she tries to apologize again, “It’s ok, really. It’s not like that’s the first time I’ve heard that. People say I’m gorgeous, and who am I to correct them?” The blush on his cheeks is probably giving away his embarrassment, he’s never known what to do with those comments. His awkward thanks to [Yn] when she’d called him pretty was the typical reaction he’d give, at least that time he hadn’t tripped over anything afterword, unlike last time…

Leon is drawn from his thoughts when [Yn] glares playfully at him and sticks out her tongue, crinckling her nose. He laughs again and she joins in with a quiet giggle. Leon feels his heart swell, and the smile feels permanent on his face.

Leon and [Yn] finish their meal and, after picking up a few warm cookies, get back on the road to Leon’s place.

@chloe-3-price @mitsuintheworks @imagineleonkennedy @locus-desperatus @biohazard4ever @sinnamon-bunn

Chapter 1

#My writing #WtM #leon kennedy x reader #fanfic #resident evil

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bangtan-dreamland · 5 years ago

Text

Winter Coffeeshops

Prompt: “Stay?”

Pairing: ksj x reader

Word count: 6.2K

Warnings: none really lol

Summary: You never expected your daily trips to the coffee shop to be anything more than ordinary, yet here you were- sharing a table with Worldwide Handsome, Kim Seokjin.

Genre: slowburn, strangers to friends (I’d say lovers but this is the first chapter so...)

A/N: Hi hello I love Kim Seokjin and hIS BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP I AM G I D D Y man am I excited to celebrate the birthday of one of the lights in my life.

Next //

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Seokjin rarely ever went to coffee shops.

Coffee shops were more Namjoon’s style, whenever he wanted to catch a break from the chaos that came with living with six men, as well as read his newest book in silence. Sometimes Taehyung or Jimin too, would go get coffee. Never him, though. He was more inclined to brew himself a cup in the privacy of their own apartment.

Yet here he was, practically shivering underneath the huge, padded coat he wore as he stepped inside Little Coffee and felt the warmth of the establishment start to alleviate the coldness from outside.

The coffee shop was decorated rather comfortably, fitting right in with the winter season. Warm tones of red and brown enveloped the room, small tables and huge chairs dominating the floor. The subtle tones of jazz filled the room, and though the noise from conversations were loud, somehow they were drowned out enough by the music.

Looking around though, he was glad to have worn the cap with the face mask- with the sheer amount of people loitering inside the shop (most of them clearly having the same idea as him), it would have been impossible to keep his identity hidden. Still, he was cautious as he looked around, searching for an empty table, preferably in a corner not easily seen.

Luck wasn’t on his side though, and he bit back a sigh as he moved to the counter, having decided to at least order something. It would have been rude to do so otherwise, anyway, considering he was already inside. The line wasn’t too long, thankfully. Soon enough he was waiting for his order- muffins, as well as coffee.

“You could go to the second floor, if you want,” the barista manning the counter suddenly said as he handed him his food. “Since all the seats here are taken,” he added, gesturing to the crowd of people.

“You have a second floor?” Seokjin asked in surprise. He hadn’t seen any stairs leading up- although, now that he thought about it, there was a balcony and a set of windows visible from outside. The man nodded, pointing to a hallway partially hidden by a set of potted plants, at the very back of the shop near the staffroom.

“Just go through those, and you’ll see the stairs at the end of the hallway. Usually we only let favorite patrons have access, but you seem like you need it.”

“Uh- thank you, then,” he replied, a bit wary considering the place. Still, when he looked around, he had to admit, even if only to himself, that an empty seat was nowhere in sight. And even if it were, being surrounded by people would immediately kill his appetite and just stress him out. It wasn’t that he was scared that people would know Kim Seokjin was currently at a coffeeshop, but rather what they would do. He valued his current privacy, and as much as he loved ARMY he didn’t fancy being mobbed or being followed. Heaving a sigh to himself, he started making his way to the alleged ‘favorite patrons’ area. His only hope was that it wouldn’t be as crowded as the main room of the shop.

Upon reaching the second floor, though, he was surprised. The room was small, and rather cozy. A few tables and chairs were spread out, the floor cushioned by a thick rug. Bookshelves and paintings decorated the walls, as well impeccable artwork. But the best thing yet about the room had to be the heater that was installed near the ceiling, sending warm drafts of air everywhere and fully melting away the cold chills that lingered from the snow.

That said, though, the room was also somewhat full of people, which was a disappointment. He lingered near the doorway, looking around, when he saw the perfect spot to sit down- he could make out a chair in an area sectioned off by the bookshelves. He instantly made his way over, cheering inwardly.

It was only when he was a few steps away to the chair that he saw her.

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Coffeeshops were never really your style.

Actually, coffee was never your style. You rarely drank coffee- unless the ratio of creamer to coffee was 1:1, with added sugar and milk (and then your friends and family would argue that wasn’t coffee anymore).

But the heavy snowfalls that happened in this town you were staying with for your internship gave you a sudden craving for warmth, one that the apartment you lived in couldn’t provide. See, the heater you would use had a problem- it could only run for a few hours before it threatened to overheat and break down. Which meant that you could only use it when you went to sleep, and never before or after that. But the apartment grew cold even when you closed the windows to keep the winter air out, and work ended in the afternoon, which always left you with a few solid hours of nowhere to keep you safe and warm from the elements outside.

Which was how you first ended up in Little Coffee, seeking refuge and warmth. The shop had been nice enough, the walls thick and the air inside enough to keep you satiated. You ordered coffee (even if you didn’t want to, but hey, you were at a coffeeshop so…) and a slice of raspberry cheese cake, and one bite into the food had sent you to heaven.

The next day, you found yourself at the same place, in the same chair, except this time, you ordered the triple chocolate deluxe, since they kept changing the cakes they sold every day, and found yourself falling in love. The third day, you were back again. And as time passed you became a patron of the coffeeshop, despite never actually drinking their coffee much- somehow the pastries they served were absolutely amazing, and you never got tired of eating them.

It had been a month or so since then, and you’d apparently become a valued patron of the shop, because as of a week or so ago you’d been let known about the hidden gem that was the second floor of the shop. It was perfect- cozy, not too many people, warm, with chairs that were huge enough to swallow you and soft enough you could sink into them without a second thought.

It was perfect timing too, considering that only a few days after the weather forecast for the town had been nothing but snow, snow and more snow, with the rare moments of sunlight. It had been colder than ever since the winter months started, and you appreciated the warmer, yet quieter and more comfortable room you were given access to instead of the first floor.

There rarely were people the owners allowed upstairs though, which was reflected in the amount of chairs they put in the room- a part of the reason why, you were confused when you saw a stranger head over to your spot.

How does his shoulders fit inside that coat, when they’re so wide? That was your first thought, followed by, who wears a cap inside? Is he someone famous or something?

Still, you didn’t say your thoughts out loud, registering the surprise that melted into resignation on the man’s face. You didn’t need to ask him to know what his problem was- he probably wanted to sit alone. Before he could turn away, you found yourself speaking to him.

“You can- the seat’s free, if you want to sit down. Only if you want to, I mean. I promise I won’t be a nosy… table mate?” You scrunched up your nose at the weird way you ended your sentence, internally cursing yourself for the blunder. You fiddled with the scones on your plate, a few left. Half of you wanted him to stay, even if you didn’t know exactly why- the other wanted him to go, embarrassed after having witnessed you stumble over your words.

“Are you sure?” He asks, instead, and with the decision thrown over to you you nod your head, instantly agreeing because damn it you already did ask him, so. A beat or two passes, and even from the plate to which you had your gaze firmly fixed to, you could hear him sigh in relief as he sat down.

A plate of muffins finds its way onto the table, followed by a cup of coffee, still steaming and hot. You start nibbling on one of the scones, feeling an air of awkwardness settle around the two of you.

“Do you- uh, do you come here often?” Instantly you wince again. You spoke up because the awkwardness made it hard to eat and relax, but then you had to go ahead and stutter…

To your surprise, you hear him reply instantly, as if he too was bothered by the forced silence. “Not really. I’m more the type to make their own coffee at home than go to a coffee shop,” he says.

“Oh- me too,” you say in surprise. “Well- before I came here, of course. I’m not really a fan of coffee, but the way they make the coffee in here somehow makes the perfect accompaniment to their desserts, you know? At least, for most.”

“Ah, it’s really that good, huh?” He says thoughtfully, pulling down his mask and starting to drink his cup of coffee. You beam at him, making him smile widely back at you. Encouraged, you continue talking, for some reason unwilling to let the conversation die down.

“Y-Yeah, you should try one of their cakes- all of them are delicious, but the vanilla sponge cake is one of my favorites,” you fiddle again with the food on your plate, unsure what to say, before you get one. “Oh, speaking of which, it must be really crowded down there, huh.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well- you just said you don’t go to coffee shops, and, you didn’t seem to know about their desserts here, despite having obviously bought some. Which, I mean, is okay! But, uh, I don’t know if they didn’t tell you but they only let people who frequent the shop a lot have access to the second floor.” You feel yourself blush as you ramble, as opposed to the growing smile on your table mate’s face. “An honest surprise for me when they let me up when I’ve only been coming here for a month or so.”

“A month?” He raises an eyebrow at you, surprised. “You look so at home here, I thought you would’ve been a longtime patron.”

“Mm… uh, I told you that I’m not the type for coffee shops, right? But I recently had to move here for an internship, and I guess it’s just luck but my heater started acting up as soon as winter arrived and I eventually found myself in here to stave off the cold,” while you speak you find your gaze drifting back to your lap again, unsure what to say next. What else did you have to talk about? You wanted to keep talking with him, for some reason, but truth was, you’d explored all the topics you had in common. Was it weird to ask someone you just met what their favorite drink, food, color, etc. was?

“Like me then, I guess. The snowfall was so heavy outside, I was forced to take shelter,” he replies after a while. “But I guess it isn’t so bad, since I get to talk with cute girls.”

Your head snaps back up in surprise, red blooming across your cheeks like a furnace, speechless. Although you didn’t see it earlier, your tablemate is gorgeous, eyes a warm shade of brown, with smooth skin, a sharp nose and plump lips. He’s also somewhat familiar, but the fact that you have your mind on his compliment- teasing?- makes it hard to place his name. The realization that he’s breathtaking only makes the color on your cheeks grow brighter. Your reaction must be quite something at this point, because he lets a giggle slip out of him, and you frown in response.

“Not funny,” you grumble.

His eyes crinkle at the corners, amusement visible from him. “Sorry, sorry. I only wanted to help you loosen up.”

“It’s not every day I let strangers sit with me, of course I’m a bit tense,” you snipe back, a pout on your lips. Still, you can’t help but admit to yourself that you feel more comfortable now, and your tablemate must see it as well because they continue instead of giving more apologies.

“Alright, so that didn’t quite work as I wanted it to,” he says with a grin, and you raise an eyebrow at him as if to say ‘no shit, sherlock’. “Hmmm… so let me try this instead- what do you get, when you cross a snowman and a vampire?”

“Frostbite,” you reply instantly, feeling the urge to giggle strike you when his face falls and he pouts. “Sorry, but I’ve already heard that before, so…”

“It was a good one though, right?” He cajoles, a grin back on his face again, before he taps a finger to his cheek. “Wait, let me think of another.”

“If all you have are bad puns, then I don’t think you’ll ever accomplish your mission.” You huff quietly, amused, but also touched that he apparently wants to continue talking to you, at his efforts to make you smile.

“Hey, I’ll have you know, making puns are snow joke,” he replies instantly, smile still fixed to his face as he delivers his line.

“That was terrible.” So you say, but you feel yourself smiling, in spite of how you don’t want to. Your tablemate seems to catch your smile, because he barrels on, mock offense visible on his face as he huffs dramatically.

“Water you saying? My puns are pure cold! I’ll have you know, my audience are usually in stitches at this point, but icy now, you’re a special challenge. So this is my warm-ing to you, you better prepare yourself!”

“Stop- stop, oh my god.” You burst into laughter at the onslaught of puns, unable to contain yourself. Across from you, he himself falls over laughing, and you find yourself too delighted at the moment to consider being embarrassed that you two are being loud as can be in a coffee shop. Still, when your laughter softens to giggles, you find the last of the tension falling away.

Whoever he is, he must feel the same too, because the smile that remains on his face is just as bright as yours. After that, the conversation between the two of you flows freely, jokes and puns and funny anecdotes about the weather outside being passed to each other.

It’s only when you finish you finish the mountain of desserts on your plate with your coffee half-drunk that he sends an amused grin your way, sliding his own plate of muffins to your side of the table.

“You’re really not a fan of coffee, huh?”

“I’m pretty sure I already told you that,” you snipe back with a roll of your eyes and a smile on your face, before you reach for the muffins offered. “But no, not unless it’s sweet rather than bitter. I don’t really get people who drink it straight black.”

“You wouldn’t want to meet one of my friends then, I’ve never seen him take coffee any other way than that,” he remarks, the corners of his eyes crinkling a little in fondness at whoever this ‘friend’ of his may be, and you find yourself curious about his friend.

“Sounds like a terrifying guy. What does he need pure caffeine for?”

It’s as if someone splashed cold water on him, because he suddenly straightens up, surprise in his eyes before he chuckles awkwardly.

“Uh- just- he’s a workaholic, so…”

“I see…” You bite your lip nervously as the atmosphere between the two of you becomes a little colder, a little distant. Suddenly, you’re left unsure just what to say. You really want to go back to how it was previously, but…

“Oh… I have to go now,” your eyes widen in surprise when you catch a glimpse of the time from the clock behind him. “I set up my schedule around my heater these days,” you awkwardly explain, mentally hyping yourself. You can do it, you will yourself to think. “Um! Will you be back tomorrow?”

“Maybe,” he replies, looking unsure, before he adds, “Probably downstairs, though, I’m pretty sure me coming up was only a one time thing.”

“O-Oh…” You look down at your feet, disappointed, before you decide to push through again. “If you do get to come back up here, I’d love to talk with you again,” you mumble, your cheeks pink as you quickly brush off the crumbs on your body and walk away. You really don’t want to look at his reaction- you feel like you’d melt into a puddle, whatever it was.

Still, you find yourself halting when you’ve taken only a few steps away from him, whirling back to see a light flush on his cheeks as well. “Wait! Uh- what’s your name? Or, well, what do I call you?” You give him your name, and you watch as he repeats it, as if to make sure he gets it right (and oh, the way your name rolls off his tongue makes your heart beat fast), before he sends you a confident smile.

“Just call me Jin.”

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From that day onward, you find yourself coming back to the coffeeshop at exactly the same time you did when you met Jin, sometimes (actually, most of the time) even earlier than that. It was, admittedly, pretty embarrassing to realize you craved his companionship so much you would arrive an hour or two earlier than when you unanimously decided to meet, but if anything, Jin obviously felt the same, so you let yourself be excited. It helped that it turned out that your worries about him not being let onto the second floor was nothing, because the owners didn’t mind it if you were with him.

“Have you ever tried reading any of the books here?” You found yourself asking him one day, gesturing to the tall stacks of books laid on the shelves. “Most of them are novels, though a few are, uh, those on philosophy and life, I think?”

“No, not really? I don’t read books much,” Jin looks at the bookshelves thoughtfully, before the meaning of his words hits him and he flails, ears rapidly reddening. “I mean, I read a lot, but I don’t usually-“

You laugh, placing a hand on his arm to calm him down. If he sees your cheeks redden, you hope he doesn’t think it’s from anything more than the heater. “It’s okay. Though, um, since we’re here anyway, do you want to read one together? Not that we have to if you don’t want to!”

“Okay,” he agrees, ears as red as your cheeks and you feel your smile grow even wider. You stand up to get a book, before pausing.

“Do you have any preference?” You ask him, and he shakes his head.

“I’ll depend on you to get a good one, so you have to make it worth it,” he says, grinning at you, before he waggles his eyebrows and you know he’s going to- “try not to take too many though, my weekends are booked already, so if you do I’m going to have to ask you to exercise some shelf control.”

You find yourself giggling, hands reaching up at a book already. “Now you’ve made me nervous! I’ll just choose a random one, then, that way it’s up to luck. Maybe we’ll get a good one.”

When you tug the book free though, bringing it over to your table, you find yourself laughing again with Jin as the cover reveals the book to be ‘The Best Book of Puns’. He moves his chair closer to yours so the two of you can read together, and the two of you spend the day laughing at each, trying to outdo the other by slipping the jokes in between conversation. When you step out of the store, you find that even the snow falling can’t make you feel cold. It’s a funny, sweet kind of feeling, one that you find you’ve only ever felt around Jin so far. You want to mind it, really, but... you crave it too much to worry.

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A week passes before you remember an important topic, one that makes you abruptly change the conversation.

“You know, I never really asked, but what made you come here to the town? I told you I’m here for an internship, right?”

“My job takes me to a lot of places,” Jin reveals, confusion from the change in topic visible on his face. “I often travel from and to other other countries. It’s fun, most of the time. We get to eat the authentic version of foods famous in their home countries, even if we don’t get to tour the places ourselves.”

Oh. You feel a part of yourself wilt in response to his words, momentarily tuning him out after the first sentence. How long will you be staying then? Is what you want to ask, but you refrain yourself from speaking the words out loud. When Jin looks at you weirdly, you belatedly realize that he’s been waiting for a reply, and you force yourself to smile. “Really? What’s it like? Sounds like you get to experience a lot of different cultures…”

Jin shoots you a concerned look, the furrow in his eyebrows not gone yet, but you insist on smiling and he soon drops it for the meantime. “Well, the last place we went to was in Italy…”

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“Do you like your job?”

“I guess,” you reply slowly, mulling your response over. “It’s not exactly my dream job, not yet at least, but I’m working hard now to apply for the position I really want.”

“Huh,” he says. There’s a contemplative look on his face after you answer him, and you wait for him to formulate his thoughts.

“I hope you get to achieve what you’ve been striving for,” he says after a while, and you feel a smile form back on your face.

“Mm, I hope I succeed too. Oh- and, what about you? Do you like your job?”

“I do, I love it,” his reply is instantaneous, as if it’s a question he’s been asked many times, but also as if he’s sincere enough with his answer that he doesn’t have to think about it. “Even if there are moments when it tires me out,” he lets out a small smile at that, and you hum thoughtfully, thinking over your answer, before you intertwine your arm with his and squeeze his hand in support.

“That’s okay. You can love your job and what you do and still feel tired or sad or angry over it. We can’t be positive all the time, can we?”

Jin’s smile grows wider, just as sincere, and you spend the rest of the afternoon with your arms linked together.

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“Namjoon-hyung, have you seen Jin-hyung?”

The living room is directly connected to the doorway, which is how Seokjin hears Jungkook asking after him when he gets in. He dusts the remaining snow off him, cautious not to leave any on the inside floor and instead leave it outside. When he puts away his shoes and coat, stepping out with his slippers on, he can hear Namjoon reply.

“No… I haven’t seen him all day. Actually, now that I think about it, he’s been spending a lot of time outside, huh?” Have I really? He wonders, surprised to realize that yes, most of the past week and then some has been mostly spent with you, the girl he’s thrilled to be meeting everyday, in between the shelves and the scent of sugar and coffee. Your name tastes like chocolate on his lips, your smile beautiful, and it should alarm him that he’s started connecting the scent of coffee to you now, thinking of you almost every time he sees a cup of hot coffee. But it doesn’t and he can’t deny the joy that builds in him when he thinks of you.

“If you wanted to eat something, there’s still leftovers in the fridge you know,” he eventually cuts in, an amused smile on his face. He breaks out into laughter when Jungkook and Namjoon start in surprise, looking at him with wide eyes.

“Hyung!”

“Although if you really miss my handsome face, I can give you a new selca everyday,” he continues, chuckling.

“Yah, that’s not it, hyung. Just- you’ve been going out a lot these days. I thought you preferred staying home when it’s snowing.” Jungkook’s reply is immediate, and Namjoon casts a pensive look at him. Jin shrugs, suddenly wanting to tell them about this girl, who he’s come to associate with things he never paid much attention to and how she’s made them feel important and become a happy reminder. It’s amazing, really, how she manages to make his days brighter. The moment he started talking with her, although he was initially wary about talking to a random stranger, he found himself relaxing and truly enjoying himself with her. It’s easy, to trust her, it feels as though they’ve been friends for a long time and the smiles he coaxes from her with his jokes never fails to put a smile on his face too. He wants to tell them all about her, but he catches himself before he says them.

A part of him wants to keep her secret. If he tells the other members about her, they’ll probably ask about her and he’ll have to face the music- being an idol and befriending people, especially people not from the entertainment industry were two concepts far from each other.

“I do,” he eventually says. “I’ve just been walking around the town. It’s a little too noisy when we’re holed in this hotel when we’re already together 24 hours.“

Namjoon gives him a long look, as if to say that he knows that Jin isn’t exactly telling them the truth, but then he speaks again and Jin feels as if someone’s doused him in cold water, reality shoving him back to the present.

“Well, we’ll be flying back to Seoul as soon as the snow stops falling, so at least we only need to put up with it for a little while more.”

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You loiter in the shop, waiting for Jin, even as your plate becomes devoid of sweets and your cup empty. Where are you? You want to ask him, but as it is, you don’t even have a method of contact. It’s the first time you two haven’t met up since the day he first came in, and you’re worried, but still…

Maybe he got held up with something, you reason with yourself.

≪ °❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫

Half a week passes with you sitting alone, waiting for company that you miss. Each time you hope against hope that he’ll come back, and you sit alone until you risk having to run home just to keep your apartment from fully freezing, but Jin doesn’t come back and that makes you feel cold all over anyway.

≪ °❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫

We are glad to offer you a position in the company. Should you accept, we hope to work with you in the main company in Gang-nam, Seoul. Your shift would start in a week…

The email you received earlier this morning had sent you in a spiral of moods. At first you had been excited- this was a step up, after all!- before the realization that you would have to leave soon, if not today crashed your mood.

You wanted to accept their offer, of course. It was the whole reason why you joined the internship, why you stuck with the cold even when you could have easily moved back home. Still…

Jin’s face flashes in your mind and you find yourself unable to feel happy about the offer, especially when it meant leaving him. The fact that your mood was so downcast, shoulders slumped and vision stuck to the ground, even as you walked towards Little Coffeeshop, was probably why you bumped into someone. You yelp when you feel something solid smack into you, and when your feet slips you squeeze your eyes shut, trying to prepare yourself for a world of pain. But then seconds pass and you hesitantly open your eyes to look into familiar brown ones.

“Jin,” his name falls from your lips in a breathless daze, and you see him smile a little, cheeks pink from what seems to be the cold. Arms that must have kept you from falling sets you back gently onto the ground, and you look up at him in wonder and a not so small amount of anger and worry.

“Hi,” he replies, his smile a little dim, and you feel worry overtake anger.

“Is there- I mean, is something wrong? You haven’t come by these past few days, so…”

“I might be leaving soon,” the words tumble out from him, and you feel yourself freeze. Despondence washes over you, and you find yourself at a loss for words.

“You- You’re leaving? I mean- you do have your work, so,” you stammer, unable to focus on anything other than the two of you were parting ways already. You would be leaving, and so would he, and would you ever meet again? You doubted it- what with the stories of his work that he told you about, you really doubted he would have time to meet up with you.

You’re surprised to suddenly feel cold hands wipe away tears on your face, ones you didn’t even know had been falling. When it registers in your mind that it’s Jin, your funny and adorkable friend who’s wiping away your tears that you try to hold yourself back from fully crying.

Jin’s hands are gentle on your face, and you feel yourself hiccup from the force of the sobs you’re holding back. Jin, realizing what the hiccups mean, panic.

“Wha- hey, hey, don’t look so sad! I did say soon, it doesn’t mean I have to go now,” he blurts out, concern visible in his face as he tries to calm you down. “Ya, although I already know it, my company really is that good, huh?”

His joke makes you smile weakly, hiccups dying down to sniffles, and you decide to just go for it, like you did the first time you met him, the decision that somehow gave you this wonderful person who you know you like even if you’ve only been seeing each other for little more than two weeks.

“Of course it was,” you say through your sniffles. You feel him chuckle, relief evident in his tone before you speak again. “Jin? I’m going to hug you.”

Not waiting for him to reply, you tackle him into a hug, holding on tightly and feeling a sense of giddiness come over you when you feel strong arms envelop you back. You press yourself into his chest, uncaring of the snow, before you look up at him and—

You gape in shock. Somehow, in the brief moment you were hugging him, Jin’s cap had fallen off, as well as his mask. Once or twice, you’d seen him without one or the other, but it’s only now that you see him without both that you finally connect the dots on why he seems so familiar.

“You’re Kim Seokjin!?” You say, stupefied, before the fact that Seokjin, Kim Seokjin is standing out here in the open without his mask or his cap and anyone can see him and easily recognize him hugging some stranger that you snap back to action. “Wait, put your mask back on! What if someone recognizes you? God, sorry- I kind of just hugged you- is that okay-?”

“Calm down,” Jin- holy shit, you were talking to worldwide famous and handsome Kim Seokjin, what the hell, you’re still in shock- chuckles, though a wary look is still present on his face. “I guess you were bound to find out sooner or later… Yeah, my full name is Kim Seokjin. I hope you’re not mad I hid it from you.“

“Why would I be mad over something like that?” You blurt out in surprise, before another thought fills your head. “Wait, so when you said your job took you to many places…”

“Mostly for our tours, but other times we have shootings for shows too,” he explains. You fall silent, trying to wrap your tiny mind around all of what you just learned. Jin, it seems, understands what you’re going through, so he falls silent as well, though his eyes may as well communicate to you how nervous he really is, with how fast he’s blinking.

“Is the fact that you’re Kim Seokjin what kept you away?” You finally ask, after a few moments of deliberation. “I mean… was this your way of letting me drift away, cutting this- this friendship?” Even now, you flush, whether out of disappointment, anger, or embarrassment. You’re not quite sure which you feel stronger when Jin, Seokjin nods his head hesitantly, ears red.

“I won’t be able to see you as much as I can… as much as I want to. I like spending time with you,” he hastily explains. “But I’m not really sure if you’d still want to be friends with me when you find out who I am.”

“Most people would be ecstatic to meet up with Kim Seokjin on the daily,” you point out quietly. Jin lets out a wry smile.

“Yeah, well, you’re not most people.”

You take a few more moments to think over his words, and when you come to a decision, you firmly grasp his hands. Jin starts in surprise, but he doesn’t pull away, and you pull him towards you instead, in a kind of hug. When you speak, it’s almost muffled into his coat, but he manages to hear it anyway.

“I understand what you did, you know- keeping your identity hidden. You can’t just know someone from a few meetings after all. I could have been someone who’d sell you out or something,” and here he shakes his head, about to speak in defense of you, but you resolutely speak onward. “I still want to be friends with you- I mean, if you still want to. I’m certainly not opposed. Besides, who said you wouldn’t be able to see me much when you fly to wherever your job takes you next?”

“Huh?” He looks at you with surprise.

“I mean- we have phones for a reason, right? That and-“ grinning at him, you let your hand part from his to pull out your phone and show him the email you received earlier today, the pieces falling into place,“-remember the internship I was telling you about? I get to start work officially at the company’s main building in Seoul. So… when you come back to Korea, we can still meet up… even if it’s not as often as it’s been this past week.”

“I- really?” Jin looks astonished, mouth open in surprise, and really, you’d feel the same. The problems that held you two back- suddenly have been solved, and you don’t have to lose whatever it is you two have now.

“Really,” you say warmly, feeling a bubbly, giddy feeling come over and drive away the gloominess you felt before. “So- you don’t have to go and stay away our last days together here. Stay, okay? I promise we’ll make the most out of it while we’re here. And… when you have to go to your next appointment, we can talk over the internet and we’ll continue our trips when you’re back in Seoul.”

Jin’s smile is a beautiful, glorious view, as is his whoop of excitement, and you return it with one of your own. The two of you must look silly, you belatedly realize, standing under the snowfall, talking and yelling while hugging each other. Yet, you can’t seem to care. Not even the wind or the snow can dampen your mood, and when your cheeks darken, you know it isn’t just from the cold.

“Come on, Jin, we have to go defend our spot!” You grin at him, beckoning him over. Jin giggles, hands reaching out to clasp over your own.

“Okay,” he acquiesces, before a familiar mischievous look settles on his face. “Chill we go in?”

“Jin!”

≪ °❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫

Coffeeshops weren’t your thing, for either of you. Seokjin valued his privacy- you preferred hot chocolate to coffee. But somehow, as the two of you sat down in your favorite spots, the familiar scent of coffee and sweets filling the air, the two of you agreed that this was one that you could make exception for.

#mine #my writing #kim seokjin x reader #seokjin x reader

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rwbyremnants · 5 years ago

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WARNINGS: roleplay, bondage, blindfolds, tickling, feet, undressing, shibari, dildo, first time, female ejaculation.

Hey guys, I know you came here for the smuts and I won't take up much of your time (or you can skip this author note, don't say you couldn't lmao). But there's a lot going on out there and it's pretty terrifying. If you aren't already doing all you can, visit this Black Lives Matter website for more information on what's up and how you can help. Thanks.

=Chapter 3

Little had seemed to change in the week following Ruby’s first encounter with Winter. She was still living with her dad, still trying to steal little Fènleng at every opportunity when she visited Yang and Weiss, and still searching for her own place.

Rather than return to the other side the country, Penny had opted to live with Ruby and Taiyang while they searched for jobs and apartments in Nashville, now that they had their degrees from university. As content with the arrangement the three of them were, there were many times when Taiyang would prove rather overbearing, often knocking on the door to check things were okay and ask if they wanted drinks, even when they had requested him not to.

Ruby had taken to her laptop once more, looking through various housing websites; just as she did every evening. "Hey, this apartment has two bedrooms, that looks nice!"

"I do not think we need two bedrooms," Penny mused as she sorted through the stack of job applications. They had sent resumes to several places online, but it didn't hurt to consider some minimum wage possibilities to tide them over financially. "Although, it might be nice to use the second one as an office, or a guest room…"

"Or when Fenny's a little older so she can sleep over, or we can get a green iguana and it could be its room, or we could just-" But the silence from Penny spoke volumes. Eventually Ruby stopped talking, looking back to the screen. "Rambling, sorry. But I'll keep looking!"

"You're fine, Ruby." It a simple statement, designed to let Ruby know that she had no problem with her rambling and no more. Then her curiosity got the better of her. "Why a green iguana?"

"Well, have you seen them? I think they'd be so much more interesting than a cat. Not that cats aren't cool, though!" Looking through more of the site's choices, her face seemed to light up yet again at another choice. "Hey, this one here looks really good! And it's in the middle of the city close to the-"

But right away, Ruby stopped. She had been about to admit it was close to The Clamp, the club which Blake had first taken her to when she was exploring. But at last minute, she remembered Penny didn't want to hear about such things. “Theeeee ice cream bar I like… yeah…"

Ruby's strange tone of voice did draw Penny's gaze up, but she hadn't quite caught on what she was trying to avoid mentioning. "There's an ice cream bar you like in midtown? Excellent. You'll have to take me there sometime."

"Huh? O-Oh… Yeah! Sure! Great." Now that had gotten her into a sticky situation. She'd need to find an ice cream bar in the middle of town now. There was certainly no way she could take Penny anywhere near The Clamp. Eventually she turned her chair to face her, leaving her house hunting for later. "How's your job search going?"

"Not great," she sighed, glancing between her own laptop and the papers. "But I have completed a few of these applications. Maybe an exciting beginning in the Walmart industry will be in my future."

"Well, anything is something! I have my savings for a deposit for a place, so we're not in too much trouble if we can't find anything." As always, Ruby was optimistic. She moved over to sit next to Penny on the bed and rested her head against her shoulder. It was a habit of Ruby's, leaning over to watch her as she browsed online.

The arm not occupied with the touchpad reached around to squeeze Ruby closer. She didn't even have to concentrate on doing it, so often did this habit come up. "What do you think about me trying to sell people phones?"

"Like at a kiosk or whatever?" she asked, looking to the job application she had open. A typical highstreet phone store needing another representative. "Sure! I think it'd pay better then Walmart, plus you get to be the one to tell people what's what."

"Indeed! I am satisfied with our current phone plan, but if they offer an employee discount… who knows?" Just then, she heard the telltale jingle of Ruby's default ringtone. That meant it wasn't Yang or Weiss, and obviously not Penny. "Oh, that's funny; we're talking about phones, and yours is ringing! How coincidental."

"Oop, so it is!" Pulling it from her pocket to check who it was, Ruby's face froze a moment. In plain view of Penny, the contact name was 'Winter'. "Oh… One sec."

“Sure,” Penny said in a casual tone. Though her eyes were wide, curious about Ruby’s behaviour.

Untangling herself from Penny's side, she stood again, pacing back toward her chair so she was a small distance from her girlfriend. Mainly for her benefit, and so she couldn't hear Winter should she start dirty talking straightaway. "Hello?"

"What are you wearing?" came the tinny voice, sultry and husky.

Yep, there it was. All that was missing was some cheesy saxophone music in the background and she could have been a late-night commercial for phone sex operators. Ruby's face lit a bright red, eyes as big as dinner plates as she looked back toward Penny for a split second, and then toward the ground as she talked in a hushed tone.

"You can't ask that right outta the gate! What if I was in public?!"

But Winter was already laughing. "You didn't actually have to answer, I was kidding. I'm sorry."

"Well, I would have answered anyway, but I’m not exactly alone." Glancing back at Penny for a moment, she gave a small grin to try and apologise, before looking away. "Penny and I were looking at apartments."

"Ahh." The voice sounded apologetic. "She… does know about our arrangement, doesn't she? I think you told me she does, but I want to make sure. I can be more discreet about contacting you if you need me to."

"No, she does! We just haven’t talked about the nitty gritty details, but she knows it's a thing. In fact…" Covering the phone for a moment, she looked toward Penny instead to ask. "Are you okay with me taking this in here? Or do you want me to leave the room?"

Though Penny did look vaguely uncomfortable, she smiled and said, "It's fine. We're all adults here." She hesitated, then added, "Tell Winter I say 'hello'."

"I'll make it up to you when we're done." Ruby assured with a warm smile, before turning back the other way to talk back to Winter again. "Yeah she's fine. She says hi, by the way!"

"And the same back to her," Winter chuckled. "I suppose I did call out of the blue so I should get to the point. I was wondering if you'd be available for a session tomorrow evening. Say, around six?"

"Tomorrow? I don't think I have anything planned. Lemme just double check," Yet again she covered the phone, and looked right back at Penny. "We have nothing going on tomorrow evening, right? I don't think your dads are here ‘til next week, are they?"

"Nope," Penny said easily. "You can set up an… appointment for tomorrow. I don't mind." Her smile was still a little awkward, but she wasn’t at all outraged or overly disgusted.

"Alrighty." Back to the phone again, she smiled. "Sure, I'm free! Guessing you managed to get rid of your roomie for a bit?"

"Indeed. In fact… I felt a bit regretful that you had to leave so late last time that I've arranged for my 'roomie' not to come back until late the next day. This way, you can sleep here if you're too exhausted to move afterward. And if it's alright with Penny, of course."

The implication was clear; Winter intended to really put Ruby through her paces in one way or another. And that idea was making Ruby blush yet again. Last time already seemed crazy to her! She didn't even know she was ready for more just yet. Swallowing, she nodded. "Cool, sounds good. You didn't have to go through all that trouble though, I don't mind."

"Too late," she told her carelessly. "But honestly, it's fine. So, can I expect you at six? That will give us time to stop and have a drink beforehand again. That seemed to help you de-stress a bit."

"Yeah, six sounds great. I'll ask about sleeping over as well, but it should be fine. I'll see you then!"

And with that, she hung up the call, tucking her phone away in her pocket, before she looked over toward Penny again. Despite her being alright with their arrangement, clearly stating she had no problems, Ruby still felt guilty about leaving her. She needed that reassurance.

"Are you definitely okay with this?"

Penny didn't look quite as easy-going as she did a moment before. "Well… alright. I suppose there isn't any harm, but I'm going to miss you while you're over there."

"I can stay." Immediately, she took her seat back next to her again, wrapping her arms around her and cuddling closely. "Or come back after, whatever you want. I mean it, if you want me to stop then you're totally okay in asking me to."

"I don't. I want you to enjoy sex. Since I do not, it's only logical for you to find somebody who can fill that need." After a breath, she added quite calmly, "Sleeping over there… isn't the same, but it also makes sense from a practical standpoint. You're already there, and doing something that's very… physically demanding. Even getting dressed and hailing a cab would be inconvenient, nevermind driving yourself home."

"There's a little drinking involved so I won't be driving." As if that would somehow make things better. But Ruby only continued to cuddle into her side, delivering a kiss to her cheek before she nuzzled against her neck. "But for real, if you don't want me sleeping there, I won't. I'll Uber it back home to snuggle with you. Because I'd rather you be happy than me have convenience."

"Honestly, it's fine. It's just less of a 'sex only' arrangement, that's all." She turned her sparkling green eyes on Ruby for a moment, gaze level and unflinching. "But I would appreciate you letting me know if things become romantic between you and Winter. Not that it will mean our relationship ends automatically; I can share you. But I won't share you without being aware of it."

"I don't want you to share me," Ruby insisted, looking back into the dazzling eyes of her loved one with honesty as she took her hand in her own, running her thumb over the top of it. "You're the one I want to spend my life with, not Winter. I promise that."

That brought an easy smile to Penny's face, and she leaned over to kiss her lips with great relish. "Not that I was worried about you leaving me, Ruby. I think we know each other well enough by now."

Then, uncharacteristically for the libido-less girl, she allowed herself something like a lewd smile. On anyone else, it would have just looked mischievous, but for Penny, she was practically winking and nudging Ruby in the ribs.

"Have fun with your playdate tomorrow, okay?"

Rolling her eyes, Ruby gave a warm smile back as she squeezed Penny once more. "I will, I'm sure. But for tonight…" She drew herself away, holding the top of Penny's laptop screen for a moment as though she were about to close it. "How about we go to bed early and snuggle up with a few episodes of Doctor Who?"

The smile turned joyful, and she placed her own hand on the side to help swing the laptop shut. "That sounds excellent! I think I've done all I can here, anyway. Shall we order a pizza?"

"You read my mind! Nothing to stop us having a really quiet, relaxing evening to ourselves."

At least, that was what Ruby thought. Until there was a knock at the door, and the voice of her father calling through, "Ruby, could you take Zwei on his evening walk? Make sure to take a bag!"

"…Nothing but picking up dog poop, I guess. Whee…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This time, Winter was a lot more nervous about the things she had set up for Ruby's arrival. In most situations, she had a firm grasp of the scene they were setting up; how things would go, and what would be involved. What their roles would be. This time, she was operating with partial information, most of which had been hastily researched specifically for their evening. She had to hope for the best, and that she had not jumbled up anything in her mind.

When she heard the doorbell, she shouted, "COMING!" from the bedroom as she made sure a few last things were set up, glanced at the spare outfit hanging from the back of the door, and at the other one in the bathroom as she passed. Then she nodded to herself as she swept through the house to the front door, took a deep breath, and eased it open.

"Sorry I'm a little late!" Ruby hastily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear again. Once more, she sported the black and red skirt, only with a black tank top to go with it this time. Just the thing for the summer heat. But that didn't stop the knee high boots she always wore from making a second appearance. It was a little more casual than the first evening, a sign of Ruby's growing confidence; but still enough to show she made an effort. "The Uber driver took me the wrong way to try and charge me more, the jerk. He’s getting a frowny-face review."

"No, no, you're right on time," Winter chuckled. She herself was wearing a pencil skirt and a light blouse; a bit dressed up for their evening in, but nothing terribly fancy. "Really, if you came when we said, I'd have still been rushing around setting things up."

"Oh… Well, okay! It all worked out for the best then!" Ruby grinned, taking a few steps into the apartment so Winter could lock the door behind them both. Yet another evening with the building to themselves, thanks to Winter's mysterious roommate disappearing for the night. Strange how Ruby had never met them.

Pacing toward the sofa, she asked, "Oh, am I okay to take my boots off? They're clean, but just in case."

"Hm? Oh, please, make yourself comfortable! Do you want some help?" She gestured to the sofa, which would make a prime spot to shed the boots either way.

"Nah, I got it!" She took a seat at the sofa right away, unzipping her boots to place them one side of the table. Once more she was hearing the calming sound of the well-contained waterfall in the corner, a relaxing ambiance. "So…" Ruby began, sitting back in the chair. "Are we having a drink first again? Or going straight to it?"

"Whatever you like." She gestured toward the kitchen. "This time, I've made sure I have a few easy-to-microwave snacks on hand, if you're hungry. Much as I loved eating dinner with you last time, I… didn't want to assume you were after a longer 'date'. Especially if you wanted to get straight to it. Do you?"

"Huh… Well…" Slowly shrugging her shoulders, Ruby weighed up the options. The way she saw it, it was no different to the times back in college where her and her dorm friends would have a meal together before spending the evening playing games. Winter was a friend, nothing more, nothing less. "Snacks sound great! So we can chill."

A pleasant smile spread across her face, almost one of relief. "Good. That's… that's good. Well, I don't know how you feel about spinach-artichoke dip and pita bread, but I do have other options if that doesn't sound appetizing to you."

"Hey, I’m game!" She tried her best to sound genuine. In truth, anything to do with vegetables wasn't the most pleasing of things to Ruby. But for Winter, she would make an effort. The least she could do was try it and then have another option should she not like it. Plus, they had drinks. "Got anymore of that strawberry ale? That was really nice."

"Restocked it just for you," Winter said over her shoulder as she went into the kitchen.

As it turned out, the dip with pita bread turned out to be a rather pleasant snack. That alongside some mozzarella sticks made for a wonderful snacky meal between them, accompanied with light conversation and one or two drinks to get them feeling at ease with one another. Both had began chatting about various subjects together; work, living at home, even Zwei.

But as they got down to the last of the bread, the subject had changed to college stories. This one in particular, an embarrassing tale about how Ruby managed to walk in on one of her dorm-mates. "All I wanted to get was my DVDs back, I didn't expect to walk in on Pyrrha pinning her boyfriend against the wall! Ever since then, I made sure to knock a lot louder if Jaune was ever over."

"Goodness!" Winter chuckled, wiping a drip of hummus from the corner of her mouth. "Sounds like a disaster narrowly averted to me!" Sighing, she thought that over for a moment before saying, "I wish I had an experience like that. My university was here, so there was no need to live in the dorms."

"Oh it was a blast! Even if me and Penny weren't typical sex-crazed dopes, we all had good laughs. And teased each other whenever we could. Pyrrha and Jaune never lived that down, I’ll put it that way." She continued to giggle to herself, finishing off the last bite quickly once finished with the tale. But just before she took a swig of ale to wash it down, she laughed and added, "I think Jaune was more worried we were gonna tell people that he was clearly the bottom, fragile masculinity and all that."

"Oh? Interesting…" Her head tilted to one side - a bit more than it would have done without the pair of martinis she'd ingested. "Have you ever wondered how it is that… I mean, look around you. I'm your Dom, Blake and Sun go to the club, too… Qrow was there the once. You ended up having quite a few kinky people around you, even though it's not a very typical 'hobby' to have. Isn't that funny?"

Finishing up the last swig of ale, she nodded as she put the glass down. "Yeah! It's a crazy world… maybe kinky people all just gravitate towards one another without realising or something. Who knows?"

"Could very well be," she admitted as she glanced at the half-empty container of dip. "Now then. I have a little something special planned for this evening, but we don't have to get to it right away. What would you like to do next?"

"Special?" That piqued Ruby's interest. Special like the costume Winter had prepared last time? Possibly something on those lines, given the rather mischievous look on her face. Giving a small smile of her own, she crossed her legs. "What kinda ‘special’ are we talking?"

It seemed Ruby was ready to progress their evening. Waggling her empty glass back and forth a few times, Winter then set it down and stood. "If you're ready…?"

"I can be.” Standing and holding a hand out toward her, she said, "Lead the way."

Down the hallway they went to the three doors that branched off to both bedrooms and the bathroom. However, instead of opening the door to her room, Winter gestured to the loo.

"You'll find a change of clothes in there," she told her sub formally. "By the time you've changed, I will have, too - but please knock just in case."

"Alrighty; I'm meeting you in your bedroom, right?" she asked, opening the door to the bathroom and about to step inside, though she lingered around for Winter's answer. She had to double check.

"You are. See you sooooon…" The last syllable was drawn out as Winter waved at her, a twinkle in her eye. With a sly wink of her own, Ruby entered the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her. For a moment, she had to giggle to herself as she stood against the door, composing herself.

A special surprise, huh? I wonder what it could be. Looking to the towel hangers in the room, she spotted something that could be what Winter had in mind. A long, black robe hanging from one of them, hanging alongside a school uniform. When she walked over to inspect it, she found there was more to it; specifically, an emblem on one of the pockets.

"Hufflepuff! Wait… Is this an official robe?!" It was. Ruby knew rather well how expensive some of the merchandise could be, but Winter had bought her an official Harry Potter robe regardless. Her house, too! She also clearly expected her to wear it for their session today, however, which lead Ruby to wonder… what could the evening possibly entail?

Doing as asked, Ruby slipped off her clothes and put on the robes. Taking a moment to neaten up her appearance in the mirror, she was satisfied and ready to go, leaping out of the bathroom with excitement. Once at Winter's door, she gave a quick knock.

"You may enter."

When Ruby did, she beheld a room completely transformed. A curtain hid the bed entirely from view, and everything else… it looked straight off the sets of the movies. Fake wood paneling covered the floor, a huge old steamer trunk sat nearby, and dark-hued tapestries and paintings did a fantastic job of hiding the normally-pristine walls. There were a couple of very authentic-looking school satchels propped against the wall, and right in the center…

"There you are," Winter said without looking up from the bubbling cauldron set in the middle of the floor. She, too, was dressed in a similar outfit, although finished off with knee-high black stockings and brown shoes. Her own colours were the blue-and-bronze of Ravenclaw, and she was, indeed, flicking a thin wand over the top of the "potion" she had brewing. "I thought your detention would be finished hours ago."

"Holy…" Ruby took a moment to look around in awe. How on earth did Winter manage to do all this on her own? And it was all for her; a fantasy from her favourite books, all hers to live out. She really was someone who went all in to impress their partners, it seemed. Quickly remembering she had a role to play, she stood upright and looked right toward Winter again rather than the look of the room. She could focus on being thunderstruck later.

"U-uh, yes! Well… Lockhart had me signing a bunch of fanmail… it took a long time, got super boring."

"Sounds as if it would be. Oh, and this owl came for you…" She handed over an envelope, one made of yellowed parchment. The address on it was her actual home address, but it was written in calligraphy.

"Oh, thanks!" Taking it from her, Ruby took a moment to inspect the beautiful handwriting. Even just the envelope was a sight to see, and they had barely started! As she gently broke the wax seal at the back, she leant forward to ask out of character before she read what was inside, "Can I keep the envelope?"

"Of course, since it is yours," Winter said in an impatient tone… one that seemed to be equal parts Hermione and McGonagall. The letter read:

Welcome to Hogwarts! Hopefully you can forgive me if I mess up something here or there, you know this is all new territory for me. But I did a fair amount of research; I am a professional! There was a winky face there, which was such an odd thing to see in calligraphy that Ruby had to giggle. Today's safeword is "Muggle." Please do not be afraid to use it, either just to tell me you prefer or don't prefer something, or because you don't want to continue this scene. Otherwise, I'm going to continue to behave as if this is all very real, and you will do the same.

Have fun! -Princess

Muggle, huh? Ruby thought to herself. She really has done her research. This was exciting! A real practice this time, where only that word was her safety net. Ruby was determined to make the most of this new role and play along - not to mention curious to see just how much research Winter had done.

To test, she tried a simple question: "So what's a Ravenclaw doing outside their dorm past curfew?"

The look she fixed Ruby with was withering. "You're the one that needs tutoring with potions, Rose. But if you'd prefer I go back to my own rooms…" She began to move as if to stand up.

"O-oh I… Um, yes! Guess I do," she admitted instead, wandering over to the boiling cauldron. How was Winter keeping it bubbling like that? She didn’t feel much heat. There were so many questions, but it was all as magical as the book world Winter attempted to recreate.

"Good. Now… this Disappearing Solution is through the first phase of ingredients. What's next, do you remember?" Winter's free hand gestured to a carrying case of fake potions ingredients that stood open nearby. Most of the tiny phials looked like they simply held coloured sand or beads, but it was enough to complete the look.

"Disappearing solution? Hmm…" If that was from the books, she couldn’t remember it. Maybe it didn’t matter. Straightening her glasses for a moment, she looked to the “ingredients” Winter had prepared, wondering what would create the better effect for the boiling liquid. In the end, she went for the green food colouring.

"I believe it's goblin’s blood next, right?"

"Exactly," Winter said with a grin. "Go on and add it - not too much, though."

Opening the phial, she allowed a couple of drops to enter the cauldron. Just as she anticipated, it was the right amount to change the colour of the water, to show she'd achieved the goal. Satisfied, she grinned. "Done! And it didn't blow up this time!"

Her Ravenclaw tutor had to suppress a laugh at this, but she managed. "Very good, yes. You'll get an A in Potions yet."

Of course, she meant this to sound complimentary, but she didn't know that an "O" was the most desired grade. Ruby was quick to point it out, chuckling to herself as she reached for a flask of yellow sand to keep herself temporarily occupied. "Don't you mean an O, miss? That's what I hope to get." But, she couldn't help but smirk, muttering to herself under her breath, "In more ways than one…"

Winter scowled at her. "What did I tell you about correcting me while I'm tutoring? That's one punishment you've earned when we're through… keep it up, and I'll add a few more." Clearing her throat, she recomposed herself and consulted the large, old book beneath her. It looked to be some kind of encyclopaedia volume or an atlas in which she had stuck a few pages of notes in the centre. "Now… we let this simmer for two minutes, then add… what, Rose?"

"Sorry miss! We add… U-uh…" No doubt Winter would want to add more and more punishments to the list, and in truth, Ruby was rather curious about that prospect. What kind of punishments would a Hogwarts tutor exactly use? Holding up the flask of sand to her view, she shrugged her shoulders. "Powdered Mandrake, miss?"

Winter pursed her lips, as if deciding to be mean on purpose, or to be more fair. "Very good," she finally said. "But I would hope you'd remember it faster than that by now. Well, go on, shake it in there."

"O-oop! Right!" Taking off the cap, Ruby added a much larger amount of sand to the mixture than she did with the colouring, seeing how it mixed in with the water below. Two ingredients down; how many more was Winter willing to add? But then she thought of something else she could do, and grasped the wooden spoon that rested to one side, giving the “potion” a good stirring for a while to make sure the sand mixed well.

"Gently!" she was warned, with the wand pointed at her. "You don't want to go too fast, or you'll set it off again! Honestly, you're a hazard to our health!"

"S-sorry, Mistress! I thought it would be more viscous." She tried to play along. Once satisfied, she allowed the potion to settle before reaching back to the pack of supplies once more. Perhaps Winter would want other conversations to keep them going, and to stick to the theme. "So… I hear you're doing well in Charms? That's pretty good to hear."

"Potionus Brewus," she said to the cauldron as she waved her wand over it - then sticking her tongue out at Ruby, a briefly out-of-character moment. They both knew that wasn't anything like a spell from the movies or books. "Yes, indeed; the professor says I'm getting top marks. I heard you're improving in there, too."

Having to suppress a laugh of her own, Ruby continued to stand upright as she nodded to her tutor, taking a fake feather from the pack. One that had obviously been painted to look like it belonged to Fawkes, the phoenix from the movie. As she held it above the mixture a moment, she smiled. "Yes! It's probably my better subject. That and Care of Magical Creatures."

"Oh! Don't add that!" Winter warned her with wide eyes, the other hand coming up as if to stop her. "A feather would upset the balance! Ruby, what are you thinking?!"

So she was going to be a little mean. Bringing her hand away from the potion again, she held the feather still in her hand, keeping it still. "But, I thought a few strands from a phoenix feather give it that longer lasting effect? It's better than troll hairs, right?"

"Yes, longer lasting, but only in the hands of an experienced witch! If we do anything slightly off, it will go up in our faces! Again!" Sighing, she snatched the feather away, pointing it at Ruby. "That's two punishments. You know we aren't ready to begin messing with the ingredients list, we're only fifth years!"

So they were in the same year in this scenario? Interesting. It was all little things for Ruby to play with in their fantasy together, things she could use in conversation. Deep down, Ruby would be more than happy to roleplay an entire scene without the sexual part, to live in one of her favourite fantasies for an evening. But the prospect of more sex, if it was going to be as amazing as last time, made it better.

"Well, what would you do to finish it?!" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. "It's not my fault I'm trying new things!"

Rolling her eyes, Winter sighed, "How is it not your fault when you're the one doing it? You sound like a Slytherin." Her head nodded to the phials. "Just use the troll hairs. We're not trying to impress anyone, just getting it done so we know what we're doing in class."

"Alright, alright!" She finally rolled her eyes, collecting one of the phials Winter had prepared. This one seemed to be a few trimmings of her own silver strands of hair, only a few inches long each. Probably from a recent haircut that she had saved specifically for this event. Taking the cork out from the bottle, she poured its contents straight in with the rest of the mixture, before taking the spoon once more to stir.

"That's better." After a few minutes, she sighed and eased her legs apart, moving them off to one side instead of folded up together. "So… how are things with that girl in your dormitory going? The redhead who looks like a Weasley."

"Oh you mean Pe- The Polendina girl?" Maybe that would be a better way to keep up their illusions. Unable to help herself, she smiled happily at the mention of her name, taking the spoon out from the potion and lightly tapping the few drops off of it. "Well, not too bad. But I think she's still a bit anxious towards me. She was startled when I told her I was sleeping in your dorm."

Glancing around with an alarmed expression, Winter hissed with a finger up to her lips. "Shhh! We don't want that getting around, do we?" Clearing her throat, she set down the wand to smooth down her blouse and necktie. "Alright. This is nearly done, so… would you like to mark the results down?"

Her hands moved to one of the satchels and pulled out a ladle and a large potion bottle, complete with stopper. With a mildly disinterested look, she nodded at a roll of parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink that lay near the potions ingredients.

"Yes, yes of course, Mistress." That name seemed to be an odd habit. Mistress. It suited her well enough, even if not for this particular role. Still, there hadn't been a complaint yet. Taking the roll of paper and the quill, she dipped it into the inkwell, about to press it into the page, when realising she hadn't a clue how to write that neatly. "Um…" she muttered to herself, still paused with the long feather in her hand, trying to hide the drops of ink that splattered on the page by writing as best she could. Which unfortunately, was very messy.

As Winter blew across the liquid resting in the ladle, waiting for it to cool off to put it in the bottle, she glanced at the page and winced. "Dreadful. No wonder I'm always fixing your essays." Then she poured it in and stoppered it. "There, this is for you to turn in tomorrow. I'll pour one for myself."

"Sorry," she muttered again, finishing up the last few words before she took the bottle to set near her paper. All there and ready to go for their “lesson” at a later date.

"Good, Rose. That's brilliant. Now…" Glancing up as she turned down the burner under the cauldron, she favoured Ruby with a smile. "Are you ready for your punishments now, or will you take them later?"

A good question again. Two punishments awaited Ruby at some point, and the more she thought on it, the more excited she was to discover what they would be. Biting her lip with a smile, she shrugged her shoulders again. "Right now will do, Mistress."

Stoppering her own potion bottle, Winter chuckled to herself as she tucked it into the ingredients case and closed it. "I see. In that case… I think it's time we practice a little spellwork, don't you?"

With careful attention, she began to move the cauldron and the burner it sat upon closer to the wall, to give them more room. Ruby could now see that Winter had been sitting on the cord that led to the nearest outlet. Not quite as magical as anticipated it seemed. But it was probably for the best that the burner was switched off before they got into play. A fire would be one of the worst distractions. Focusing her attention back on Winter again, she stood upright, quickly adjusting her glasses once more.

"What kind of spells?"

"Funny you should ask…" Only briefly checking the pages in the middle of the book again, she swished the wand at Ruby and cried, "Petrificus totallus!"

Ruby knew a lot of the spells by heart – including the petrifying curse. She immediately stood straight, arms flat against her body. Taking a very quick glance just to check there was nothing presenting a danger behind her, she then allowed herself to fall back, falling to the ground with a FLUMP!

"Shit!" Winter breathed very quietly at the sound of her hitting the floor, but then cleared her throat. "Good, good. That will help with the punishments a lot." A smirk touched her lips. "Blink twice if you can understand me."

"Owie…" Ruby couldn't help but whisper to herself, slightly shocked at how the fall had hurt. But it wasn't serious at all. And within a few seconds, she looked up toward Winter again, blinking twice as commanded.

"Excellent. You are now at my mercy, Rose." Walking around her on a slow circle, she granted an occasional view up her skirt.

The lack of underwear was enticing. Something Ruby hadn't expected. She couldn't help herself, eyes following as she paced slowly around her, until the naughty sight was no longer visible. Then her focus went back to Winter's face. But rather noticeably, her cheeks were redder than before as she tried to lay as still and stiff as possible.

"Let's just… yes, I think that would do nicely for a start." Squatting down - and again, presenting Ruby with a brief flash of flesh before her legs were in the way again - Winter rolled Ruby over onto her stomach. Still having to remain stiff, Ruby allowed for Winter to manipulate her in this way, curling her hands into tight fists. Something to keep her focused for the time being.

Once she was face down and secure in that position, there came the sound of Winter rummaging in one of the satchels. When she approached again, she said in a clear voice, "And now… Incarcerous."

The spell was accompanied by the feeling of something slithering over Ruby's bare calf. Something thin, but made of a type of fabric.

"Hmm?!" Unable to see what was happening, or even ask, Ruby was forced to put up with whatever Winter intended for her. Feeling the strange fabric seeming to crawl over her legs sent a small shudder up her back, making her bite her lips to try and suppress any sounds.

Now that the effect had been established, the work had to be done. Next, Ruby could feel a long, thin rod being pushed under her arms and stomach; it felt similar to the material that had teased the backs of her legs, but not quite the same. Then a thick knot of what was surely… rope. It had to be rope, there wasn't much else it could be; a thin cord maybe half an inch thick, at the most. Blinking in shock, Ruby had no choice but to be bound. It wasn't just to hold her steady, it had a pretty appearance, too.

Once Winter was done, Ruby was still left on the floor in her previous position, waiting patiently for Winter to lift the first spell. However, she did not… quite yet, anyway. Instead, there was another muttered spell: "Obscuro."

This time, thin fabric slid down over Ruby's eyes from above, settling into place and blocking out all light. Blindfolds as well?! Winter really was going all out with her new sub this evening. Now Ruby couldn't move, even if she tried to! What else could Winter possibly have in store? A gag?

No. They hadn't established a signal for that. Winter wouldn't make things that extreme just yet; they would need to build toward it. That came with just as much relief as it did disappointment, but perhaps some day…

"There," she sighed, trailing the very tip of the wand up and down the back of Ruby's thigh. Tying her up had bunched the back of her robes off to one side, which looked quite awkward but did at least reveal more of her shapely legs. "Now then… Finite petrificus."

Finally she was allowed to relax her body. And she did so, first by testing the bindings; pulling this way and that, she struggled against them as much as she could, discovering they were holding well. Now she really was at Winter's mercy.

"Oi!" she called out, struggling again. "Are you mad?! What if Filch catches us?"

"Shhhhh!" Winter warned her. "Or else I'll use a…" Another pause to glance at the book. She really was trying her best, even if she hadn't quite memorized every detail she would need. "Langlock on you!"

That shut Ruby up. Trying to look toward Winter as best she could, she struggled against the bonds on her hands again. More than anything, it was to make a show for Winter, to display how helpless she was. Something she hoped she would like. "What are you gonna do to me?"

A low chuckle floated out as she grasped Ruby's ankles and raised them up. "Well, first I have to finish what I couldn't with you stiff as a board like that." Then she began to tie the ropes around her ankles, much in the same fashion she had done around her sides and wrists. They actually connected to the tie around her wrists, in fact.

What an embarrassingly compromising position! Any effort to move her hand would surely result in exposing more of herself, revealing her in the process. Even if she was still wearing her underwear, it wasn't exactly something she wanted to display so easily. Wriggling again once it was tied, she turned her head toward Winter.

"I-it feels… good, Mistress."

At that, Winter frowned, but it was clearly a theatrical one. "Aww, what kind of punishment is it if it feels good? Oh well… guess we'll have to move on to the next one." More rummaging sounds came from nearby.

"Oh, I-I mean, u-uh…" Ruby stuttered. She meant to try and please her master, not further annoy her into making more punishments for her! Still trying to look around foolishly, she listened carefully for what her mistress was doing, unable to hear anything she could identify.

"Are you ready, Rose?" Winter demanded as she drew closer again.

And then came the feeling of her socks being pulled off. Seemed she had no choice but to see what Winter had in store for her. Swallowing, she whispered, "Yes."

There was a brief pause, and a quiet chuckle to herself. Then Winter bellowed, "Rictusempra!"

And without a second's delay, suddenly light, teasing sensations were sliding up and down the sides of her legs, over the soles of her feet, even briefly over her wrists and knuckles.

"Wha-haha! Hahahaha! Hehe hahaaaa!" Right away, Ruby was laughing and giggling loudly, reduced to a squirming mess on Winter's bedroom floor. She couldn't escape it! Whatever Winter was using for her spell was tickling her most sensitive areas, making it difficult to focus on anything else.

"Ahhh, this seems to be doing the trick!" Winter cackled as half of the sensation moved to the back of Ruby's neck, while the rest continued to slide from ankles to knees.

"Hahaha! No! S-stop! Hahahaha!" But from the silly grin on her face and the immense laughter, it was unsure to tell if Ruby really did want her to stop or not. She continued to squirm as best she could, trying to shrug her shoulders to keep Winter away from her neck, but failing miserably. She could do nothing about any of it but squirm, and wait till Winter was done.

Or use their safeword... but no, she didn’t want to chicken out. Not just yet and not so easily.

"Oooh, I think I- I mean, the spell has found the parts where Ruby Rose is most ticklish!" A little giggle followed as the teasing bits poked into her ear briefly, but only for a second before returning to the back of her neck. Meanwhile, the other half returned to her toes, swishing back and forth at a rapid pace.

"Hehehe! Nooo! I-it hahahaha I-it's too, haha! Much!!!" But Ruby was absolutely powerless, no matter how much she wriggled away from it. It just kept coming, over and over again, making it difficult to keep talking at all. She felt her toes flexing, fists clenching to try and hold on.

After another few seconds that felt like an eternity to the poor girl, Winter said in a bemused voice, "Finite Rictusempra." The sensations all fell away. "I may have to use that one on you again; it's great fun, and great practice."

It took a few extra seconds for the sensations to die down, and the poor girl to go slack. Finally she could lay against the floor and catch her breath, panting heavily to do just that. Whatever Winter used to tickle her certainly did the trick.

"Goodness me," Winter said, in the "Hogwarts Student" accent and tone she had been using most of their play. "I didn't think that would have that great of an effect on you, Rose! How do you feel?"

Ruby eventually tried to look back toward her again, giving a small smile and a nod back at her, and attempting to make a thumbs up gesture with her hand. While she was still breathless, it was just enough to assure she was feeling alright enough to continue, just exhausted from the tickling.

"Ooh, glad to hear that. Do you want to feel… better?" The question was vague, but had a distinct implication of what kind of "better" Winter might have meant. As she asked that, the thin, cold length of her wand passed up and down the outside of Ruby's calf. Thankfully, it wasn't the same type of sensation she'd just put up with moments before.

"B-better?" she finally had the breath to ask, leaning to try and look toward where Winter was touching. Not to much use at all. She assumed Winter was using a wand, given the texture of it, but couldn't be too sure. Whatever it as, it felt good to give her the attention she craved. She wanted more. "Yes, I.. I think so."

The sensation moved down until it was trailing over the backs of Ruby's thighs, over each inch with the lightest touch. Eventually, that meant pushing her skirt upward along with it. There was a light gasp from Ruby as she was being exposed all the more to Winter, able to feel the cool air caressing her thighs right up to her rear cheeks. Something sharp and warm closed around the blade of her foot as what was presumably the wand kept taunting the back of her thighs.

Had Winter just… bit her foot? The "Mmmm" that vibrated against the skin would seem to suggest she really had. Unable to help herself, Ruby curled her toes again to test the sensations. Sharp teeth were still present, biting against her flesh. Why Winter would be so interested in one of her feet was beyond the Hufflepuff girl. But it was happening, and not too unpleasant, either.

Then she could feel the wand right against the lining of her undies, causing yet another gasp. Noticing the gasp, Winter answered it - for what turned out to be the wrong reason. "Sorry, just watching these wiggle around during the Tickling Jinx… I felt like a cat watching a mouse try to escape. Made me want to attack."

Another bite, this one softer, just in case Ruby had not enjoyed the first as much as she let on. But yet again, Ruby wriggled her toes back and forth against the sensation. It was certainly interesting, and if Winter enjoyed it, she couldn't argue. In fact…

"Does Mistress like my feet?" she asked, trying to suppress a giggle.

"How dare you accuse me of that, Rose!" Winter cried out, again in her "Hogwarts" accent. Then, playing it up for effect, she pitched her voice so that it would sound very slightly nervous, combined with a lot of budding desire. "I wouldn't… like such a thing…" Lips grazed over the sole near where teeth had just clamped down moments before.

A small smirk graced Ruby's lips again as she waved her toes, very gently moving her feet back and forth. "It feels like you do… Is that a kiss I feel there?"

Unbeknownst to the tied-up girl, the blush that crept into Winter's cheeks was not at all staged. Not so much because of the topic, but because Ruby had discovered one of her secret kinks: a sub teasing her as a Dom.

"N-no," she breathed, kissing again, and harder. "This… it isn't what you think, you silly Hufflepuff…"

"I think it iiiis," Ruby continued, and once again wriggled her feet in a teasing manner, curling her toes on occasion. "I think you're a foot worshiper, aren't you?"

The teasing was working far more than Ruby knew. Her cheek nuzzled the wiggling toes as she breathed, "Stop, you… you can't know that…"

Obviously, she wasn't very convincing, so she decided to try to distract Ruby by pressing the wand inward against her centre again.

There was another small gasp inward as Ruby felt herself getting touched directly. Right against her panties with the wand, and it was so hard! An unfortunate side effect was how it made her think of possible other things that could go in there… Such thoughts were making her grow warmer, wetter. She found herself biting her lip, trying to suppress a moan.

"You like that, don't you?" Winter breathed, turning the teasing around on her sub now as she rubbed the wandtip up and down her sensitive lips through the thin material. "You like it when I expelliarmus your panties off."

"I… don't think that's how the spell works," she commented, but continued to squirm under Winter's movements, trying to shuffle herself away from the wand for the sake of her dignity. An attempt that failed miserably.

"I think it is." Of course, Winter didn't know for sure, but for the moment it didn't matter. "And… I think it's time we go a little further, don't you? I can't leave you tied up all day long." Her lips quirked. "Or…. can I?"

There was no response to that, other than Ruby clearly swallowing. There were advantages to her remaining tied for the evening; Winter would have full control, Ruby would simply have to go with the flow. But the disadvantage of remaining tied was that Ruby would still be clothed. It would be rather difficult for Winter to do anything to her.

"In fact… I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere. Oh, wait…"

And there was a strain of light laughter as all pressures disappeared from the rest of Ruby's body, and she heard shoes clopping away from her.

"Huh? Mistress? …Winter?!" Upon hearing Winter walk away, she tried to look around yet again. Curse that blindfold! There was no way Winter would just leave her tied up and sightless, was there?!

Apparently, there was. The room was entirely silent for about five minutes; not even the sound of a ticking clock to break up the silence. There were distant sounds in the rest of the apartment, so at least she knew Winter was still around there somewhere.

"…Great."

Left in a compromising position, bound and blind, Ruby had no choice but to wait out her time. Shuffling yet again, the bounds held tight. Escaping that way was out. She could attempt to yell out the safeword… "No, she has the room soundproofed. She wouldn't be able to hear me." There wasn't anything she could do, other than try and get comfortable and await her master's return.

"Ahhhh," Winter sighed softly as she reentered the room. "There's my favourite pupil, right where I left her. So patient!" The voice grew closer, and to one side of Ruby. "Did you have a nice break?"

"Winter?!" It was as though Ruby was barely able to believe she'd got back from the shocked tone of voice. Squirming yet again against the bonds, she groaned, "That wasn't funny! You just left!"

A hand patted her backside - perhaps a little harder than was necessary, but still nowhere near a spanking. "You were fine, I'm sure. And I brought you a little treat, too…"

"What if I needed the bathroom, or had a panic atta- wait, a treat?" she asked, yet again making a futile attempt to look.

"Yes," Winter cooed. "A treat for Rose. Here, I'll give you a hint…"

And suddenly, there was a sharp, ice-cold sensation directly between her thighs. Not quite high enough to reach anywhere more sensitive, but not far off, either.

"HAAAAH!" Yet again, Ruby tried to shuffle herself forward and away, squirming almost as much as she had when she was tickled. "What the heck is that?!"

"The question is, do you like it?" The object turned very slowly, and that revealed that it was round. Also, wet; she could feel moisture running down the inside of her legs to the floor.

"It's freezing!" Ruby truly hadn't a clue what was being placed on her skin. The more it turned, the colder it was. There was no way that she could get away from it. "Seriously, what is it?!"

Giggling, the object was removed and brought around to Ruby's face, and chill, smooth glass was pressed up against her lips. "I fetched you some refreshment."

"God, it was freezing…" Ruby continued to comment, although when feeling the edge of it touch her lips she puckered them ready to take a sip, waiting for Winter to pour it gently. So Winter tipped it up for her, the other hand pressing gently against her forehead to help her head remain upright while she swallowed.

"Do you like?"

Taking a few sips from the glass, she welcomed the strange gingery flavour, with a hint of cream. It was a flavour she didn't recognise, but a good one. Finally trying to turn to one side once she'd had enough, she sighed. "That was nice, actually."

"A little butterbeer to quench your thirst."

Then soft lips were replacing the mouth of the bottle, pressing in so gently it was almost as if they weren't there. Relishing in the small kiss for a moment, Ruby hummed contentedly. And then realised; Butterbeer! That had to be imported either from Florida or from the UK studios. Winter really got some just for her to try? How much was her master willing to spend on her sub?

When their lips parted again, Winter whispered, "Fancy any more, Rose? Or do you want to be out of these ropes quicker? Your choice."

Again, the choice. She could be out of the ropes at last, to be free to either end their play there or finish in a simple manner. Or, they could make things more intense. Once again, she got thinking; what if she wasn't wearing clothes under the ropes? What if she was tied and naked, an item for Winter to just freely use? It was an exciting thought, one that brought all the more heat to her sex. Her Dom hadn't even seen her naked properly – not yet. But that didn't stop Ruby from egging her on.

"Don't suppose you have a spell to get me naked in these ropes, do you?"

"Hmm…" A few seconds ticked by with Winter thinking that proposition over. Then she leaned down and whispered, "Muggle," before slightly peeling up one side of Ruby's blindfold so she could see her.

Finally she could see. Blinking to adjust to the light again, Ruby made eye contact with her Dom, tilting her head questioningly. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no," Winter assured her immediately with a gentle smile. "But I wanted to ask… would you rather we stop this play and strip you? Or do you want 'Winter the Ravenclaw' to be more hardline with you and tell you 'no'? I have… ideas for either choice." That word being stressed made it sound an awful lot like Winter wasn't bluffing.

"Ideas?" It certainly got Ruby's attention. If she had plans either way, then there was nothing to lose. What did Ruby want? Truthfully, she wanted to remain in the fantasy world they had created. To be the small, helpless student at the mercy of her Ravenclaw tutor. Perhaps not a teacher, but it was close enough to her darkest fantasy; she could pretend. Biting her lip, she smirked mischievously.

"Well… I do like Winter the Ravenclaw…"

Chuckling at the impish grin on her sub’s face, the Dom traced her fingertips through Ruby’s hair. “Maybe we can reach a compromise. What if we keep the scene ‘paused’, and I untie you and strip you as quick as I can? Then we’ll ‘unpause’, and act as if it’s all been a spell to undress you.”

That was exactly what Ruby wanted. There would be no way they could actually remove clothes through the bindings, but it would be the closest thing to her potential fantasy. A brief moment to simply set things up for the next scene. Giving a nod, she tried to shuffle her hands again.

"Sounds good. You don't have to tie me back up as pretty as this if you don't want to."

"Oh, I'm a shibari master," Winter informed her. "Without feigning the spellwork, I could redo that in five minutes or less. But I also have some other apparatus with which to hogtie you again if you'd rather not wait."

"You really do have everything here!" Ruby teased, flexing her fingers slightly as Winter began to loosen what was on her. Finally her arms were freed, then she moved on to her feet. Shrugging her shoulders, Ruby smiled. "I gotta admit, I'm curious. But I think going back to the ropes would be better for the pausing thing."

"We can do that another time. I mean, if you're still enjoying our arrangement." As her hands raised up and began helping Ruby remove her "uniform", she added, "Believe me, I have an entire closet full of possibilities, and a fairly empty social calendar in the evenings and on weekends. There will be time."

"As long as your roomie's okay with it." Ruby continued to help with removing her clothes, unbuttoning her shirt gradually for her pleasure. Although, while they were on that subject… "How come they aren't here, anyways?"

"Out making themselves scarce." When Ruby only quirked an eyebrow, she snorted, "They know what I get up to here, and that under those circumstances, I appreciate having the place to myself. Don't worry, no one's going to bust in on us."

Smirking again, she gave a rather taunting wink back to Winter. "Do they have this sort of arrangement with you?"

Luckily for both of them, at that exact second, Winter had been about to undo the black-and-yellow necktie from around Ruby's collar. Instead, she grasped it and jerked her forward so their bodies were flush with each other. She gazed straight into her silver eyes.

"That… would be asking me to breach a Dom-sub nondisclosure agreement. And you wouldn't do that… would you, Lady?"

The mischief vanished. All Ruby could do was look back into Winter's eyes with a mixture of fear and arousal. She really did have her wrapped around her little finger. "N-no, ma'am! Sorry!"

But in a way, it answered her question. Otherwise Winter would have outright said no, rather than calmly avoid the question. But there was a new question she now asked herself out of curiosity: was Winter a Dom or a sub with this mysterious roommate?

"You're forgiven." She kissed Ruby's nose briefly. "And no harm done. I just don't want you prying into that kind of thing too much, or getting into the habit of doing it at the Clamp, either. It's… impolite, and could get you hurt if you do it to just the wrong person."

"Okay. Understood, yeah… won't do that," she backtracked, sliding off her skirt and tossing it aside. It was a fair point on Winter's part that she shouldn't pry into people's business. Anyone could be dating anyone, for numerous reasons. It wasn't for Ruby to know, and she had to protect them as much as she would want to be protected.

Moving on to the task she was looking forward to, but equally nervous about, she reached her hands behind her to the straps of her bra. Pulling it together to prise it free, she allowed it to slide off her arms, revealing her modest chest to Winter. Releasing the necktie, having opted not to take it off after all, Winter reached down and traced her fingertips around either side of the erect little peaks.

"Ohhh… have I told you lately how much I enjoy your form? All of it… and I'm straight six days of the week!"

"I guess I'll have to note down Wednesday is your gay day." Ruby giggled to herself at that little joke. But the hands on her chest were irresistible. She found herself having to lean forward against them, smiling contentedly when soft thumbs moved over the tips. So soft, even when she was at her mercy.

"Guess you will." Her smile slipped on one side. "Actually, I'm sorry you haven't been here in a couple of weeks; I was waiting for some of these supplies to come in. Plus there was a lot going on at the office."

"It's fine! Don't worry about it." Taking a moment to stand still and recover, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and added, "I can imagine things are hectic right now with Fènleng on the scene. Yang mentioned they've had a few people at their door asking dumb questions so I can't imagine how much more you've had if you're the middle man."

"It's…" Winter reconsidered what she had been about to say, hands pausing on Ruby's stomach. "Well, not exactly a 'PR nightmare', but it's made a lot more work for us. But that's shop talk, and you're here to play." Her hands glided around the waist, index fingers dipping just under Ruby's waistband.

"Yeah but, we're paused." She held onto Winter's hands for a moment to stop her, looking up into her eyes to catch her attention. "You can talk to me, y’know. I'm not just a sub, I wanna be a friend to you, as well."

For whatever reason, the insistence from Ruby made the taller woman blink down at her with some surprise. "Of course you aren't just a sub. At the very least, you're my sister-in-law. But even more…" Her fingers came up to caress the soft apple cheek of the girl in front of her. "You're already my friend. Just a… new one."

Smiling back gratefully, Ruby allowed one of her hands to hold Winter's against her cheek still, leaning in against it. "Good. So if you want to talk about whatever, we can."

Is this delving into romantic territory? she thought to herself. That was one of the major rules Penny had against their arrangement. No romance; at least, not without telling her. And though she insisted it wouldn't happen, here she was - just about naked, looking up affectionately to Winter. In a very similar manner she would with Penny. Was it a step too far?

Perhaps Winter had recognized that, as well, because she smiled a bit wider and gave Ruby a light kiss on the forehead; one more like Yang would give her than Penny. Obviously, it was a move to tone down the emotional vibe between them. "No, no, I'm finished. It's nothing I can't handle." Then she reached the other hand down to squeeze Ruby's backside. "I'm much more interested in finishing our scene than rehashing crap from the office."

"Oooh…" Clenching her rear muscle slightly against the hand, Ruby purred with surprise. But alas, she too was far more interested in reaching the end of their play than anything else. That didn't mean she wasn't going to ask later, though. "Alrighty." Finally letting to of Winter's hands, she smiled mischievously again. "I believe you were removing my undies?"

"Yes. Let me see you stripped." The fingertips raised up again, pulling at the waistband until it began to slip downward. Ruby was prepared for this; below she was freshly trimmed, making everything neat and tidy for her Dom. Assisting further, Ruby stepped out the underwear once she'd lowered them enough, letting Winter place them with the rest of her clothes.

Then for the last item. Her glasses. Taking them off and folding them neatly, she quickly leant over to put them down on one of Winter's desks. That was something she couldn't risk throwing among the pile.

"You could have left them on," Winter chuckled softly, eyes sliding up and down her flawless form. "The whole 'Potter' thing. But it's okay if you don't want to have them in harm's way, should things get… vigorous."

"Yeah, was kinda worried about it." Though stepping away from Winter again, she reached to pick up one of the ropes on the floor, innocently handing it toward her. "Speaking of which…?"

A wicked grin flashed across her face. "Ohhh, I am gonna enjoy this."

And she did. In a matter of minutes, she had Ruby hogtied on the floor again, the ropes tied in such intricate, visually appealing patterns up the front of her, above and below her breasts… around her hips, ankles, wrists. Everything was tight, but not so tight that it would be uncomfortable or cut off her circulation. She really had done this many times… or had it done to herself many times, at the least.

Right away Ruby assumed her role, faking a nervousness in her voice. "I can't believe you’ve done this! How can you be sure Filch won't walk in?"

"Because I magically locked the door!" Winter snapped, walking around Ruby in a circle now. Completely missing Ruby’s meme reference. "But of course, we both know you don't mind this as much as you're pretending! Isn't that right, Rose?!"

Struggling again against the bonds, she looked toward her master once more. Still slightly nervous, but more excited about what was to come. Winter was right. "I'm not giving you that satisfaction!" she shouted back, tugging at her ankles. "Not when I could tease you more!"

And Winter's eyes flicked toward the ankles and back. "Hah! As if that's…" Another flick. "Stop changing the subject! I have you tied up, and I'm going to make sure you remember it!"

Yet again, Ruby curled her toes and flicked her ankles again, smirking to herself. Even in character, it was beginning to grow more obvious just how well it was working, how attracted to her body Winter was. This really was a “gay day”.

"Oh I'll remember," she goaded. "I'll remember how much you can't resist me!"

After a second, Winter whispered under her breath, "Damn. Forgot to put the blindfold back." She bent over at the waist and quickly tugged it into place, then breathed, "Sorry," before straightening again.

"Ow!" With how quickly she tied it she had managed to catch a few strands of hair. But it was enough that could be ignored. Besides, she knew she was obviously getting to her master. "You really do, huh?" She grinned. "Wow, I never expected how much you did!"

"Do what?" Winter hedged, back in her "Hogwarts" accent once again now that she had fixed that minor mistake. "Do want to tease my trussed up turkey?"

So it wasn't working anymore. Growing nervous again, the grin was slowly vanishing from her face, where she bit her lips nervously instead. "A-and how… how will you do that?"

Satisfied that her ploy to distract Ruby had worked, both in and out of character, Winter chuckled. "Oh, I have a special spell for that…" There was the sound of rooting through a satchel once more, then a page being turned nearby. When she returned, she knelt by Ruby's side, seemingly ready to proceed.

"Are you ready for the ultimate in witchcraft?" Even to her own ears, the line sounded silly, but she hoped her sub wouldn't mind too much.

Swallowing, said sub leant her head against the ground and resigned herself. Winter was going to have her way, and there was nothing she could do to stop her. No more teasing. Eventually she nodded, waiting for what she would do. "Yes."

"Good. First… Engorgio!" Of course, there was no actual sound of the spell taking effect, but Winter paused as if there were. Then she breathed, "Now, we are ready."

An instant later, something textured and semi-firm was brushing up and down the insides of Ruby's thighs. Suddenly Ruby's muscles tensed up again. That felt a lot thicker than her wand did… Maybe Ruby's idea that Winter would use some kind of object to tease her wasn't so far fetched after all. And that spell…

"What is that?" she asked. "Why does it need to be bigger?"

"It's something just for my Rose," Winter cooed, trailing it higher and higher until it was within a hair's breadth of her moistened lips. "She's going to take it… ohhh, she's going to take it deep."

Clenching her muscles closed again instinctively, her eyes opened wide behind the blindfold. There really was something going inside her tonight. Something big, and as she said, something that would get deep. Biting her lip nervously, she shuddered at the thought.

"O-oh… wait, be careful! I've never, um, had anything that big before!"

As it began to edge its way between the folds, Winter cooed, "First time for everything. And you can't do a thing to stop me, tied up like you are…" As it delved a little further in, she continued to taunt her. "You don't want me to stop anyway, do you? Yes… yes, you're really looking forward to this. To me opening you up."

Feeling it right against her lips had her breath quickening. And Ruby wasn’t lying; she really hadn't had anything too big inside her body. Nothing bigger than two fingers, at least. And from the feel of whatever Winter had, this was going to be a fair bit bigger. Would it cause damage if Winter rammed it inside so quickly?

Biting her lip nervously, she had to call up out of character, "Winter, I'm serious. Just… Go slow? At first?"

"I'll do what I want, you Hufflepuff!" Winter snapped. But the latter was clearly added to remind Ruby that they were, after all, still playing out a scene. At the same time, the object ceased its slow, inward progress and instead began to shift back and forth very slightly.

Ruby gasped shakily. This was really happening! And by Winter's gradual pace, it was going to head deeper and deeper, even if not right away.

After another moment of teasing her body, preparing her, it began to push in again - and there was more resistance. Winter seemed to hesitate, then placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder, stroking up and down for a moment. She was waiting for a signal; should she continue, or did Ruby not want what was about to happen to happen under these unusual circumstances?

But there was no response from Ruby. She seemed unaware of what was truly happening within her body. What was being pushed against. That was until Winter pushed a little more, and could feel something give. And that something had her wincing fairly loudly. A sharp, intense pain, like something had torn.

"Muggle! Muggle!!"

The presence inside of her vanished, and Winter pulled up the blindfold, cradling her face in both hands. "Are you alright?!" she demanded the instant they could establish eye contact.

Ruby’s legs closed tightly, eyes clenching shut still as she bore the pain. Already she could feel her eyes watering, but she held herself back. She couldn't cry in front of her dom, that would ruin everything! "What the heck was that?! It felt good, then… then something felt weird, and it really hurt, I just freaked out!"

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Winter snapped, somewhere between angry and sad. "I'd never have done it this way if I had known – you should have disclosed to me before we ever had our first scene!"

"I did!" She finally managed to open her watery eyes again, still holding herself back. It was more from that sudden pain than truly feeling sad. "I said I'd never had anything that big! I didn't know taking things bigger would hurt!"

"Then you… really didn’t- alright." Sighing, she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get upset, but… it's unusual that you would have taken anything in without clipping the hymen. But now it's done, so… so there's no use in crying over spilled milk."

Oh… THAT'S what that was, she thought to herself, sniffling as she looked back down toward the ground. No wonder Winter was so upset that she didn't know; it was something that no one could give her back. Blinking a few times to try and clear her tears, Ruby shook her head again before she looked back up to her.

"Sorry, I had… I had no idea. Like, I thought that only- I d-don’t know what I thought. Sounds like my school's sex ed fucking sucked, huh?"

But of course, Winter saw the sparkle of wetness on her eyelashes, and frowned further. "God, Ruby… I would have done this so differently. If I did it at all! I should have- well, I say I should have looked, but that would be pretty strange. I'm not your gynecologist." She traced her fingernails through Ruby's hair. "Are you okay, though? Do you need me to untie you?"

She shook her head again. "No! No I don't want that. I mean…" For a moment, she looked to one side, instinctively leaning her head against the hand that was fussing through her hair. Even when her hands a moment ago were teasing and enticing her, they did just as good a job at calming her right down, relaxing her.

"I was really enjoying it. So hot, even if kinda weird. I just… I didn't know it would hurt that much. Will it still hurt? Or is… that it now?"

"It might still be a little sensitive," Winter admitted. "But the worst of it will be over now. I'm so sorry this had to happen this way, with you tied up, and…" Bending low, she kissed the top of Ruby's head. "Virginity is such an overrated thing, anyway. It doesn't matter in the slightest. What matters is if you're enjoying yourself."

"Well, I've heard of people ripping theirs when riding horses and stuff. That's why I guess I kinda assumed I didn't have one or something, with me and Penny doing stuff in the past…" But after a short while, she finally parted her legs again, into the same position they once were. And with a small nod, she smiled. "I do wanna keep going, though."

A very soft laugh floated out of Winter's throat, betrayed as it was by her sad eyes. "You're a real trooper, Ruby Rose. And… when we're finished with our scene, I have a treat for you - not a 'Lady' treat, but something I think you'll like." Clearing her throat, she leaned down to kiss her head again before reaching up to the blindfold. "Ready to begin?"

That made everything all the more sweeter. Winter wasn't angry with her after all; that enough was plenty of relief for the smaller girl. As things went, it was probably the best outcome for the loss of something so intimate. Even if it wasn't Penny, it was someone she trusted deeply. Trusted so much, she wanted to continue until the end. Nodding, she smiled.

"Ready."

"Okay." The blindfold came down to eclipse her vision again. Seconds later, she whispered, "Begin play" for good measure.

"Alright, Rose," the colder voice snapped as the foreign object began to push its way into her once more. "I'm about to change your entire world."

Yet again, her breath quickened. In the blink of an eye, Winter could go from a calming presence to a merciless Dom. It was something she adored, but also feared at the same time. Winter truly was a mystery. Biting her lip as the object slid past her defenses, she took another breath in preparation. .

And this time, it wasn't stopping, even if the pace was as gradual as before. Moreso, in fact; Winter seemed to have taken Ruby's newly-discarded virginity into consideration, even if her character did not.

"Ooh, look at you taking all of this… every last inch of it. You really were dying to have me invade you, weren't you? Such a naughty Hufflepuff."

When it slid past the point that hurt last time, there was a small shudder that went through her body. But not one of pain. One of pleasure. One that was made so obvious when she looked outward blankly against the blindfold, moaning out rather quietly.

Humming with satisfaction, Winter manoeuvred herself around to one side, positioning herself with her head just above where her wrists and ankles were hogtied so that her arm could get a better angle. As could her vision; looking straight down, she was just able to glimpse what she was doing to Ruby's sensitive sex.

And within a few more seconds… "There. All the way filled. How does that feel?"

"It's so big…" she half-whispered, half-moaned. Whatever Winter had used to fill her insides truly was larger than anything she had ever taken. And when she tested it by clenching her muscles even tighter against it, she found herself moaning outward again, arms quivering in pleasure. Which in turn, caused her ankles to twitch, as well.

Which Winter did notice, but she was determined to ignore. That was a separate play for a separate occasion; Ruby was experiencing being filled for the first time, and it was her duty to make sure the orgasm was one of the best she'd ever had.

"Do you like it this big?" Winter demanded of her, turning the thick shape within her very slowly. "Does it touch you in ways you didn't think you could be touched?"

"Oooohhh…" she strained out once again. It truly was teasing her in all the right places! And as she rotated the object, it was touching all the more of her, brushing against her inner walls in new and insane ways. "Yes!" she moaned, clenching her muscles down onto the object. "God, it really does, Mistress!"

"Good," Winter cooed, bringing it around to the original position. Then she began to slowly pull it back out of her. Inwardly, she hoped Ruby would say something if this was moving too fast, but her Dom persona certainly wouldn't stop to ask at that juncture.

It certainly wasn't. The sub found herself missing the sensation of being filled again. She wanted it back in there, back deep. Was something wrong with her to crave something so depraved? If there was, she didn't care right now. Especially not when she made a silly attempt to move back against the object.

However, unbeknownst to Ruby, her Dom didn't think it was silly at all. It filled her with a tingling of lust to see the girl, newly christened a woman, so eager to participate and enjoy these foreign sensations. So she slowly began to ease it back inward - though it was a fair bit faster than the time previous.

Yet again, there was another strained moan. Feeling it re-enter after a brief period away was so good! Far better than she ever expected it to be! And with the speed growing even faster than it had before, it hit all new places, teased all new parts of her. She loved it. Maybe she really was growing more corrupt, craving more obscene things for her body.

As she watched Ruby writhe below her, Winter held onto her shin with the free hand, to steady both of them. With more leverage now, she began to push it in and out of Ruby at a faster pace, listening to the sounds it was beginning to create.

"She's so wet," Winter cooed at her sub. "Wet and ready. Mmm, next time I'll have to drink her… bottle her up as a potion, perhaps." A particularly jerky thrust, just for variety. "A potion of lust."

"Hah… Ah…" The moans were continuous now. As Winter continued at a faster pace, her callings of pleasure were syncing up perfectly – a melody to rival that of her Dom's sister's singing, all summoned by the movements of that object pumping in and out of her. She no longer cared what it was, just that it wouldn't stop. Not until she got the finish she was craving.

As Ruby writhed and moaned, enjoying the pounding that was heightening her pleasure with every pass, Winter found herself with a small, unexpected problem. There really was no other way for her to continue to do what she was doing, no other angle from which to best deflower her – not without rolling her over, anyway, and that would be too painful on the poor girl's limbs. Therefore…

She was stuck face-to-feet, staring at what Ruby had been using to tease her earlier. Not glancing at them very often was working so far, but the faster she slid her instrument of pleasure in and out of Ruby, the more the toes curled and uncurled. Would they prove impossible to ignore, after all?

"Oooohh!" And that got particularly worse when Winter hit one spot. When she angled against her spine slightly, something felt even better than before, causing Ruby to yell out in even louder pleasure. She was already beginning to sweat before, but this was making her fists clench… and toes curl in as tightly as they could.

Hot breath caressed over Ruby's ankles as Winter began to feel the effects of her exertion, having to thrust into her over and over with the as-yet-unnamed object. She may have been in fantastic shape, but even she would sweat during a workout. And bringing her sub off definitely qualified.

"Do you… like it right there?" she asked, trying to replicate the effect with her next thrust.

Thankfully, it did. Rather perfectly, in fact, as the poor erstwhile virgin called out once more, growling with delight. "Yes!" she called loudly, grinning with glee. "Yes! Oh Winter, again!"

"Yeah! Yeah, that's right, again!" Licking her lips, she leaned even further down to better angle her shoulder, so she could deliver the maximum thrust possible once they really got going…

And felt a big toe writhing back and forth against her cheek. How was she supposed to ignore Ruby being so cute and squirmy? This really was testing her limits as a Dom; it was part of the reason she preferred to be on the receiving end most of the time. Temptation was hard to fight.

Something else was growing hard to fight, as well. Ruby's overwhelming need for her finish. To further tease Winter, though not with her intent, her trussed legs were beginning to shudder and quiver right by Winter, toes vibrating again right by her cheeks. "W-winter!" she called again, allowing herself another moment to moan. "I-I'm so close… I-I'm gonna- ah!"

The temptation would not win; Winter loved seeing and feeling the wriggling toes, but she could resist that long. It was easy. She was nothing if not professional. "That's it, Rose! Let it happen; let me conjure your orgasm here and now! Shout for me, squirm and shout! Be a good little Hufflepuff!"

All Ruby had to do was clamp her muscles onto the object again, and she was done for. The Hufflepuff turned into a quivering, shuddering mess on the ground as she called out loudly, straining against the ropes as her muscles pulsed with pure joy. As expected, her last little occurrence when she finished was not a one off. Being laid on her stomach, any of the fluid she secreted went straight against the ground, the ropes, or on the object; coating it with a different kind of fluid. It was far beyond her control.

And though Ruby could not see it, Winter was watching all the while, eyes wide. However, rather than being revolted, she was smiling, mouth very slightly open. What a glorious sight! Knowing her sub's climax was so powerful she couldn't help but squirt that way filled her with pride. A job well done.

Top marks.

#Lady Stardust #ruby x winter #rwby fanfiction #rwby smut #rwbyremnants #nsfw-Text

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could-have-beens · 5 years ago

Text

Tradition (Chapter 1)

I’m just gonna go and shamelessly tag this as part of the @hansannafortheholidays event even though it’s really, really late. Written for Day 10: Mistletoe.

Also posted on ff.net and ao3. Please tell me what you guys think and I hope you like it!

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Hans keeps finding himself caught under the mistletoe. Somehow, it’s always Anna’s fault.

Or, alternatively, seven kisses Hans and Anna share under the mistletoe. Childhood friends AU.

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To think, just a few weeks ago, Hans had been so excited when he had learned of his betrothal. The last of his thirteen brothers, he had been resigned to waiting for each of his older siblings to be paired off with wives before even hoping for a match of his own. And he would have waited a long time, if his brother Lars hadn't intervened.

Only Lars would give more than a passing glance at the small kingdom of Arendelle, and only he would see the opportunity in its two young and eligible princesses. Only Lars would care about his youngest brother enough to make him a match, and only Lars would have the charisma and wits to pull it off.

And what a match it was. A crown princess. A future queen.

No one but Lars, Hans' sole ally in his entire family, would have thought of it. Not even their father would have cared enough to think of Hans' future. If it were up to him, Hans would have never been paired with anyone, even if everyone else had already been married off. Or, worse, he would have been sent to the Brotherhood of Isles, forced to take a vow of silence.

But no. Thanks to Lars, that wasn't his fate anymore, and at eleven years old, Hans was already on his way to a brighter, better future than any of his brothers could ever hope to achieve. The trip to Arendelle was just icing on the cake, and Hans had been thrilled to spend the winter season away from his family.

If only Anna wasn't in the picture.

Anna, the second and youngest princess of Arendelle. A spare, just like him.

His eagerness to spend the holidays in his future home, to meet his future in-laws, to get to know his future wife, had been dampened thanks to her. Unlike Elsa — who was quiet and reserved, who was poised and graceful, whom Hans had barely even seen since his arrival in Arendelle — Anna was a tornado with pigtails. She ran around the palace without care, always with reckless abandon, always with a grin, and always with something to say.

She was just so talky. And annoying. And wouldn't leave him alone. Everywhere he went, she was always one step behind, yammering in his ear about some story or another. There was no avoiding her — and boy, did he try — and Hans had no choice but to grin and bear it. Especially, as Lars liked to laughingly remind him, if Hans wanted to get in the King and Queen's good graces.

So here he was, acting like the princess' glorified keeper, as Anna pouted and knocked incessantly at her sister's door.

"Elsa!" Anna was saying, and the sound of her relentless knocking made his head pound. "Do you want to build a snowman? We could do it with Hans! I bet Hans wants to build a snowman with us. Don't you, Hans?"

She turned to him expectantly, and Hans gave her a strained smile. "Sure," he said through gritted teeth. "I'd love nothing more."

The sarcasm was lost on her, and she beamed at him before turning back to the door, knocking again. "You hear that, Elsa? Hans wants to play with us! Elsa? Elsa, I know you're in there! Elsaaaaaaa."

Not for the first time that day, Hans bit back a sigh. Elsa was probably trying to enjoy the silence — the sweet, blissful, blessed silence — before coming out to deal with her little sister. Maybe with Elsa with them, Anna would be easier to deal with, and Hans could have an actual conversation with his betrothed.

But the longer he and Anna stood there, waiting, the more it became clear that Elsa had no intention of opening her door. Hans watched as Anna's large grin faltered with each passing second.

In spite of himself, he couldn't help but frown. Since he arrived, he had only seen Elsa a handful of times, mostly during meals where her presence was required. Even then, she hardly said a word, speaking only when spoken to, each reply short but polite. Hans supposed she must be shy around strangers, and he could understand her need to keep to herself, but was it really necessary to lock herself in her room like this? To hide herself away?

Hans knew all about hiding, after all. He just couldn't understand why Elsa would need to. Anna, as draining and irritating as she was, was nothing like his brothers. The King and Queen of Arendelle were nothing like his parents. So why was Elsa not opening her door? Why wasn't she answering at all?

Anna seemed to have given up on Elsa replying. Her shoulders had visibly drooped, and her bright eyes had dimmed as she cast her gaze downward.

"Oh, well," she said hesitantly. "You're probably busy with — uh — the usual stuff, I guess. Maybe next time?"

There was no answer, but Anna didn't wait for one before dropping on her knees and elbows, peeking through the crack under the door.

"Anna," Hans began, "what are you —"

She slipped the drawing — the one she had been so proud of, the one she made while she insisted he tell her about every single detail of his castle in the Southern Isles, about what each of his brothers looked like, about his entire voyage to Arendelle — under the door and got back to her feet, grabbed his hand, then tugged him away like a ragdoll.

"C'mon!" she said excitedly, beaming again. "Let's go to the library! It's got load and loads of books and Papa said they're from all around the world — isn't that awesome? I bet you've got a library in the Southern Isles too, huh? I bet you've —"

"Wait," he interrupted, mind reeling. "That drawing. Your drawing. You gave it to Elsa."

She nodded, not pausing in her steps. "I did! You think she'd like it?"

"Why?"

"Why would she like it?"

Again, Hans wanted to sigh. "I mean, why did you give it to her?"

"Oh. That." She took a deep breath, then, without pausing, went on, "Well, I dunno, I just thought she'd like to see what the Southern Isles looked like, 'cuz, you know, she didn't get to hear any of your stories at all, 'cuz she left so quickly after dinner and everything. And I bet she really wanted to hear 'em too, because she's in her room all day and she never gets to hear the best stories. I bet she's really bored, staying in bed all the time, and I bet she really wanted to hear all about your castles and your ships and your horses and stuff, but she didn't 'cuz — I dunno, 'cuz she's Elsa like that — anyway. I didn't want her to miss out on all the fun, so I made her those drawings so she gets to see 'em even if she wasn't there!"

It took Hans a moment to make sense of her rambling, but when he did, all he could say was, "You've never seen them either."

"Yeah, but I've got you to tell me all the stories! Elsa doesn't have a storyteller like you so maybe we can make her drawings instead. Like in the storybooks." Anna brightened, and he could almost imagine a candle over her head, lighting up with an idea. "Oh, oh, oh! We should make her a storybook, all about your adventures! I bet she'll like that. Do you think she'll like that?"

Hans fell quiet, feeling something stir in his chest at her words. He couldn't imagine any of his brothers doing something like what Anna did and wanted to do for Elsa. If it were his family, they wouldn't even notice his absence, or would have thought of him at all, let alone care enough to make handmade presents and slip it under his door. Sure, there was Lars, and Hans was definitely grateful he wasn't like the rest of his brothers, but Lars wasn't exactly the affectionate, sentimental sort, and he was always too caught up in his books and research to think of much else.

"Yes, I think she will," Hans said after a while.

Anna squealed. "We should get started! I've got all my crayons and pencils and everything and — oh! We should do it in the library! Elsa never goes to the library — well, she never goes anywhere really — but I don't think I've ever seen her in the library. It's the perfect place — I bet she'll be so surprised —"

She went on and on, talking a mile a minute. Hans let himself be dragged along, half-listening, but he couldn't help but smile and nod as he followed. The princess was annoying, certainly, but she was harmless and easily amused. He supposed there were worse ways to spend the holidays than acting like her royal babysitter.

I won't be bored, at least, he thought.

Anna stopped abruptly when they reached the library. Hans had already passed by the doorway, but Anna was staring at the decorations overhead, gasping, an awed look on her face.

"Mistletoe," she whispered, sounding almost reverent.

Sure enough, there it was, hanging above her, almost hidden behind all the other holiday ornaments. Squinting, Hans could see the mistletoe was still full of berries, and they seemed to gleam, almost tauntingly, amid the glittering decorations.

Hans grimaced. "C'mon, Anna," he said. "I thought you wanted to get started on your storybook —"

"Not before we kiss!"

He sighed. "We don't have to, Anna. It's just a plant."

She looked up at him with a horrified gasp, looking so appalled like he'd just done something terribly unforgivable. Like kicked a puppy or destroyed her snowman, or whatever it was that could be considered unforgivable for six-year-olds. "But it's tradition," she said, reproachful.

Hans resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Technically, he could probably just carry her over his shoulder, bring her inside the library, and be done with it, but no doubt Anna would throw a fuss and start kicking and screaming. It wouldn't be worth it.

So, resigned to the lesser evil, he stifled another sigh and bent down to press a soft kiss on her forehead. When he straightened and stepped back, Anna was gaping at him, with wide eyes and pink cheeks, before the stunned look quickly melted into a glare.

"You missed!" she whined. "That's not a real kiss!"

Hans could feel the beginnings of a smile curling at the corner of his lips, but he smothered it with a smirk. "Of course it is."

"Nu-uh!"

"And how do you know what a real kiss is supposed to be like?"

Anna lowered her voice, glancing about her furtively like she was about to tell a secret. "It's s'pposed to go on the lips, over here," she whispered, pointing to her lips for good measure, as if he needed the reminder. "Like Mama and Papa do. Like in the fairytales."

"Fairytales aren't real, Anna."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Shows what you know! 'Course they are!"

This time he didn't bother to hide his annoyance as he rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I still say it's a real kiss. The mistletoe tradition never said the kiss had to be on the lips."

She wasn't convinced. "How'd you know?"

"I read it. In a book."

"What book?"

"From the library."

Her brows furrowed, and she looked like she was in deep concentration, as though she was debating with herself, trying to fit what she knew with this new information. Then she nodded, self-assured and seemingly satisfied. "Okay, I guess," she said, a bit reluctantly. "But next time you have to give me a real kiss — not a stupid one on the forehead! A kiss like True Love."

"Like in the fairytales?"

"Exactly!"

"You're a bit young for True Love's kiss, aren't you?"

Anna tsked impatiently, grabbing his hand and tugging him inside the library. He was beginning to get used to it. "Then do it when I'm bigger, duh. You have to promise."

Hans wanted to laugh, but she was glaring at him so fiercely, so intensely, that he knew nothing less than an affirmative would sway her.

"Okay," he said, smiling. "I promise."

ii.

Kai had been with the royal family long enough to remember the days when the princesses were as thick as thieves, practically attached at hip. Back then, it was almost impossible to see one princess without the other trailing just a few steps behind.

But when the King and Queen decided to place the princesses in separate rooms, when they decided to close the gates, it was like the whole castle had changed overnight. Gone were the joyous, childish screams and giggling, and what were once two sets of footsteps, running to and fro the hallways, had turned to one. It made the palace seem too big, too empty, too cold, and the day Princess Elsa decided to spend her waking hours in the confines of her room, was the day Kai felt as though a light had been snuffed out in the kingdom, leaving only dimmed smiles and shrouding not just the royal family, but everyone else within the castle, in lonely shadows.

Now, Kai had some rather unfavorable opinions about certain practices that were common among the nobility. It wasn't his place to question Their Majesties, of course, but he certainly hadn't approved when he had learned of the engagement between Princess Elsa and a prince of the Southern Isles. Politics-wise, Kai agreed it was a good match, but for heaven's sake, they were only children.

Still, he remembered how Princess Anna's face lit up when she had first learned that Prince Hans was to spend the winters in Arendelle, and how Princess Elsa would wander more and more outside of her room as the prince's annual visits went on. Kai had to admit that some good had come out of the arrangement, as Her Highnesses had ended up with a playmate and a friend — or, in Princess Elsa's case, someone who was on his way to becoming one, if nothing else. Though she still insisted on staying in her room, she would come out to engage in small talk with him, and Kai had noticed that the prince was the only person she would approach and talk to at royal functions, on the rare times that she did initiate conversations.

Which was Kai felt a bit miffed on the princess' behalf, when he caught sight of Prince Hans slipping away from the ball, carrying a platter of what looked suspiciously like krumkakes. From what Kai could tell, no one but himself and the princess had noticed the prince's absence, and he saw her looking around the room, searching the crowd from her place on the dais.

Why, the nerve of him! Kai thought, affronted. Leaving the princess alone . . . why I never!

Once Kai was certain his presence was no longer needed, he too left the ballroom in search of the wayward prince. The boy needed a stern talking to. He was seventeen now, almost of age, and the ball was supposed to be held in his and his brother's honor — surely he had to know better by now, surely he was aware of how rude it was, to leave the party just like that.

It didn't take long to find the prince in the gardens, but what surprised Kai was that he wasn't alone.

"The whole thing?"

"Yeah, the whole thing! You got it."

Kai felt his eyebrows rise to his hairline at the sound of Princess Anna's voice. Peeking behind the hedges, he found the two royals, giggling over a platter of krumkakes. Prince Hans was without his coat, and it was instead draped over the princess' shoulders, big enough to hide the nightgown she wore underneath.

Kai stepped back in the shadows to give them a bit of privacy, remembering then that it wasn't just Elsa who sought the prince's company during his visits. He recalled how fond of the prince Princess Anna was, always so delighted when he visited and despondent when he left. Kai remembered too how she had moped for weeks when the King and Queen informed her she was too young to attend the welcome ball.

Oh well. . . .

Kai could give them a few moments to catch up, he supposed, before he revealed himself. It wasn't as though the prince's presence was that pressing of a matter, surely. . . .

"So what's it like?" the princess was saying.

"The ball?"

"Duh."

"All right, I suppose. A bit boring."

"Boring?" she echoed, sounding aghast to hear such a thing. "How can it be boring? I mean there's dancing and all those people and there's so much chocolate and food —"

The prince laughed. "It really is, Anna. There's hardly any people my age to dance with, and everyone else is busy talking about trade routes and politics."

"But Elsa's there." There was a pause, and the hesitation in her tone was clear when she continued, "Was she — was she having fun?"

"I don't think she was. She didn't even dance."

"Not even once?"

"Well, one dance. With me. It . . . could've been better."

The princess giggled. "Aww, how romantic."

"It wasn't," the prince said, sighing. "She kept stepping on my toes."

"Elsa? She would never!"

"You don't believe me?"

"You've seen her! She's so . . . graceful and perfect. I don't think she's even physically capable of being bad at anything."

"Clearly, you've never seen her dance."

Another pause, longer than the first, and Kai was just about to step forward to see what was wrong, when the prince spoke again.

"Anna?" he said worriedly.

"Nothing," and Kai could hear the sadness in her voice. "It's just — you're right. I've never seen her dance. She — uh — she never wanted to practice. With me, I mean."

"Oh." Prince Hans cleared his throat. Sounding rather awkward, he went on, "None of my brothers did either. I suppose . . . it's not completely outside the realm of possibility that I . . . may have tripped a couple of times myself."

This made the princess laugh again. "I knew it!" she crowed. "And . . . outside the realm of possibility? Sheesh, Hans, do you always have to be so formal and proper?"

"Someone has to."

"Hey, I can be formal and proper!"

"Sure, Anna."

"Oh, just you wait, when I'm old enough to attend those stupid balls, I'll — I'll be so proper and sophisticated and graceful that you won't even recognize me, and the look on your face will be so —"

The princess stopped so suddenly that Kai couldn't resist sneaking another glance from his hiding place. Prince Hans had placed a chaste peck on her forehead, and was now pulling back to pluck a berry off the mistletoe hanging in the archway.

"Oh," Princess Anna said, turning as red as her hair.

The prince merely chuckled. "Tradition, remember?" he said lightly. "At least it got you to shut up."

She gaped at him. "Why you —"

Kai took that as his cue. He cleared his throat, stepping away from the shadows. "Your Highnesses," he said, bowing.

"Kai!" the princess exclaimed, delighted to see him. And then her face fell, realizing why he was here, and she said, much more dismally, "Kai."

"Now, my lady," he said reproachfully. "I believe it is time I escort you back to your chambers."

"But Kai," she said in whining tones, eyes large and imploring in the way Kai knew well.

"It is past your bedtime, Your Highness."

Next to her, Prince Hans snickered, and she shot him a glare, hitting him on the shoulder hard enough that Kai caught him wincing. Kai turned his attention to the prince then, who gave him an easy, charming smile.

"I take it no one has noticed my absence?" he said, sounding certain.

"I believe the princess has, Your Highness." The prince looked stunned by this. Trying to inject a hint of humor in his tone, Kai added, "That, and the absence of a certain platter of dessert."

"Ah," was all Prince Hans said, his cheeks slightly tinged pink.

It was the princess' turn to snicker, which turned Kai's attention back to her. She made a face, giving a most unladylike groan.

"I know, I know," she grumbled under her breath. "Back to my rooms."

"Indeed." Kai nodded reprovingly. Turning to the prince, he said, "I trust you know the way back to the ballroom, Your Highness?"

"Yes, thank you, Kai," Prince Hans said somberly, looking contrite and properly chided.

And if Kai caught the prince slipping one last krumkake in the princess' hand as she was led away — well, he supposed he could turn a blind eye, just this once.

#hansanna #hansanna fic #prince hans #hans #princess anna #anna #hansannafortheholidays #hansannafortheholidays2019 #my fic #fic: tradition

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