#and Thena will be like that's silly no he wasn't

[softquietsteadylove]

Instead of Thena, what about jelous and territorial Gil 👀?

Gil was glowering--he knew he was. He was standing outside the studio, two coffees stacked on top of each other in one hand, glaring through the glass.

Thena was dancing already, free as the wind and laughing and twirling. She looked stunning, as always. She was spinning around with some guy with dark hair and a cut jawline in a black leotard. He followed Thena around the room, talking and laughing freely all while holding her hands, and lifting her by the waist, and...

Gil watched as Thena literally threw her head back in such a full laugh. She only ever did that with him--at least so she said. And so Sersi said. Gil pushed the door open.

Even more infuriating, her dance partner looked up and over at him first, "Habibti, your-"

"Gil!"

Gil kept his eyes on the stranger as he set the coffees down first and dropped his bag off his shoulder. Thena fluttered over to him but he kept staring at this...this guy.

He had heard Habibti before, and he was pretty sure it was what one would call their sweetheart.

"Thank you," Thena smiled up at him from within his arms, finally pulling his eyes away from her friend. "You are just in time."

"Am I?" Gil murmured, still looking between Thena and this mystery dancer, not loosening his embrace of her even in the slightest. "I, uh, didn't know you had a guest."

"Ben Stoss," he moved forward, introducing himself with a handshake. He smiled at Gil in a way that emphasized how handsome he was (unfortunately). "Thena and I were always paired together as partners in our days in the academy."

The burning in Gil's chest worsened and he pursed his lips faintly. "I see."

"Ben is going to help me with some demonstrations for my little goslings," Thena said gently, still within the bend of Gil's arm.

Gil just nodded, looking from the handsome stranger down to his precious, gorgeous girlfriend. He mustered a smile for her and pressed a kiss to her temple, "sounds fun."

"I've heard all about you, Gilgamesh."

Gil's head snapped up again, especially at the overly familiar way in which he was being addressed. He subconsciously pulled Thena tighter against him, "Gorgeous here talk about me a lot?"

Ben grinned, "all the time."

"Gil," she admonished faintly, pressing a hand to his chest.

"I never thought I would see the day when Odette here finally found herself someone," Ben looked at Thena, still seeming a little too humoured by the situation. "And such a handsome one, at that."

"That's enough out of you," she glared back at him. But even watching her glare at him didn't help Gil feel better; she was so familiar with him.

"You, uh," Gil's eyes bounced between them one more time, determined to drag things out into the open no matter how rude or uncouth he had to be to do it. His hand twitched at the small of Thena's back, "did you know each other before ballet?"

Thena tilted her head at him but Ben continued to smile and shook his head. "No, but the royal ballet academy's programs can take a lifetime to truly graduate."

Gil's mind was racing. He hadn't seen this guy at any of the performances of Thena's he'd been to.

"We have known each other for many years."

That also did not help him feel better.

Thena rubbed Gil's back between his shoulders, "I've been friends with Ben and his husband for years."

Husband.

Ben turned his attention to Thena, "you are my son's favourite aunt."

Son.

"I am your son's only aunt," she corrected Ben liberally with a grin. She turned back to Gil, a sheepish smile on her lips, "I'm sorry, love, I can't believe I've never brought up Ben before now."

Gil blinked as Ben started complaining to Thena about what a neglectful friend she had been to him, the two of them laughing about it. Gil tried to reorient himself as if he'd taken a swing to the face.

"I have brought up Jack before, though."

"Oh--o-oh, yeah, Jack!" Gil smiled, rushing to cover up his petty jealousy. "Of course you've talked about Jack. You're one of his dads!"

"Indeed I am," Ben smiled graciously, despite Gil's tepid introduction to him. "Thena reached out to me about assisting her with some partner oriented lessons. And I admit, I jumped at the chance to finally meet her handsome boxer beau."

"Stop it!" Thena hissed at him.

But Gil was delighted--his chest was puffed a little bit and he was all but preening at the praise. He grinned at her, "aw, Gorgeous!"

Thena huffed, turning her head so his kiss was relegated to her cheek instead of her lips. She glared at Ben, "did I not say that was enough from you?"

"Thena does speak of you endlessly, that was no flattery on my part," Ben laughed in good humour as Gil continued to try and lavish his mortified girlfriend with affection. "I was excited to meet the man she loves so ardently."

"Lessons are cancelled, both of you--out."

Gil just chuckled, pressing his forehead to hers. Her fingertips tapped against his cheeks, having previously attempted to keep him from kissing her in front of Ben. "I love you too, Thena."

The loveliest shade of pink filled those pale cheeks of hers. She turned her head to Ben, "you are a terrible friend."

"I am the best of friends, and I did tell you this would happen if I got to meet your handsome fighter," Ben simply laughed, drifting off and leaving the two to their affections.

"Ben!" Sersi beamed as she walked in, "it's been ages!"

"Sersi!" he laughed, receiving her in a hug as she ran at him.

Gil sighed as he watched Ben and Sersi catch up, looking back at Thena. "I'm sorry, Gorgeous."

"Hm?"

He kissed her forehead, attributing her ignorance of his jealousy to her lack of past relationships. "I didn't mean to interrupt you and your friend."

"That's fine, Gil," she shook her head, confused as to why he would even apologise for something so small. Her hand found his, their fingers hovering the line of being laced together. "I knew you were coming this morning."

"True," he chuckled as he moved away only to retrieve the coffee he had brought with him.

Thena received the coffee - and his kiss on the cheek - with a pleasant purr. She peeked up at him, "I asked Ben if he'd like to join Sersi and I for a drink after lessons, today. Would you...?"

Gil smiled, thoroughly charmed at the idea of meeting more of the people in Thena's life, "yeah, sweetheart, I'd love to."

"Okay," she swayed a little, the skirt tied around the waist over her leotard fluttering around her. "I'll see you tonight, then."

"Can't wait," Gil whispered, leaning in to kiss her properly this time, his hand holding hers.

"Does Miss Thena have two boyfriends?!"

Sersi and Ben laughed from further away from the door. Gil also laughed while Thena glared at the early students already gawping at them. "No, I do not! Stretches!"

The kids sighed at the fingers snapped at them, "yes, Miss Thena."

They looked at Sersi, but the assistant teacher offered no sympathies. "You know better than to bring up Miss Thena's boyfriend."

Thena offered him a tiny wave as she visibly shifted from Thena to Miss Thena, her teacher mode. Her shoulders rolled back and her spine straightened; although, she did set her coffee down gently and lovingly on the edge of her desk.

Gil waited until he was hanging half-out the studio door before loudly cooing, "see you tonight, Gorgeous!"

"Oooooooohhhhhhhhh!!"

Thena flushed scarlet, turning and snapping her fingers at him as well, which only made him laugh. Ben was laughing too.

[sunset-peril]

The Sound of Our Silence - Chapter One - Athena Cykes?

~~~~

December 19th, 2027

4:05pm 

Wright Anything Agency 

~~~~

"...What do you mean, you're not Athena?"

It was Trucy's voice that piped up first. "Where's 'Thena??"

She couldn't answer. Children always make things difficult, even if they are large and almost fully grown. Her mind was stolen long before she was Trucy’s size, which made conversing appropriately difficult. 

"Where did you put 'Thena?!"

"When you were told 'Athena' was coming to your agency, that was in fact, me." She smiled. "The girl with the legal name Athena Cykes is long dead. A missing child whose body was never found."

"Wait-" Phoenix shook out his head. "You misrepresented yourself to the Bar? That's grounds for disbarment!"

Trucy clung to her hat. "You should know, Daddy."

The ginger sighed. "I don't give orders. I never have. I just follow whoever waves the biggest stick in my face."

Phoenix gave her the same look that he gave Apollo when the latter announced his leave. "So who told you to misrepresent yourself as a deceased child?" 

"Well, Boss, poker king, master of the slight of hand…" She flashed a sideways peace sign at him, a smirk on face. "Congratulations. Your closest companion just pulled a fast one on you." 

"Edgeworth?!" 

"The one and only."

"Who even are you? Was anything you told us true?"

She sighed, pausing and looking away. She knew the beast needed to die, but was she willing to resurrect another in its place?

"Who are you?"

"Name's Venus." Her voice was flat and cold when she finally blurted it out. "Venus Gyax. I'm from a valley outside Paris, France. I'm eighteen, a formerly licensed therapist…" She scrubbed the back of her neck like Apollo used to. "...and an escaped death row inmate."

Trucy nearly backflipped. "You're on death row too?! What did you do?!" 

"That doesn't matter." She spit that out almost venomously, before her harsh voice began to splinter. "Please…. Just…. Please don't tell them I said anything…. They'll send me back… I don't wanna go back…" A tiny confession seeped out of her. "I don't wanna die…" 

"Hey… hey, don't cry." Phoenix was never good when people started crying. "Please don't cry… just… tell us why Edgeworth choose you… why he did this." 

Edgeworth was supposed to be an upstanding prosecutor. Why bend laws and have a French convict impersonate a dead child? 

She forced her tears back down her throat, hardening her voice again. "Something about needing to force an old homicide open, the UR-1 case. Since that little girl who died was the only other possible suspect, there was no way to force an investigation or retrial." She began aggressively playing with her earring. "To be honest, I'm not sure if he actually came up with the idea or not, but he was the one who sprung me out of the clink. He also paid my medical bills when they discovered I needed a surgery. He saved me from execution, so I've always been real grateful. I was told it was because I would look like the poor girl with a bit of cosmetology work done, and was around the right age. So they had me trained to be an 18-year-old Athena Cykes. Although, it was more like a reprogramming. There were a ton of things I had to unlearn. They gave me the bar test at the end and I passed, but they refused to return my therapy license. They did have my Doctorate and Master's reprinted with the new name though." 

"Why didn't they give your license back? Was it too suspicious?"

"No…" Venus sighed. "I lost it in Germany, not France. Since the revocation of my license wasn't related to my imprisonment, they wouldn't give it back. It's a little silly, a doctor without her license, huh?"

"So, Venus," Phoenix wasn't sure he liked saying that. "Do you really know psychology? Or was that just a really big bluff."

"That part's legit. Got my Ph.D in Analytical Psychology. Dr. Venus Gyax at your service… mostly." She began playing with her earring again. "Like I said, they took my license away. I can be consulted and do research, but I'm legally not allowed to perform therapy or write prescriptions."

"What did you even do? Disbarred lawyer to disbarred therapist, you have to do something terrible."

Venus glared at Phoenix. "One day you will force my hand and mouth, but today is not that day. Be glad I'm risking my throat as it is."

"I do have one more question, then I'll let you off… for now at least." 

"Make it snappy."

"You were admitted to the ER under the name 'Athena Cykes.' If Athena's been dead for years now, why weren't you flagged?"

Venus looked at him in fear. "I… that I do not know, sir." 

"I see." Phoenix stood up and looked down at the fearful Venus. "I'm disappointed, but I won't turn you in. You clearly are willing to fight for truth; even if you're keeping vital secrets."

"Please refer to me as Athena. I didn't get permission before I told you all this."

"Of course." He smiled again. "You and I are very similar, Athena. No wonder I just knew you were right for the firm. You keep helping me with my missions, and I'll make sure you're safe." 

"Yes, sir. Of course, Boss." 

[redheadspark]

Hawuu can i request Druig where he wants to spend private time with reader but the eternals keep snatching reader away from him and he gets abit upset by it

Hope it makes sense eheheh

A/N: Awww this is sooo cute! You got it! Thanks for the request, anon.

One on One

Summary: Druig has a hard time sharing, especially when it's the one Eternal who has his heart.

Warnings: Some angst and fluff mixed together.

Babylonia

Druig wanted to be able to hang some time alone with you

It started with Kingo.

Druig watched as Kingo called you over, asking for your advice with the current fashion. You were being kind, giving him a few pointers in the purple class outfit that he was sporting and seeing Kingo give you a twirl. Druig couldn't help but see the twinkle in your eye, the smirk on your face that was beyond infectious. Druig wasn't going to lie, he liked it when you smiled and when you laughed. But it seemed a bit bitter that it wasn't with him, and yet it seemed rather silly to be pinning over something as simple as a smile.

He let it slide, thinking nothing of it.

A few days later, he was about to come see you when Thena swooped in and got your attention to go riding with her in the afternoon. Druig kept his mouth shut, but the small sense of agitation was clearly there in his throat as you didn't hesitate in taking her invention. Druig watched as both yourself and Thena went off to the horses, grimacing a bit as he walked back to your shared room.

Druig loved you, he truly loved you with all his heart. But there were times when he merely wished that he would have your undivided attention all the time, not just with the others. Now he loved them too, they were his "siblings" after all. Yet he would have moments of being angry with them for stealing you away from him before he could have alone time with you. You were the Eternal you had the best advice and deep sense of peace. Druig loved your selfless heart, going out of your way to help others and make sure their needs were met before your own.

Yet sometimes, it meant leaving Druig in the lurch.

In this particular season, you were literally moving around so much that Druig barely saw you. Even while you two were dating and insanely in love with one another, Druig only saw you when you had your shared meals with the family or when you two were in bed. It wasn't a bad thing, Druig loved that you always helped.

But sometimes, he wanted to be selfish and keep you to himself.

Especially in Babylonia, where you were stretched very thing but never once complained. Druig watched you bounce from Eternal to Eternal, helping Phastos explain a new invention to the humans, aiding Sersi with some of the farming with the farmers outside of the town, and even consoling Ikaris and his leadership tactics. After the third attempt of getting your attention and wishing to share some alone time with you during a cooler sunset, it went sour.

Real sour.

You were consoling Sprite, the pair of you in an engrossed conversation as Druig walked in with the determination to talk to you. Yet he saw you, only focusing on Sprite and not seeing him come into the meeting room on the Domo. All he saw was you giving some great advice to Sprite, whom was grateful for you talking to her and carving some time out of your day to be with her.

But Druig couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Oh, hey, Druig!" Sprite said, you looking over to see your boyfriend and you grinned. But he didn't smile back, which confused you. In fact, he looked rather solemn as he hung his head and walked out of the room before you could call out of him. You were concerned then, never seeing him like this before. Biting your lower lip, you looked from the direction where Druig walked away to Sprite, whom shrugged her shoulders.

"Let me go check on him," You replied to her, seeing her wave you off as you walked to follow him. At first, you saw just the main hallway that lead to the ramp that showed the opening to the Domo. A subtle tint of orange and yellow was seen on the ramp, indicating the sun about to set as you walked. The last thing you thought you would see was Druig in distress and almost looking like he was in pain. It pained you to see him like that, to not be his soft and gentle self around you. It been awhile since you two spoke actually.....

How long as it been?

You walked down the ramp, being greeted by the sunset sky above you and the cooling wind that was bringing in the night. You scanned the area, seeing the massive city of Babylonia over to your right and the jungle to your left. But there was no sign of your lover, which made your stomach twist for a moment.

The small noise above you made you whip your head around, seeing a set of feet hanging over the edge of the Domo and gently kicking back and forth. Dark boots, having you breathe out a sigh of relief since you knew who it was. At first, you wanted to call out to him and ask him why he was up there in the first place. But then again, it was one of your favorite spots sit together.

So you climbed, knowing how to get up there in the roof of the Domo with ease.

Once you made it after scaling the side of the ship, Druig's back was to you as he was looking at the setting sun. You could see it in his bod language, the languid stance in how his shoulders were slumped. Something was on his mind, and you wanted to figure it out.

"Hello you," You said calmly to him as you approached him from behind, getting down to sit next to him and see his face. But as soon as you did, your own face fell from seeing the look of defeat on his face. He's sported that look plenty of times in the past, whether he was told not to interfere with humans and their evolution or going up against the authority of Ajak or Ikaris. It was not the face you knew would bring him joy.

"Hey," You said to him, reaching over nudge his shoulder with yours as his blue eyes were scanning the sun set and the colors int he sky, "What's going on?"

"It's....it's nothing," He reasoned, but you tutted.

"I don't think it's nothing, my dear," you used his nickname, Druig taking in a kong breath as you went on, "Something is weighing on you, and I wanna help."

"You wanna help?" he questioned, making you knit your brows together. He didn't snap at you, nor was it sarcastic. Merely a question, but it still wasn't what you were expecting.

"Of course I do," You replied, turning a bit to scan his eyes, "Druig, what's wrong? Please tell me,"

Druig said nothing, making you reach over to place you hand on top of his to get his attention. He finally looked over at you, the clear evidence of inward turmoil was etched in his orbs that you loved and adored. You scanned his eyes, seeing him think to himself before he finally spoke.

But it was so fast that you thought he was talking gibberish.

"I wanted to spend some time with you but you were stretched out thin with the others and you never had time for me and I felt like I was left out--" Druig rushed through it, almost as it he was getting it off his chest so fast that it made your head spin. You only caught half to it, tutting and pacing one hand on his cheek to silence him as he closed his mouth then.

"Slow down, dear! Please, please take a breath for me," You pleaded with Druig, seeing him taking in a long breath and look more frazzled. You did catch some of it, making your own heart crumble when your heard what he said.

Not having time for him.....

"You....you feel left out?" You asked him sheepishly, seeing him gulp and say nothing. He would never admit it, but you knew it was true and you sighed. The last thing you would never want to do was make Druig feel out of place in your relationship. He already felt that way when you two got together, thinking that you were too good for him. Of course, you never saw that as true, you loved and adored him. But now to see the evident on his face and sensing it in his energy that he felt out of place, it broke your own heart.

"Oh, Druig," You hummed in defeat, leaning against him and touching your head with his to stay close to him, "I'm sorry. Beyond sorry. I was so busy helping other people that I never thought I would leave you behind,"

"You didn't," Druig tried to reason with you hearing the hurt in your voice as he saw you looking at him solemnly, "I promise you didn't-"

"No, no I did!" You explained, feeling your eyes getting misty, "I didn't think to make sure you were okay, that we were okay--"

"Hey, hey don't say that!" Druig said in urgency as he saw you were about to cry. He reached over to cup your cheek with his soothing fingers, touching your forehead with his and scanning your eyes. It hit you so hard, feeling defeated with the notion of not tending to Druig whom had your heart for as long as you've known him.

"Look at me, beautiful. Please?" He asked you, seeing him sniff and look at him with glassy eyes. He moved to catch the little teardrops as he spoke, "You did absolutely nothing wrong, you hear me? It's me that's in the wrong with all of this, not you! I'm a selfish prick who wants to keep you to himself all the time and I don't think that's fair,"

You snorted, seeing a small smirk on Druig's face again as you gave him a knowing look, "Don't call yourself that, my dear,"

"But I am! I can see how you've helped everyone and you never once complained. I love that about you, it's one of the things that made me fall head over heels in love with ya. But I have to work on myself in letting you be you in helping those who need it," Druig explained you sighed and staring at him with a longing look as he tried to get you to smile.

"Still, I feel bad for making you feel like I would forget you or leave you behind. I could never, ever do that to you, Druig. I love you too much," You explained, Druig leaning up to kiss your head.

"I know, sweetheart. I know," He hummed against your head.

"I'll work on being with you more," You promised, "I think when I'm with you, I don't need to fully please you or help you to the point of being so...strained. I can be...me. I think, I think I need that right now," You admitted, Druig looking at you lovingly and with care in his sapphire eyes.

You never wanted to show it, but there were times you wished that no one asked you for help. You never wanted to turn away someone who needed you or came to you for advice, but sometimes you wished you did. Being emotionally drained and spent from time to time was exhausting for you, but you didn’t show it. It was better, at least in your mind, to simply help the others and to push them through.

But of course, you had your breaking point.

"Come here, m'darlin' ," Druig cooed, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and pulling your close, you nuzzling into him and closing your eyes to drink him in as the sun was going down over the rolling foothills. You loved his presence, it was a soothing sensation that made you feel like you were being cleansed and made new. Druig knew the right way to hold you, to let you breathe and exist bare and open with him next to you.

"We lean on each other, that's what we do best," Druig said against your hair as you felt the soothing last rays of the sun on your skin, "I'll always be here for you when you need me to give you rest,"

"And I'll be here for you when you feel alone," You vowed, Druig's other hand to reach down and lace your fingers together in your lap, "I'm sorry for ignoring you,"

"Enough of that, I don't care about that anymore," Druig stated, "I care more about you and how you feel empty. Let me fill it up for you, okay?"

"Okay," You replied in a whisper, the pair of you watching the last of the sun going down and painting the sky purple and pink. Your gaze was on the horizon, the cool winds of the night coming through to make you shiver, but you felt beyond warm with Druig holding you close. You both broke major ground together on top of the Domo. It wasn't even an argument or a fight, but hashing out what the other was thinking about and how you both were feeling.

And as the night came, you both stayed together to see the first signs of the stars illuminating the sky.

The End.

Tagged: @a-lumos-in-the-nox @charlie-heatons-whxre @steve-harringtons-slut @heartofwritiing @basicrese

[moonlight-prose]

the prompt i could never forget you would do very nicely with druig 👀

YOU'RE AS BEAUTIFUL AS ENDLESS

a/n: i went a little bit overboard with this one. but this prompt really sparked inspiration so i hope it's enjoyable to read. i'll be honest i wasn't actually sure where i was going with this so it might be a bit out of sorts.

prompt list

summary: he left after making a vow to always remain. now you were left with the choice of forgiving him or leaving once and for all.

word count: 3.6k+

pairing: druig x fem!reader

warnings: explicit SO MINORS GET OFF MY LAWN, p in v sex, angst loads of it so be prepared, sinfully hot kissing, cussing, a little bit of fluff, and a short edit done by a tired brain. be warned there will be mistakes. let me know if i missed anything!

“How long will you love me for?” It was a silly question that you used to ask him whenever you found that your heart had faltered for a moment. Love was a fickle emotion. Something you thought that only humans partook in and yet the strings attached to your heart were continually tugged each time he glanced your way.

Love was irrelevant. Especially when you had a job to do and yet…you still asked him that question. Continued to ponder how – in such a grand universe – did the feeling of love actually work. Was it merely the attraction towards another person? Or was there more? You never could quite find the answer to such a complicated question as this, but that didn’t stop you from returning his looks. You weren’t one to shy away from the feeling of love and it seemed neither could he.

Maybe that was it.

The answer you were looking for.

His touch, as gentle and strong as his mind, held you in a grasp you never wanted to leave. This was the love you always wondered about at a safe distance and yet you couldn’t pull away when he held you. Found that to do so would cause your heart to hurt in a way it never had before. Years passed until you finally realized how deep you were in these rapturous feelings that refused to let you go. Except you found that you didn’t want to be free of such emotions; you’d be lost without them.

“Druig,” you murmured, pulling away from his lips to meet his eyes instead.

For hours you’d been holed up in this tower, watching as the sky shifted colors. The day falling away to welcome the night. You always loved this view. Especially when he was beside you, but tonight felt different. While normally you were filled with an overwhelming assurance that life would remain this way, suddenly you felt the cold twisting sensation of dread begin to eat at your heart.

“What?” he asked, running his thumb along your chin.

“How long will you love me for?” The words tumbled free without any thought placed behind them.

That, of course, was a lie. You contemplated them nightly after he fell asleep beside you; the sky open and free above your head. Does love last forever? Would he love you forever? They were silly notions to worry about – that you knew – but what if they weren’t? What if you had something to fear? You hadn’t planned on asking him about it until you were absolutely sure nothing would go wrong, but you couldn’t stop yourself.

You suppose you followed the advice of Thena. Always better to get things over with. Even if they weren’t pleasant.

“How long?”

The painful twist of your heart kept you going. You wanted that feeling to go away more than you wanted an answer to this question.

“Yes,” you confessed.

He sighed, eyes seeming to reflect the stars above him. “I suppose until the universe dies.”

Your heart caught in your throat, the shake in your hands ceasing the second you heard his words. The question of love always seemed like it never held an answer, but there it was. His answer. He watched the array of emotions play out on your face, shock, disbelief, fear, and finally that one word that had sent you into such a state of being, love. It was that simple for him. You were the north star in his sky, guiding him home from a journey that seemed endless.

He would love you until each star died in the sky, until he was no longer here to love you and even after that.

Smiling, you pressed your lips to his again, allowing your eyes to flutter close as he gripped your closer. The sky no longer took precedence. Not when he was rolling you beneath him, replacing the sight of the stars with something far more ethereal. Although his face still held a slight smile, his eyes told you everything that ran amuck in his mind. He was telling the truth.

You only wished that his words remained as truthful as he promised.

PRESENT DAY

The first thing you saw wasn’t the forest that he’d helped to preserve, or the people he protected all these centuries. The first thing you saw were his eyes. How they reflected the light of the dimming sun – the day once more welcoming night just as it always had. A routine you knew better than any human on this planet, and yet you wished the sun would remain for a few more hours.

Anything to stave off the sight of how the stars looked in his eyes. You could recall the image perfectly, how that night was one of the last you would spend together before he left. A part of you wanted to go with him, but that wasn’t your mission. That hadn’t been your path to begin with and so you parted ways with one last lingering look as the fires burned around you.

Except now there he stood. Mere feet away from you, his expression blank and passive as if he’d been practicing for this very moment. As the centuries passed, so did your range of emotions towards him. You were angry for quite some time, only that too faded with the healing factors of time apart. Eventually you forgot why you had been so set on tearing his heart out; the realization that perhaps you weren’t meant to be together had become your answer to the situation.

Only now…everything you had pushed away, all the rage and pain you had let go of, came rushing back. Shoving its way into your body until you were on the verge of tears just looking at him. You knew that eventually you would have to speak to him, but for now you allowed Sersi to speak as you lingered in the back. Looking at anything and everything except at him. You wouldn’t be able to keep these feelings of anger if you glanced his way.

Some part of you wondered if he knew that.

For a few hours you had been successful in avoiding him, but like all things you had to face them head on. Even if you didn’t like the situation you were in.

Picking the flower, you twirled it in between your fingers, admiring the violet color of its petals. The forest around you seemed to breathe life into your lungs, giving you the strength to actually acknowledge his presence. You would have happily kept walking until you were free of what was happening, except they needed him. You needed him. Picking another flower, you placed it in the palm of your hands; running your finger over it’s stem.

All of this is what you were protecting. Not just the humans, but each form of life that thrived on this planet. Somehow that gave you the capability to do what you dreaded for so long.

“We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t need you,” you said, letting the flowers drop to the forest floor.

The cracking of twigs beneath his shoes drew your attention to how close he actually was. “I know.”

His voice. You forgot how much you missed it. For so long you attempted to bring it to your mind, just to hear it one more time, but just like his love. It was impossible to replicate if he wasn’t in your presence. The anger from before melted away the longer you wandered around the forest; focusing instead on the steady beat of your heart and the noises that surrounded you.

“I take it you’re mad?”

You scoffed, glancing up – seeing the stars begin to peek out from the dimming sky. “My anger is long gone by now Druig.”

“Is it?” he asked, stepping even closer. “Then why won’t you look at me?”

Because your eyes are too dangerous to meet with my own. Power or no power he had a hold over you that couldn’t be undone, by anything. Especially the hatred that you harbored over him for what felt like the entirety of your lifespan. You wouldn’t tell him this – you couldn’t – and yet you felt like he already knew. He understood how you had to keep your strength when it came to him, because he felt exactly the same way.

One look at you earlier and he had been ready to fall to his knees for you. Begging for the forgiveness he knew he didn’t deserve. Centuries without his universe, without the other half of his heart, began to wane on him. He hadn’t realized how deep he fell into the pit of inconsolable emotions till he saw you standing a few feet away. The rage in your eyes clashed with the stark beauty you still were, and he felt his heart drop to his stomach.

He made a promise to love you until the universe ended and even after that. A vow he turned back on.

“I made a mistake,” he began, trying to reach for your hand in the hopes that you’d allow him the opportunity to feel your skin against his again.

Spinning around, he was blasted with a burning fury he hadn’t been around to endure. “A mistake?” you spit out, clenching your fists and shutting his intentions down. “You left us, left me. What happened to the promise you made?”

He winced at the crack in your voice, at the torment in your eyes. “I made it with the intention of keeping it.”

“Look how well that went.” You were being intentionally cruel, but for how long he left you to wallow, to pine, he deserved it. “Why lie about loving me if you were going to leave me?”

“I didn’t lie,” he replied, his hardened gaze meeting yours. “When I made that promise I told you the absolute truth.”

“And yet you still left!” You tried to contain the multitude of emotions that wreaked havoc on your body, mind, and everything in between. It was no use though, because the stars had begun to reflect in his eyes again.

Suddenly you were back on that tower, watching as he professed a secret to you, a promise. Wiping roughly at your cheeks to get rid of the tears that fell without your permission, you tried to close all the crevices that threatened to crack even further. You couldn’t bare your soul to him now. Not now. Not when he looked at you like you hung the stars that reflected in his eyes; as if you were the reason he still breathed.

“Don’t look at me like that,” you whispered.

“I can’t.” One more step forward and he would be inches away from you. A part of you was ready to use your powers to stop him, but the other part – the one that still believed his words – wanted him to come closer.

“Druig.” Your foot went back as you tried to get away from him, but his hand caught your wrist, keeping you in place. “Don’t do this to me.”

“Why not?” he asked with the small grin you had fallen victim to countless times before.

Inhaling sharply when his other hand cupped your cheek, tilting your head back slightly to look at him, you felt the fight still left in your body fall away. You missed him. More than you could ever admit and suddenly you found yourself shifting closer. Gravitating towards the man who held your heart in the palm of his hands. By the way his lips curved into an even deeper grin, he knew exactly how you felt towards him. There would be no more arguing, no more fighting, because you were his.

“I’m here to help Sersi and nothing more.” The last argument you held in your body was a weak one and he knew it.

He smiled, pressing his forehead against your cheek and breathing against your skin before meeting your eyes once more. “Now who’s lying,” he whispered.

“I��m not-”

“No more of that.” He tugged your face closer, slotting his lips against yours.

A kiss shouldn’t have broken you and healed you at the same time. No kiss should hold this much power and yet there you were. Grasping for him like he was your lifeline, doing anything to press yourself closer to him while he pushed his tongue gently into your mouth. He could suck the anger out of your body through this one single kiss, replacing it instead with his love. His anguish at leaving you.

Tangling your fingers in his hair, you slid your tongue against his, feeling the heat curl low in your stomach as he wrapped his hand around your neck to keep you in place. The assuredness in his nature, the passion of his kisses, all of it was something you had forgotten you yearn for. You wanted the world to fall away. For the Emergence to never exist in the first place, because finally – your heart had begun to beat again.

Pulling away to breath, you shuddered as he nipped down your jaw and throat, towards your collarbone. If he wasn’t careful, you would be beneath him in a matter of minutes. Except it seemed that the both of you wanted that very thing to happen. The others were too far to hear you and nobody knew this forest better than Druig, so with a drunken smile you tugged his lips back to yours. Allowing him to lead you backwards until you were falling to the ground with him above you.

“I was so sure-” He gasped, his eyes sliding closed as you bit at his neck, sucking a mark into the skin. “Fuck.”

“So sure?” you prodded, hooking a leg around his hip and dragging him even closer; until you could feel his body against yours.

He brushed the hair away from your forehead, watching as the smile he had drawn on page after page for centuries was brought out once more by just the sight of him above you. Letting go of the anger had been a feat you managed to overcome. Even now you felt it wane, leaving nothing behind but specks of dust. There wasn’t a lot of time left on this planet and so you decided to clutch at the one anchor you had over the centuries.

“So sure that you forgot me,” he murmured, tracing the shapes of your armor on your cheek.

It took a moment for his words to register fully in your mind and you pushed him to the ground, straddling his waist. This was the sight you saw in your dreams. Him sprawled out beneath you, his hair in disarray and eyes showing you the stars above. You may have been laying on the forest floor, but to you and him, you were in a tower in Babylon. Watching as the sky showed hints of the universe above.

Except he didn’t have to look very far to see his universe, because you were right in front of him.

“I could never forget you.” Whispering the words, you watched his facade finally fall away, giving you back the Druig you loved so long ago.

Time blurred for a brief moment as what was a tender moment shifted into a mad rush of trying to free one another from the confines of your clothes. He yanked up your shirt, tossing it to the ground beside you while you practically tore his off. You could care less if you were found. This feeling was stronger than that. After so long apart, you were ravenous, desperate to feel him against you – to feel his heartbeat against yours.

“I missed you-” Gasping as he sucked a nipple into his mouth, scraping his teeth against the skin, you didn’t even try to stop your hips from rolling against his. “-everyday.” While he switched to your other breast, drawing a moan from your parted lips, you focused on opening his pants. “I-I couldn’t forget you e-even if I tried.”

He groaned, eyes fluttering shut at your words. Finally, he had given up control of his own mouth, his own mind. The sight of you above him, shoving your pants down enough to slide his cock through your slick was his undoing. If he wasn’t careful, he would unravel beneath you, becoming pieces of a man who broke himself. Gripping your hips, he positioned you over him, staring up at you through his lashes while he bit at any piece of skin he could reach. You relished in it. Every ounce of pleasure and pain he gave to you.

Tomorrow you’d fight for your lives, but tonight you were free to lose yourselves in each other.

“I should have taken you with me,” he rasped; teeth sinking into his bottom lip. “Should have asked you to stay here. With me.”

Cupping his face, you pressed your lips to his in the hopes that it would reveal your emotions. No barriers were in your mind. Not with him – never with him. He could see whatever he liked and as you licked slowly – hotly – into his mouth, he delved into your thoughts. Every ounce of pain, all the nights you debated on finding him, each moment you reminisced over rushed to his mind and finally…he understood. Leaving you broke your entire being. Just as it did his.

“I would have said yes,” you whispered, sinking slowly down onto him and watching various emotions flitter across his face. “I would have gone anywhere with you.”

You lost the ability to form words as you felt him fill you completely. The slight sting of pain at being stretched like this again seemed to only add to the overwhelming sensation. The silence of the forest surrounded you, allowing the sounds the both of you made to be louder than anything else. Digging your nails into his shoulder, you kissed him messily, your teeth clashing slightly as you rose up on your knees and dropped down just as quickly.

There wasn’t enough time. There never would be.

“‘M never leaving you,” he said against your skin, biting at your neck when you sunk down on him again.

The pace was quick and almost ruthless, but eventually the others would come looking for you and Druig would have to give them his answer. Whining desperately into his neck, you shifted the angle and felt like the air was practically punched out of your lungs. He must have noticed, because he took over for you. Turning swiftly, you were suddenly beneath him, watching as he hooked your legs higher up on his hips.

“You’re with me till the end,” he muttered, thrusting harshly into you and watching your mouth fall open and eyes roll back.

Striking against the spot along your walls, he dug his hands into the earth below, tearing up the grass to help him stave off his own release. Centuries of heartbreak is what he caused you so he could give you this. He had to. For his own sanity and yours he needed to watch you fall apart on his cock. Leaning down he caught your lips in a kiss, groaning when you clenched around him tight enough to have him see stars behind his closed eyes.

“Druig!” you cried out, head tilting back, giving him a chance to suck along your skin. With each thrust of his cock into you, he tore free a sob of his name from your chest; a sound he would never get tired of hearing. “O-Oh fuck!”

“C’mon.” Drawing his hand down, he gripped your jaw in order to tilt your head down and watch him. “My endless universe,” he breathed. “You’re it.”

Hooking your ankles behind his back, you dug your nails into his bare back as he ground his hips into you, stimulating your clit enough to send you flying over the edge. With a shout of his name, you felt the coil in your body tighten to an almost painful degree until it finally snapped in two.

Much to your delight, you got to watch him follow you soon after. The feeling of your walls fluttering wildly around his cock as you gushed enough to drip down around him is what had him biting out your name and pressing his forehead against yours. His eyes flared gold for a few seconds before dying down, returning to the crystalline blue you were so attached to.

“How long will you love me for?” you asked tentatively, pushing his hair off his forehead as his eyes focused on you again. The dazed expression and flushed cheeks was enough to have your cunt clenching around him again.

“Oh – fuck,” he hissed out, pulling out slowly so as not to overstimulate either one of you.

“Druig?”

He tucked his head into the crook of your neck, kissing at the spot beneath your jaw that he favored all those centuries ago. “Until the universe dies.” Each word was spoken with a kiss, his breath fanning across your chest.

To you – in this moment – the Emergence didn’t exist. You weren’t threatened by a world ending situation; you didn’t have to return back to your family. You were merely laying with him beneath the stars just as you did all those years ago. With the warmth of his body pressing into yours. The sky above somehow looked dimmer than the view of him above you, but you wouldn’t trade the sight for anything.

This…was your long awaited answer. He was your answer.

[m0chaminx]

Kingo | The Things I'd Do

*•.¸♡Request : none

*•.¸♡Prompt : none

*•.¸♡𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 : Smut!!!,P in V sex, unprotected sex (don't be silly wrap your willie),Pet names (love, baby etc.), Slight begging, Very slight teasing Minors DNI

*•.¸♡Paring : Kingo x F!Eternal Reader

Reader has magnetism manipulation

*•.¸♡𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮 : You had been flirting with Kingo and he finally made a move

*•.¸♡Words : 1300+

You pushed Kingo to the side as a Deviant rushed through. "I had 'em!" Kingo complained throwing his hands up a small pout on his lips. With the gold covering your hand, you rolled your eyes throwing your hand out and any surrounding metal followed your order burring itself into the Deviant killing it on the spot. Your head turned to the side seeing another Deviant rush at you but the familiar gold power ball shot into its side knocking it over to Gilgamesh who finished it off. Kingo chuckled walking to stand in front of you.

"Let me guess, you had em," Kingo mocked flicking your nose. You flicked your fingers out in front of you using the metal lining of Kingo's collar to bring his face closer to yours. You brushed your lips just centimeters from his, and even as your eyes were trained on his lips you could see the blush run across his cheeks.

"I wasn't worried, I knew you had em," You teased eyes flickering to his before letting him go. Kingo stumbled back watching you as you saunter over to Thena.

"What was that?" Sprite asked letting herself be seen standing next to Kingo. Kingo cursed jumping as he noticed her. "So? What's with you and Y/N?"

"Uhhh," Kingo tried to think of an excuse other than wanting to fuck you so hard, so perfectly, so good that you're screaming and crying. "It's called flirting." Kingo managed to speak out followed after you. The blush on his cheeks didn't leave as the dirty thoughts didn't leave his mind. The thoughts of pinning you against the wall, clamping a hand on your moth as you shoved his cock deep inside, over and over and-

"Jesus Kingo," Druig called in surprise watching him pass through the walls of Babylon. "Your thoughts are very loud my friend." Druig laughed watching Kingo turn nearly as red as Makkari's amour. "So our daring Y/N is who you have your eyes set on... along with other things-"

"Okay Druig, I get it," Kingo nearly yelled in defense. "Don't say anything." Kingo pointed a finger at Druig in a threat.

"Alright, alright," Druig chuckled holding his hands up in defense. "But, and you didn't hear this from me, she takes a swim after the battle, down at the lake a mile or two from the crop fields." Druig laughed as Kingo looked stunned at the information already seeing the cogs in his head turn. "Go on then-lover boy." Kingo nodded rushing off past the walls of the town.

You stuck your head under the water trying to rid it of the dirt and the sticky blood from the Deviants. As you breached the water, it covering the top of your chest, you heard the rustling of the trees and mumbling of a very familiar person. "Hello Kingo," You called your back facing him.

"Y/N/N, you heard me coming?" Kango asked stopping at the edge of the water.

"I know your footsteps," You admitted squeezing the water from your hair. "Are you joining me?" You finally turned to face him. "You can leave your amour with mine." You nodded to a rock where your dark red and white amour was rested against. Kingo sighed, this was his only shot. Kingo unclipped the top of his amour revealing his bare chest, and suddenly all your cocky confidence was gone. Kingo didn't only act like a god, but he was also sculpted like one.

"No snarky comment?" Kingo asked in a teasing tone, stripping off his pants, not right now. You swore if Kingo wasn't wearing any underwear you would've cum right then and there. "Star truck?" Kingo stood by the edge just to tease you longer. You sighed using your abilities to pull on the bracelet you gifted him. He stumbled into the water and once it was up to hit waist you dunked him under finally letting him go. You laughed as you watched Kingo come back up whipping his hair around trying to get the water out of his eyes, once he manages that he used both his hands to slick his hair back.

"You all good?" You joked watching as Kingo was sending you a death stare. Your eyes flicked down and you instantly regretted your choice as you watched water roll down his neck, off his shoulders and down his sculpted chest before finally meeting the water again. You didn't even realize Kingo reached out until he took a soft hold of your jaw.

"Distracted love?" Kingo teased his eyes flickering between your eyes and lips. You copied his movement, and without even thinking you wrapped your arms around his neck pressing your lips hard against his. Kingo kissed back almost immediately, keeping one hand on your jaw the other taking your waist and pulling you closer. He sucked in a harsh breath and a cocky smirk broke onto his face. He felt your bare chest pressing against his. He brought his hand up to squeeze one in his hand and you broke the kiss to let out a whine that Kingo chuckled at. You let your head hang back as he sucked on the skin of your neck, switching between biting and sucking and letting his tongue run over his marks to contrast the rough nips.

"Kingo, please- please do something," You begged, tugging at the waistband of his underwear. Kingo nipped one last time at your collar bone before taking you into another heated kiss. His hand moved from your breast to your thighs meaning to take off your underwear but gripped them hard when he didn't feel them. "I knew you were coming, I don't want to wait any longer."

You're explanation made Kingo chuckle lightly and caress your cheek in adoration. "So thoughtful and sweet, aren't you love?" Kingo praised finally losing his underwear and tossing them onto a nearby rock. You nodded trying to pull Kingo impossibly closer, "There's no need to rush princess."

"I have been waiting for this since the moment I saw you," You confessed looking at Kingo with complete affection "But you were too goddamn thick to realize." Your laugh at the end of the sentence reassured Kingo that you were merely teasing him. Kingo hooked his hands under your thighs bringing you up to straddle his waist.

"Well, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting so long," Kingo 'apologized', pressing you to one of the smoother rocks nearby. "Let's not keep this from you any longer." Kingo lined his cock at your entrance pressing himself deep inside you. You both let out small sighs as you finally felt full and Kingo finally felt your walls grip him. "Fuck, your tight." Kingo let himself fall forward slightly catching himself on his right hand which pressed against the rock. Your head hung back and your hands tightened on Kingo's shoulders and he attached his lips to your collar bone again. Kingo started his slow deep thrust, rocking you against the rock.

"Holy shit, Kingo," Your moans your quieter than he expected but they were so much pretty this way, he wasn't here now to make you beg and scream, this was about you and him as one. "So good."

Kingo slipped his hand to your waist pulling you close and moving his lips back onto yours. Kingo watched your eyes screw shut as he sped up slightly, "Look at me please," Kingo pleaded, moving his hand off the rock to hold your cheek. You opened your eyes watching Kingo.

"Please, I'm close," You wined tugging on Kingo hair. Kingo groaned pulling you into a kiss his hand dropping down to rub circles on your clit. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. Kingo." Kingo bit on your lip as you moaned in his mouth.

"I'm close baby," Kingo moaned pressing harder against your clit. You let out a loud moan tossing your head back as clenched on his cock as you came. Kingo fell forward burying his head in your neck letting out a breathy moan shooting his cum inside you.

"Holy gods Kingo," You sighed as he pulled out setting your legs in the water. Kingo kissed you one last time before pulling you into the water. Kingo used sign language, to say I love you. You pulled up both back up, "I love you too."

ﾟ°☆Page navigation

[cutelittleluckysoul]

Hiii could you do number 2 from the dialogue and number 5 from the scenario from the smut prompt list for Kingo pls? There isn't nearly emough content for him. Thank you☺️

Hello! Of course I would love to! Thank you for your request!💖

From the Smut Prompt List here: 2. “I need to be inside you/ you to be inside me.” and Scenario 5. Desperate, needy sex

Warnings: SMUT!!! Unprotected sex (Don't be silly kids use a condom)

This is 18+ Please don't interact if you are a minor.

I've missed you (Kingo x Eternal!Reader)

It has been a few centuries since you've last seen him. You always had a very intimate relationship with Kingo. That was until he went his own way. There wasn't any bad blood between the two of you. So when you recruited him, with your fellow Eternals, to fight the deviants, that have returned, it was great to see him again. He immediately hugged you and you clung to him. You've missed him dearly. So here you were now, on his private plane on your way to Australia to get Thena and Gilgamesh. The others were fast asleep while you and Kingo were in the bathroom frantically making out. His lips were still as you remembered and he wasted no time, sucking a hickey onto your neck. Your hands went into his hair, raiking your nails through it, making him moan softly against your lips. His fingers were already working on opening his pants and yours. "I've missed you so much my love", it was hard to understand him when he mumbled against your lips like that. "Maybe you shouldn't have left me in Egypt then", you grinned and pulled on his hair, making him moan in return. " 'm not going to again. But right now I need to be inside of you." He hoisted you up onto the sink. His boxers were already pushed down, his cock already rock hard and leaking pre-cum. If you had more time you surely would suck him of but you were needy yourself and needed him to fuck you hard and fast. "Like what you see, love?" He grinned at you, raising one eyebrow. "You know I am. Now less talking more fucking Kingo" You grinned right back at him. The grin soon faded as he pulled your underwear to the side, already ruined with your slick, and slowly pushed into you. The stretch you felt was what you have missed all these years and only Kingo could offer. You moaned and held onto his shirt for dear life as he bottomed out. His head fell onto your shoulder. "Damn I have missed this pussy." "Kingo please move." He didn't need to be told twice. He pulled almost all the way out of you before he thrusted back in. He immediately set a fast pace. Neither of you could hold back your moans, your head was thrown back and Kingos lips were attacking your neck again. The both of you clinging to each other as if one of you might turn to dust every second. You knew that you wouldn't last long, already feeling your high creep up on you. A feeling you've missed. No one could make you come like Kingo could. With each thrust your moans grew louder, Kingo hitting that one sport deep inside you with each thrust, as if he never forgot how to play your body. Kingo could feel your pussy clenching around him, knowing you were close. One of his hands moved between the two of you, two of his fingers starting to rub your clit. "Cum for me my love", he moaned and looked at your face, remembering all the times he made your face contort in pleasure. The images engraved in his brain. You didn't need much more and you let your high wash over you with a loud moan of his name, clinging otno him for dear life, your head falling onto his shoulder, legs locking around him. Feeling you come around his cock it didn't take Kingo much longer to come himself, shooting rope after rope into you. The both of you stayed like this for a while, relishing in the afterglow. Kingo looked at you softly, giving you a kiss. "That was amazing. Now I can check joining the Mile High Club off of my to-do list" He gave you a cheeky grin. You rolled your eyes in good nature and swatted his chest. After a while he softly pulled out of you and helped you clean up. The both of you getting dressed again and went out to your seats. Kingo sat next to you, putting a blanket over the both of you. You still had some time before you would arrive in Australia. And so the both of you fell asleep, your head on Kingo's shoulder, while his head rested on yours.

[dragon-kazansky]

Making a snowman | Eternals

Requested by @forest-of-insanity

Christmas content!!!

Ikaris

Ikaris saw you outside in the snow. Though he wanted nothing more than to admire you running through the snow, with the way it landed in your hair, he had to know what you were doing. You looked very busy and were obviously working in something.

"What are you doing?" He asks, walking up beside you, not really bothered by the cold.

You smile as he approaches and gesture to your base work of a snowman. He looks at you with an amused grin.

"Want to help?"

He's only helping because he wants to spend time with you. Ikaris finds himself enjoying it though. The way you smile and laugh as you work with him to build an impressive snowman.

Ikaris wants to build more, if only to make you smile like that again.

Sersi

It was probably her idea anyway. Sersi finds joy in doing such silly little things sometimes. Even more so when with you.

You build the base for the snowman, while Sersi grabs some things to give it a personality when it's done. When she returns with a smile on her face, you can't help but smile back. She's obviously picked out some good accessories for it.

She helps with the head and the face, using buttons for the eyes. Each one a different colour. One of which is green, to reflect herself. The other, you chose. Sersi puts one of her hats on it, and one of your scarves.

You laugh when it's done. Sersi is very proud of the way it came out. You both take a picture with it on her phone. You just know this is going to be a good Christmas.

Druig

He was instantly interested in why you were dragging him outside. It was a bit too cold for him, but your radiant smile warmed him up in no time.

He chuckled when he saw you wanted to make a snowman. Who was he to say no?

It takes a bit of time to build it considering Druig spent a lot of time flirting and teasing you. Eventually you had built a solid snowman.

"It's cute," you say, admiring it.

Druig replies, not looking at the snowman, "yeah, cute."

Makkari

Makkari smiled the biggest smile you had ever seen when you asked if she wanted to come build a snowman with you. She grabbed your hand and led you outside herself. You had barely grabbed your coat.

She finds the perfect spot to build it. Makkari gathers the snow in quick succession. Once it's all gathered, she slows down so you can both shape and build together. The speedster isn't really all that bothered with what she's doing, she just wanted to spend time with you.

When it's done, Makkari fetches a hat and puts a smile on it's face. She stands beside you and hugs you from the side.

She decides it's not enough and wants to build another one. You laugh and watch her fetch more snow.

Kingo

Kingo is eager to build a snowman with you. In fact, he had already started before coming to get you. You had to laugh that he was already ahead.

Kingo takes it rather seriously. It has to look just right. He steps back often to oversee what progress you have both made. He rearranged the face more than once, wanting it to be perfect.

"Well?" You ask, after putting a scarf on it.

Kingo adjusts it ever so slightly.

"Perfection."

You rolls your eyes and smile at him. You would never build a snowman with him again.

Thena

Thena was touched you wanted to do such a thing a with her. This wasn't her usual go to activity during the winter, but she would be happy to accompany you.

Thena let's you do most if the building, bit she adds some features here and there. Before you know, you have your own warrior snowman.

You smile as you look at it.

"I think it kind of looks like you," you say, smiling at her.

Thena looks at you with an amused smile.

Gilgamesh

Say no more! This man could build a whole snowman family before the day was done. You suggest only building one, but he was serious. By the time the sun starts to set, there's a whole family of snowmen.

You laugh as you stand next to the one that was suppose to be you.

"Is this us?" You ask, realising just how many snowmen there were. Some of them did look suspiciously like your dear Eternals.

"Perhaps," he winks at you.

You can only laugh, especially when Sprite sees how short hers is.

Phastos

He smiles when you ask. He does most of the building, mainly because he gets carried away once you begin. You chuckle at the sight of him covered in snow.

Phastos let's you do the face. You find two good branches to use as arms, putting gloves on the end of them to give it hands. You use rocks for the eyes and a carrot for the nose.

When you're done, you have Phastos take a photo of you with it. Then one of him. This day becomes a very fond memory.

Sprite

Sprite was already ahead of you. She had built one already, but now she had the chance to build one with you. She smiles as she puts on her boots and leads the way. She shows you her previous work.

You challenge her to do one better. She accepts. While Sprite tries to out do herself, you build a smaller one next to her first snowman. You just wanted to see Sprite have a good time.

She enjoys every second of it. She stands back to look at them. She smiles.

"It's like a family," she says.

"Yeah. Except, they got nothing on us," you grin.

Ajak

Ajak was excited. She hadn't ever built a snowman before, and she can't say no to you. She decides to turn it into a friendly competition.

It was on!

On her mark, you both start building. There is lots of smiles and laughter. Heck, it even turns into a snowball fight at one point. You both have so much fun, you forget about the competition and just end up having a really fun time in the snow.

This becomes one of Ajak's favourite moments ever.

[softquietsteadylove]

Hii, can i request a drunk confession au? pretty please 🩷🤍

Thena who doesn't really drink much, wants to change things a little and drink more at this party the eternals have to attend, but she can not hold her alcohol to save her live and get terribly drunk.

The woman can barely stand, is talking nonsense, can get hurt if unsupervised, it's a miracle she didn't pass out in a ditch yet, so it's Gilgamesh duty to get her to her room safely.

When they are near her room, Thena starts telling her new friend her secret, she is in love with Gil!! but he can't know, she thinks he is soo charming and nice and beautiful and he is really stong and soo attractive, but he can't know.

And Gil is there blusing, because the love of his live just confessed her love to him but he can't do anything about it because she is very very drunk, so he just says "Gil? Never heard of him but he sounds nice, you should talk to him"

"To Gilgamesh!"

Cups of mead were raised in the air to celebrate the victory of the Strongest Eternal. Truly, it was a celebration of all of them--one's success was everyone's. The Eternal himself was happy to brush it off with a modest smile and a charming blush.

Thena smiled, raising one in her own hand, although she never actually partook in drink. She wasn't one for it--didn't like the taste, had no stomach for it. Her blood was too fast in her system, at least that was what she thought. Warriors did not need revelry.

Gilgamesh happily accepted three mugs and gulped them each down. He was good with revelry, and lucky he seemed so made for mirth and celebration. The townspeople happily jostled him in good humour.

Thena tilted her head as Kingo made his way over. There were times when Kingo could feign annoyance or reluctance to partake in their celebrations at times, but he and Gil had much in common in their characters.

He gave Gil a solid pat on the back, of course waving his hand from having slapped the metallic back of his armour. Kingo gave her a genial smile. "Come on, T, I thought you'd be in a good mood."

"I am."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Y'know, not being in a bad mood doesn't make it a good one."

She offered no further comment, looking at Gil again. He was attempting to move away from being the centre of attention. He was made for good times, of course, but he had a shyness to him, too. He was slowly gravitating in their direction.

"Loosen up a little, T," Kingo advised her quietly, and at a distance she would strictly forbid for anyone but him and her sisters. "It'll make him happy if you relax some."

She bristled under her skin. He was right. And after the fight they'd had today, she wanted Gilgamesh to find some reprieve from the ravages of the Deviant world outside Babylon's walls. She smiled at him from afar, even taking a sip of mead (it tasted awful).

"Hey," Gil smiled at her as he finally reached her side, replacing Kingo as the latter went to bug their smallest sibling. "I thought you didn't like ferment?"

She did not. But she smiled at him, "surely it is beloved for a reason."

He shrugged, taking another sip of his own. "It can be nice after a tough day."

She felt as if every sip she swallowed could be felt like a hot rock, travelling down her throat and then dispersing through her veins. Not even their senses could communicate such things, but she certainly felt herself succumbing to the fever of it. "You should rest."

He looked around the room, people partaking in the party and high spirits. "They wanted to celebrate us. It's silly, but they all worked hard to make this stuff. Seems a waste if we don't stay for even a little of it."

Such a soft heart, her Gilgamesh had.

Thena tilted her head, letting her eyes travel over the form of her partner for every and all battles. They had worked as well together today as any other. She had been airborne when she had seen Gilgamesh deal the last, finishing blow. It was impressive, even for an Eternal.

He was quite good at grasping her waist to throw her up in the air.

"The people here are nice," he commented very simply, but very honestly. He raised his cup for another sip.

She found herself mirroring his actions, as if it were the same as matching his rhythm in a battle. It was becoming easier with each sip. "They are."

Sersi was having a wonderful time, dancing with the women. Ikaris was hovering awkwardly, unknowing of how to insert himself but always looming over their sister's back.

Druig and Makkari were both having fun taunting and riling the various tradesmen sitting around the edges of the room. Now, that was a pair made for mirth and merriment. Even more so than Kingo and Sprite, who were having a drinking contest, much to some horror in the eyes of those who did know that Sprite was the same as her siblings in every way that mattered.

Ajak was watching from above, a funny look on her face, before disappearing, probably to wherever Phastos was hiding.

"Y'know I asked Ajak," Gilgamesh began quietly, having followed her gaze up to their leader before her departure. "She said that there were a few injuries, but no one died."

That was good news, worthy of revelry. Some battles would always have casualties, but every day in which they managed to escape with minimal loss was deserving of celebration.

"Thanks to you," she volunteered rather eagerly. He took another sip, and so, as did she. "You killed that thing all but single-handedly."

"Ah," he made a sound to excuse her flattery, taking on a bashful grin again. It pushed up the apples of his cheeks to the corners of his eyes. The lines indicating his good mood were tempting to her fingers. "None of us fight single-handed. It's all of us, together."

"Hm," she agreed, to a point. Indeed, they all fought together out there, as a team. But she often was of the opinion that Gilgamesh carried more than his fair share of the work on his wide shoulders. Wide, strong shoulders. She tilted her head. "Ikaris could do more."

Gilgamesh immediately snorted some laughter but turned his head towards her. "Thena!--you can't say that about your brother."

She rolled her eyes, happily swaying her head to and fro. It felt loose on top of her neck. "It is precisely because he is my brother that I may say that."

He partner merely chuckled, hiding it in his cup. Was it not yet empty? Hers was. "Okay, fine, just don't let Ajak hear you saying that. She'll make you two go on a bonding walk again."

It had been less of a walk and more a watch duty during which they had been all but physically shackled together. They had done their duty, surveilled the area. Then, once again within sight of Babylon Temple, Thena had kicked him from behind and clear through the city walls.

She had been scolded by both Ajak and Phastos, but she had no regrets.

She sighed, examining the bottom of her clay cup with only a stray drop swirling around within. "I would rather walk with you."

Gilgamesh said nothing of the plain but oddly sentimental remark. He looked at her, catching the way she was examining her vessel. "You okay?"

"Hm," she said again, and Gilgamesh always understood her little noises. No one else would. She tossed the cup onto the nearest table. It did not fall, but she hadn't done so with particular care either.

"Hey." Gilgamesh reached for her hand. He wasn't reprimanding her, but it was more than just curiosity in his voice. He grasped the hand that had tossed her cup away like a pebble.

She watched his hand apprehend hers. It was gentle, and soft, just like everything he did with her. Gilgamesh was kind, of course, but it was not mere kindness when he held her hand like this. Like he had been doing ever since they touched down on the planet.

"Look at me," he whispered. The chatter of the room faded and she felt the warmth of his breath on her cheek as he drew her face closer to his. The warmth of his palms added to her feeling of basking in the sun, like a lizard on a hot rock.

She swayed in his grasp, no longer caring if her knees were up to the task of walking. Perhaps she was more fatigued from the fight than she had first anticipated. What funny thought; she laughed.

"Whoa, hey," Gilgamesh moved closer, catching her against him before she could lean too far off her feet. He held her carefully, even casting glances around them. "Thena, you don't seem good."

She felt good, though, borderline ecstatic. It felt wonderful to be leaning on him like this, and her head felt as if she were being carried, rocking back and forth with the breeze. She pulled her head up, taking in Gil's concerned look and deep brown eyes. "Do you always look like this?"

His face contorted. It was a handsome face. "We gotta find Ajak."

Thena pointed, although she frowned when Ajak was no longer looking over them from the mezzanine. "She's gone somewhere."

"Okay," her companion said gently. He moved her more within his grasp, although still encouraging her to try and use her feet. "Let's get you to bed, huh? That sound good?"

"Bed," she remarked. They each had their own rooms in the temple. She would rather just sleep on the Domo. But Ajak said it was better for them to integrate themselves...somewhere...or something.

"Bed," he repeated, guiding her quietly towards the edge of the room to the nearest corridor. "You can get some rest, Thena."

She blinked. Her vision felt bleary, her feet as if they weighed...too much. "You know me."

He chuckled next to her. Her palm could feel the rumble of his chest against the plate of armour. He had a big, strong chest. "Yeah, I do know you."

She blinked, finally in the corridor. At least there was more air. "Do you know everyone?"

"Well, not everyone," he continued to laugh, as if she were oh-so-very funny.

She sighed, tilting her head against his shoulder. It was comfortable, and it allowed her to peek at the moon on their way to wherever he was guiding her. "Do you know Gilgamesh?"

"Uh... "

The delay was too long. Anyone who didn't know Gilgamesh was living a life bereft of joy. Thena leaned heavier on her walking assistance. "Gilgamesh is...the very best on the planet. On this planet, or any!"

He swayed from her outburst, trying to hold her both carefully and delicately.

She looked at him again. Her hand even came up to touch his cheeks. She liked the hair around his lips. It drew attention to them. "He is the very best. Kind, sweet, very funny. And he's handsome."

Her companion turned a peculiar shade of red. "O-Oh?"

She nodded, distracted for a moment by her hair swaying into her view. "He's kind, and sweet, and he's funny."

"You did say that."

She pursed her lips. Did she? "And handsome. And strong--he's quite good at lifting me, throwing me."

"Throwing you?"

"When we're fighting together," she sighed again. It was a happy sigh, though. "Fighting is when I may touch him all I like."

Again, he turned a shade of red.

"Off the battlefield I must control myself," she lamented. Not that she was always desiring to touch him. Or perhaps she was, based on what she was saying. "But something about him is so magnetic. One wishes to be as close to him as possible."

"Is that so?"

She stared ahead. They were at her room. It was her bed in front of her. But she didn't like her bed. "Oh."

"Are you okay?"

She looked at her friend again. He was lowering her to sit on her bed. But she didn't like sleeping. It was hard work. And sometimes she would sleep in Gil's bed instead. She preferred Gil's bed. "I miss Gil."

Her companion lowered her arms gently, setting her hands on her lap. She liked his arms. They were thick, but also soft. "You, uh, you should tell him."

"Hm," she pursed her lips. She didn't want to, for whatever reason she could not recall at the moment. "I don't think I should."

He was lying her down on her side, pulling her linen blanket over her. "Why not?"

She tried to tilt her head at him but it was already on the pillow. She wished it was on Gil's chest. "I don't know how to tell him I love him, I think."

"Well," he chuckled again, before leaning in and pressing a kiss on her hair. "I bet he'll understand, no matter how you try to tell him."

That was true, Gilgamesh always understood her.

[softquietsteadylove]

Be Mine

Thena woke to the feeling of something fluttering against her cheek. It wasn't Gil's hair, or his hand, or his shirt against her cheek as she laid her head on his chest. She blinked, finally opening her eyes against the Australian sun. She was covered in rose petals. The whole bed was. They didn't even grow roses in the garden.

The Warrior Eternal sat up, looking around the room. There were bushels of plenty of other flowers around, from sunflowers to azaleas. When Gil had time to do this, she had...well, perhaps she had some idea. The night before had been...

Thena stood from the bed, slipping Gil's shirt on, which he kindly laid out for her every morning. She knew he had heard her get up, by this point, but she padded through the house silently, following the trail of flower petals towards the haven of the kitchen.

They weren't scattered sparsely--every step she took was more rose petal than wooden floorboard. The smell was light, telling that they had been spread out much earlier. "Gil?"

"In here, Sweetheart!"

A soft smile came to her at the pet name. He was feeling particularly good this morning, if he was using cute terms of endearment for fun. She didn't mind it.

It had taken her by slight surprise when he first started using them. It was just here and there, but one day she had asked him about the 'Sweetheart's and the 'Darling's. He had apologised and promised not to. She was the one who insisted that if he wanted to, then she wouldn't stop him.

Gil was already plating up a beautiful breakfast with a wide smile on his face. He looked at her like there was no sun in the sky at all--just her. "Hey."

"Hey," she smiled, still but accepting as he came over and greeted her with a kiss. He really was feeling particularly elated this morning. "What's all this?"

"Well," he grinned at her as he pulled out her chair for her and pushed her in and everything. "It's February 14th, my love."

Oh, yes. Western civilisation had concocted some holiday or another for the day around the 15th century?--or was it the 14th? Either way, she never bothered to keep track of all these newer holidays. "I see."

"So, I was wondering," Gil turned, pulling out yet another bundle of flowers, this time white lilies stuffed into the water pitcher. He presented them to her on one knee, just as handsome and charming and lovable as the first moment she laid her eyes on him in deep space. "Will you be my valentine?"

Thena smiled impossibly wide, a featherlight laugh floating up and out of her. The dust in the air turned into sparkles and she shook her head at him. "We have been out here - married! - for centuries. Are you truly asking?"

"Yes!" he insisted, because Gil liked doing things like this. He liked making romantic dinners just as much as he liked making dinners on hard days, and perfectly ordinary days. He liked picking flowers for her and he liked telling her she was more beautiful than every star in the sky. He scooted closer, pushing the lilies into her hands and resting his on her bare knee. "So?--what do you say?"

Thena set the lilies down so she could use both hands. She held his cheeks, tilting him up so she could kiss him with all she had. She could kiss him like they didn't need air, because they didn't (not as much as a silly human, at least). She could kiss him like she never had to let go--like it was just the two of them in the whole world.

Gil let her pull back, both of them smiling against each other's lips. His hands ran over her back, over the linen of his shirt. He settled his cheek against her palm, where it rightfully belonged. "That's a yes?"

"Yes," she laughed, kissing him again for good measure. She sighed at the taste of his delicious food already on his tongue. "What a terrible wife I am, forgetting such an occasion."

"Oh, come on," Gil rolled his eyes, blushing at her way of pointing out how sweet she thought it was that he did things like this.

Thena feigned a woeful, maidenly sigh. "What ever shall I do for my poor, beloved husband?"

"Mm, I don't think anyone would feel bad for me," he pointed out as he sat next to her, waving his fork up and down at her, "when my wife is this beautiful."

Thena took her time dismissing his sweet talk. She poked her fluffy eggs before taking a bite, "you mean after last night?"

Gilgamesh blushed.

"I could shower you with all the flowery compliments you gift me," she suggested, also in a playful mood after such a sweet gesture (and after that kiss).

"I told you, Sunshine," he freely claimed one of her hands for himself as he shovelled a bite of eggs into his mouth. "When I say 'em, they're true."

Thena's eyes drifted down to her fork in her hand, allowing his flattery just for the special occasion. Gil would describe her smile as small and shy, which she would argue it wasn't. The Warrior Eternal had no shyness to her.

Gil happily leaned forward as his wife held up a bite for him on her fork. He would always accept any small gesture of hers, because they were her way of expressing all the things he put into words. They were her form of flowery compliments and flirtations and pet names. And he loved every one of them.

Thena finished her bite and stood, kissing him on the temple before leaving the table. "Finish your breakfast. Then come find me."

Gil blinked as she pulled her hand out of his. He could complain about it, but he was curious as she started waving a blade around--her way of sweeping up the petals from the floor. "Baby?"

"Leave the dishes, my Sweet," she called back, maybe caught up in his sappiness. She picked up the pile of collected petals on her way to the bathroom.

Gil heard the tap for the bathtub squeak on. He tossed back the rest of his food and all but threw the plates into the sink to be taken care of later. He loved cuddling her in the bath, and she knew it. "I'm on my way!"

[softquietsteadylove]

Thena is crying. Gil is worried until he realizes it’s because….she is cutting onions 😂 something silly maybe?

Gil looked up from within the garden, delicately snipping spices and herbs for the next few days of cooking. He looked around him, hair standing on end. Something was wrong.

He stood, dusting off his hands and examining the landscape. It wasn't an incoming sandstorm, and it wasn't a pack of ostriches on the move. He couldn't sense any impending danger, just that something...wasn't right.

He looked back at the house, just a short distance from where he had set up the herb spiral and the rest of the garden. Usually if something had set off Thena, there were signs--tiny little warnings they had learned to become more sensitive to over time.

Gil took off like a shot at the sound of a sniffle. It was definitely Thena, tearing up just a little bit. The small hiccup in her breath, the clench of her throat squeezing her vocal cords high and tight. He could already imagine her trying to hold back her tears.

He hated it when she cried.

He felt so helpless, watching her fears or sorrows or frustrations boil over like that. Most of all, he hated how much she hated it. Thena hated anything she didn't have control over, to a certain degree. She thought it made her weak.

But his Thena was so unbelievably strong. Not just as the Warrior Eternal, but just as Thena. None of them would be strong enough to endure Mahd Wy'ry the way she had, and he believed that with his whole heart. He knew for a fact that he could never live with himself if he hurt her the way she was forced to when she got pulled under.

In the very beginning, she would hide her tears from him. She would hide herself away from him and curl up and cry by herself. Thena's misery did not love company. But slowly, the more she came to truly feel and accept that it was just the two of them out here, the more she let him lure her out of her solitude.

And now...how far they had come.

"Thena!" he burst into the house, sliding in with a manic look in his eye.

She blinked at him, tears on her cheeks, sniffling. She tilted her head, "what's wrong?"

He let out a breath, his shoulders sinking. He walked over, shaking his head with a smile as he brushed some tears away for her. "What are you doing?"

Thena gestured with her kitchen knife (they had both agreed she wouldn't summon a weapon for the mere act of cutting food). "You are making stew, are you not?"

Gil nodded, freely wrapping his arms around her tiny waist and swaying them both. She had not protests. "I am."

"So," she laughed faintly at whatever had inspired his need to express his affections. She swayed with him, letting him hold her from behind and leaning back on him. "You will need plenty of onions."

Gil buried his nose in her mane of blonde. "I was worried."

"For the onions?"

"Thena," he chided, smiling into her hair. "I heard you. I thought you were crying."

"I am," she laughed faintly as he pressed his lips to the shell of her ear, "in a way."

"I mean it." He could hear her rolling her eyes at him and his worrying, but he gave her a little squeeze. "I came rushing back because I thought you needed a cuddle."

"I have need for no such thing, Gilgamesh." And yet, here she was, happily still in his embrace while the onions sat neglected. She turned her head vaguely in his direction, "I'm sorry I worried you."

He kissed the back of her head, "s'okay. I'm just glad you're all right."

Thena sighed, abandoning her onion efforts and turning in his arms. "Did you find success?"

He smiled at her, still swaying them gently, "yep--the stew will be great. I just have to go and get what I picked, now."

Thena laughed at the thought of him abandoning his little spice basket at the sound of her distress.

Oh, how far they had come since first arriving in this arid, desolate paradise.

Gil leaned forward, capturing her lips for himself. Her head tilted up for him, her hands landing at his cheeks first and then snaking behind his head.

At one time, they had separate rooms. Thena did her best to seal herself away at the end of the hall and he would be left to knock on her door, constantly asking if she would just so much as look at him.

Now; he smiled against her lips, "how 'bout a nap?"

Thena hummed against his lips as well, still letting herself lavish languidly in his love. "There are onions to be prepared. And you haven't even started the meat yet."

"That can wait," he shrugged, already subtly pulling them in the direction of their shared bed. "Or are you hungry and impatient?"

"I am neither of those things."

She had both of those things in abundance.

"Then lie down with me," he whispered, walking them backwards and keeping close to her, brushing the tip of his nose against hers. "Just for an hour."

"Hm," she mused, letting him dance them into their room with the door wide open. "I think being in this desert has made you lazy."

Gil kissed her again, letting their tongues meet slowly and lazily like waves on a beach. "I just have things I would rather be doing, now."

[softquietsteadylove]

Idk if you'll do this but I've got this very very very silly request. I saw this video on my instagram, it's a man telling her wife that their child is crying because their child heared her Mom screaming and you know what it is! Everyone knows what's happening there😭😭😭😭😭🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Interrupted spice???😭😭🤣🤣

Maybe you could write in parent x teacher AU of Thenamesh with baby druig, thank you!!!!!

"Hey."

"Hey," Gil sighed as Thena came into the kitchen. Druig was in the living room drawing after a rather rough day at school. Gil had told her specifically that they should 'talk'.

"He seems fine with me," she began right away, obviously concerned about what would have caused such peculiar behaviour in her sweet boy. "Maybe a little sullen, but I can't find why that would be. And he won't say anything."

Gil sighed, setting down the spoon with which he had been stirring the pasta sauce. He blushed faintly, "well, he and Makkari decided that, uh, I'm not the best teacher in the world anymore. In fact, they don't even like me, right now."

"What?" Thena shook her head. They adored Gil! "Druig calls you Mister Dad."

"That still warms my heart," Gil chuckled, pulling Thena closer to him by the waist. She ran a hand over his chest, as if it could soothe whatever was troubling him. "But apparently...Druig is worried...about you."

"Me?" Thena frowned.

Gil gulped, trying to hurry himself along in what he was saying. "Well, yeah, he...he heard...something."

"What did he hear?"

Gil inhaled through his nose, leaning his head against hers and lowering his voice. "What do you think he heard, Angel?--in the middle of the night?"

"Hm?"

Gil pressed a kiss to her temple. "Apparently, he got up in the night and heard you 'crying'. He was worried I was...hurting you."

Thena quickly turned a shade of red similar to their dinner. "What?!"

Gil sighed, also embarrassed but not holding a candle in comparison to his partner at the moment. "I'm sorry, honey."

Thena groaned, pressing her face into Gil's sweater. This was exactly why she almost never initiated things if Druig was even home while Gil was staying the night. Half the time, they were both dead tired after getting Druig to bed anyway.

But of course the one time she had thought Druig would absolutely be sound asleep...

"You should talk to him," Gil suggested gently as he pulled Thena away from him.

She whimpered.

"I know," he sighed, pressing another kiss to her forehead.

"He's too young."

"You don't have to tell him everything if you're not ready," he continued to suggest a soft approach, letting Thena lean on him heavily in the wake of their terrible discovery. "But he has to know that you're not hurt, Thena. He's only gonna think up worse and worse things if he doesn't."

"You're right," she sighed, although she was still flushed quite brightly when she pulled away from him again. She rubbed her eyes with her fingers, "I don't want to talk to my baby about-"

"Personal space!"

Both adults pulled their heads up as Druig - poking his head around the corner - pointed his finger accusingly at them. More specifically, at Gilgamesh.

Thena sighed; this would not be avoidable any longer. She turned, scooping Druig up on her hip, "come with me, Darling."

Druig allowed it, although his lip was pouted out as far as possible. "You shouldn't kiss Mister Dad anymore."

"Darling," Thena began as she set him on a chair and knelt down in front of him. She hung her head, prepared for the most mortifying discussion of her life (thus far). "Did you hear...something scary?--last night?"

Druig shifted on the chair, visibly uncomfortable.

"What did you hear, Love?" Thena cooed, running her hand through his hair and then smoothing it down again.

"You sounded like you were cryin'," he mumbled, kicking his feet nervously as he recounted it. "I thought you were havin' a bad dream, but you said 'Gil'."

Thena tried not to let it show that this was a nightmare. "Yes, I was...I wasn't having a bad dream, Darling."

"Then what?"

What a terribly difficult question. Thena counted each of his little toes in his triceratops socks...his tricerasocks. "We were...playing."

"Playing?" Druig frowned.

"Sometimes grownups," Thena paused. She had resolved she didn't want to lie to Druig, but this wasn't necessarily a blatant lie. It was more of a partial truth--for her own sanity. "Sometimes grownups like to play together, too. Things only grownups can play, that is--after kids have gone to bed."

"Oh," Druig blinked. He clearly wasn't ready to just accept it, but he didn't quite have any sound arguments against it, either.

"I'm sorry that hearing it upset you, Darling," Thena leaned forward, kissing her little boy's forehead. "I thought you were asleep. You know I never want you to feel scared."

"I know," Druig conceded, picking at his little hoodie pocket. He looked up at her again, "so you weren't crying?"

"No, Darling, I wasn't," she assured as confidently as she could. She brushed his hair back from his eyes again. "You know that Gil would never, ever hurt me - or you - right?"

"Yeah," Druig mumbled as guilt settled over him. "I know."

"It's okay," Thena whispered, standing up slowly (listening to her knees crack as she did). She paused partway up, kissing Druig's hair again before lifting him off the chair. "Darling?"

"Hm?" he looked up at her from his safe spot of hanging onto the edge of her cardigan.

"Next time you experience something like this, I want you to tell me, okay?" she gave his head by her knee a pat. "Even if you feel nervous to tell me, I want to know when you're unsure of something."

"Okay, Mum," he nodded, looking into the kitchen again as he actively thought over what to do with this new information.

Thena bent over again to whisper, "I think Gil is a little worried that you're angry with him, Darling."

Druig looked down at his feet. He had been angry at him, and he had thought it was justified.

"Why don't you help him serve dinner? I'm sure that will make him feel better," she suggested, which sent Druig stomping into the kitchen to do just that. She sighed.

"Dinner!"

"Well hi!" Gil laughed at Druig's declaration of his presence. He lifted the boy up to 'help' stir the spaghetti. "You lookin' for this?"

"Let me help!"

Thena walked in, sitting down as Gil finished dishing out servings for them. Hers was too big, as was always the case when Gil was making dinner. Druig's was on a sectioned plate with some green beans and a little extra meat sauce to make sure he was getting his nutrients.

Gil met her eyes and she nodded, assuring him that it was handled. He bounced Druig on his hip before depositing him into his chair. "Man, I'm starved."

Druig looked up in the middle of shoving as much pasta as he could possibly fit in his mouth, mumbling something in the middle of it.

"Not with your mouth full, Darling," Thena frowned, as well as reached over to wipe the excess sauce off his cheeks.

Druig whined at her fussing over him. Once his mouth was clean and he had swallowed his food he tried again. "Is it 'cause you were playing last night?"

Gil looked at Thena, who stared down intently at her pasta, picking up tiny little bites of it at a time so she wouldn't have to look at him while he answered that. "Uh, I guess so."

"What do you play?"

"Hm," Gil chuckled, caught between trying to think of what to tell the curious boy across from him and enjoying his girlfriend's fluster. "Grownup stuff, buddy--but sh!"

Druig's eyes went wide at the universal sign for something being a secret.

"We can't really talk about it," Gil whispered to him, "it's against the rules."

"Okay," Druig whispered back, although even that was loud.

"Eat the beans," Thena gave him a little poke, more focused on watching her son's eating habits than eating herself.

Gil cleared his throat, nodding to her plate, "and you?"

Thena gave him a defiant expression before taking a somewhat larger bite.

Gil grinned to himself, "you need your energy, after all."

Druig slurped up his spaghetti, unaware of his mother giving her boyfriend a friendly little kick under the table.

[softquietsteadylove]

Hi! Had an idea for the actor AU!

Thena got curious what kind of a training he does when he goes to the gym so she decided to ask him if she can come with him.

Maybe you can do some fluff and cute stuff? Like Gil showing her a few things and comes very close? And of course a bit of a little thirst for Thena, I mean those muscles duh!👀

It just came to my mind maybe you can write something nice wit this prompt? :)

"Uh," Thena looked around, her ponytail swinging, looped through the back of the hat on her head. "Wow."

She knew that Gil went to one of the pretty hardcore gyms for people in show business. Of course there were still different levels of practice, and everyone was welcome. But she recognised several action stars just from their backs as they carried on with their own workouts.

"It's okay," he chuckled, nodding his head for her to follow him in.

She was the one who had asked to tag along to his gym for his usual workout. She was considering changing gyms and personal trainers herself, since she - since working more and more with Gil - was apparently just...becoming someone expected to do stuntwork. And she enjoyed it, really. But if it didn't include Gil, she wouldn't be signing on for it for fun.

"Today's an off day, so my usual trainer isn't actually here," Gil said gently as he led them to an end of the weight racks reasonably far away from everyone. "I was just going to come and do some light lifting and maybe a little boxing work done."

Thena nodded, feeling sheepish surrounded by people all with a certain level of ferocity to them. They were all either training for something particular or just had a certain physique in need of maintenance.

"What do you usually do for your workouts?" Gil asked as he grabbed some weights for her first.

"Nothing like this," she murmured, still self-conscious as she pulled off her hat and accepted the weights from him. "It's more some light weights, leg stuff. Probably more cardio, than anything."

Gil just nodded, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable about anything. Not that it would be possible for him. "That's a good routine to have."

Thena eyed him as he picked up his own weights--massive things that looked like she would have to two-hand them. His arms rippled as he picked them up. She dashed her eyes away, feeling silly for it. "I-I'm sure my usual stuff would be like a warm up for you."

"That's not true," he refuted, even as he started bicep curling with the massive weights in his hands. "We all have our own stuff. I'm terrible at cardio. You should see me when I get in the ring--I'm huffing and puffing, covered in sweat, it's not pretty."

Thena kept quiet about whether she thought that would be true or not. Maybe pretty wasn't the word, but she certainly thought it would be sexy...

Gil blew out a breath taking a break between his sets. He looked at her, easily lifting the weights he had given her. "Maybe you need heavier ones."

"Oh, no thank you," Thena laughed immediately, but Gil set his weights down with a shake of his head.

"No, really," he retrieved the next weight up. "You barely look like you're lifting anything. I know you don't want anything too hard, but there's such a thing as too easy, too."

Thena pouted at him as he exchanged her nice and light weights with slightly heavier ones. "But I like easy."

He chuckled, easily depositing her other ones on the rack before picking up his own again. Again, his muscles undulated under his skin from the movement. And again, Thena caught herself staring before forcing herself to look away. "Indulge me."

Oh, she was indulging, all right. Thena's eyes kept drifting over to Gil as he lifted beside her, focusing on himself and his movements, not imposing any need for conversation between them. He knew what he was doing. His arms looked massive as they moved, and as he switched movements with them, she could catch the ripple of his muscles in his chest under his shirt, in his shoulders, his back-

"Thena?"

"Hm?" she blinked, feeling herself blush. She had been caught staring, again (the evidence of her ogling him on the red carpet was bad enough).

"What training did you do when you were in that ballet movie?"

"Oh," she blinked. It had been a long time ago, fairly early on in her career. It was her first big dramatic role, and she had taken it quite seriously. She didn't think Gil had seen it. "I remember that. The training was fairly gruelling, as I recall. I went to an actual ballet academy for their expertise. They let me train with them to the extent I was able in the few months I had before we began filming."

"Hey, ballet is no joke," Gil grinned at her, some sweat starting to collect on his brow. He wore it well. "Dancing requires a lot of muscle, and even more control over them. I know better than to try and keep up with them."

"I know the feeling," Thena smiled, taking a break in her own lifting. "Trying to keep up with even the rudimentary practise they constructed for me was exhausting. I kept that in mind at all times when we were filming and I was allowed to take breaks as often as I pleased."

"It was a great movie, though," he smiled at her, and again, she felt herself blush.

"When did you have time to unearth that old thing?" she asked with a laugh in hopes of downplaying her fluster.

"Actually, it's one of the first movies of yours I saw," Gil confessed more quietly. He also set down his weights for it, swiping at his brow with a towel sitting out of his bag. "I can't remember how I came across it, but I saw it before I really knew who you were and stuff. I've always really liked it."

Thena smiled down at the ground as she set her weights aside as well. "I have fond memories of it. I still consider it my big break, of sorts."

"You got an award for it right?"

"A few," she admitted, although with a faint glow of pride to her as she said it. "Guild, the choice award, and even a globe."

"That's pretty damn impressive for your first big break," Gil chuckled, guiding them away from the handheld weights and towards the equipment. "I remember rooting for you for the globe. You wore that fancy black dress-"

"Stop it," she gave his chest a pat with the back of her hand.

"Fine," he accepted the friendly nudge with a laugh, patting the small of her back in a similar gesture. "What first?--rower or deadlifts?"

"Stairmaster," Thena responded cut and dry, already moving to the equipment that didn't require anything of her arms (already tired).

"What happened to wanting to see my routine in action?" Gil chuckled as he took up one of the machines directly across from her, able to talk to her without really having to shout.

"I can see you just fine," Thena huffed, starting her usual - agonising - climbing routine and shaking her head, letting her ponytail bounce behind her.

"I guess so," Gil raised a brow at her. She returned the expression playfully.

Thena nearly tripped on a step as Gil pulled up the bottom of his loose workout clothes to swipe at the sweat on his face. She stared down at her feet, attempting to banish the thought of his rock solid barrel chest and the hair around his bellybutton from her mind.

Gil happily turned his focus to his own workout, staring ahead of him and definitely not at the sway of her hips, or her legs in her skintight yogapants, or even the way her seductive little shoulders swayed with every step.

Just two people enjoying a casual, platonic workout together.

[softquietsteadylove]

Hi! Would you do something soft for your Fic „Passing Notes“? The soulmate au was just amazing and underrated! ❤️

"That can't be him."

"Nah, can't be," Druig murmured in agreement with Dane, also leaning around the corner to peek at the one person already seated at a table for six people. "Right?"

"Right," Dane mumbled, crouched down next to the younger man. He worried his lip as he stared at the man with his phone in his hands. "Can it?"

"Mm," Druig sighed, pulling back on his skepticism. "Kari did say he was supposedly a big guy."

"She hasn't met him either?" Dane asked, referring to his own testimony from Sersi also being third hand.

Druig shook his head. "T's been secretive about 'im, far as I can tell. This is the first the girls are meetin'im too. They said they've peeked at some pictures of 'em together, though."

"On Thena's phone?" Dane couldn't help but ask, his disbelief clear. Thena wasn't really a...picture taker. Druig just nodded. It was hard to imagine Thena as being so infatuated as to take couple photos with her new partner, soulmate or not.

"Guess we'll have to see for ourselves, mate," Druig tugged at his leather jacket before straightening up. He sniffed and twitched his nose, as if preparing to go intimidate the mountain of a man waiting for them and their respective partners.

"Right," Dane followed with only some reluctance. Perhaps the large gentleman was very nice. According to Thena, he was sweet, although Dane had some trouble reconciling how a person as frightening as Thena could find someone who had no terrifying qualities themselves.

He - Gil, apparently - looked up and offered them a sheepish kind of wave.

"How ye doin'?" Druig nodded as a form of greeting as they arrived at the table. "Druig--I'm Kari's."

"Dane," he leaned forward to offer his hand much more formally than Druig's greeting. "I'm Sersi's partner."

"It's great to meet you guys," Gil smiled widely, although his nervousness hadn't quite left him completely. "I've heard all about you."

"Good things, I hope," Dane chuckled in light conversation. He felt just as nervous as the man across from him, and he wasn't meeting anyone for the first time. "We've heard about you as well."

"As much as the girls can get, that is," Druig amended as he pulled out a chair and immediately slouched down lazily in it. "I'm surprised we're even meetin' you, to be honest."

Dane gave Druig a look.

But he just shrugged, hands still in his jacket pockets, "T's never really been one to mix her different circles."

But Gil wasn't intimidated by the vague and slightly defensive statement. He smiled, "yeah, I guess that's Thena. I was surprised when she suggested I join you guys, too."

Dane fidgeted with his napkin on his lap. "H-How's the cookbook business going? That's how you met, I hear."

Gil tilted his head, as if already catching some of Thena's habits for himself. He let a dreamy kind of smile warm him from the inside out. "Yep--walked right into her office and discovered the mark on my shoulder wasn't bullshit after all."

Druig raised a brow at him, but didn't interject.

"The book's almost ready to print, so she tells me," Gil continued, coming out of his shell a little more so long as Thena was the topic of discussion. "I tried to convince her to be in some of the photos but she said that would be silly."

Dane couldn't help but smile at the slight pout on Gil's face. It was such an innocent expression in contrast to the biceps bulging in his t-shirt sleeves as he crossed his arms.

"T acts like she's allergic to fuckin' photos," Druig snorted out a laugh. He gave Gil a curious look as he laid the bait, "at least with us."

"Well," Gil blushed faintly, toying with his phone in his hands as if itching to show them but holding himself back. "I've managed to sneak her into a few. At first they were just for me, but I managed to get her to agree let me use one or two on the restaurant's instagram."

Dane and Druig immediately pulled out their phones under the table to look.

"It's only--hey!"

Druig and Dane also rushed to stand as their girlfriends finally arrived together. Their greetings were brief and comfortable, although all four of them were watching from the side at the real point of intrigue.

"Hey, Handsome," Thena said ever so softly, probably only intended for Gil to hear.

He caught her hand en route to his, clasping it gently and bringing it up to his lips, "hey, Beautiful."

All four of her friends just stared.

"How was your day?" Gil asked still in a hushed tone, taking her purse from her and slipping her coat off her shoulders and over his arm.

"Mm, uneventful," she recounted factually, letting his hands trail over her without a hint of her usual resistance to any physical contact.

"Come get off your feet," Gil nudged her into the booth seat where he had been sitting. "I warmed it up for you."

"Ew," Druig commented liberally, only to get slapped on both arms by Sersi and Makkari on either side of him. "Oi!"

"Sorry we're late," Sersi fluffed her hair out of her scarf as she took a seat across from Dane and beside Thena.

Her fault, Makkari pointed out freely on the other side of the blonde and across from her own soulpair.

"Don't worry about it, we just got here," Gil replied blithely, not mentioning that he had been here long enough before Druig and Dane to actually secure a booth seat for all of them.

Thena's eyes rose to Gil's. He gave a positively tiny shrug, to which she replied with an even slighter shake of her head. Both messages got across regardless as she looked down at her menu. "What's good, here?"

"I've had the risotto before, which was lovely," Sersi leaned over, pointing out each item she and Dane had eaten before.

Makkari, from the other side of her, tapped the calamari, would you share some with me? Druig won't eat it.

Thena just nodded, to Kari's utter delight. She looked up at Gil, "hm?"

"Hm," he made the sound right back at her, almost as if it were an answer on its own. He leaned forward though, "you could try the mac and cheese."

The rest of the table traded looks (which they thought were subtle, and most definitely were not).

"I know, I know," Gil laughed, although Thena hadn't looked skeptical of his recommendation at all. "It seems simple, but I've had it here before, and it's surprisingly impressive for how it sounds."

"Go on," Thena nodded, happy to listen to Gil talk about his second favourite thing to talk about: food.

The rest of the table remained confused.

"I've worked with the guy in the kitchen now," Gil obliged, he and Thena staring at only each other across the table. "He makes the bechamel with smoked paprika instead of nutmeg, so it gets this smokey and really faintly sweet undertone. Then, while he makes the roux, he adds lobster stock instead of just milk, so it's actually pretty light for such a creamy dish. It's a little like marry-me chicken, in that sense."

"A little like what?" Dane blurted out.

Thena just nodded at the explanation, though. "That does sound lovely."

"I'm gonna get the balsamic chicken, so you can try some of that, too!"

Druig looked at Makkari, who shrugged. Thena wasn't really a sharer of food, either. One time he had tried to steal a a bite off her plate without asking and had nearly lost a finger for it.

"That's perfect," she continued to just smile at him as if they were the only ones present. "Thanks, Handsome."

The big guy blushed again.

Druig leaned back in his seat to look at Dane past Gil's back. "I don't think I can eat after th-oi!"

Thena made no apology for kicking Druig under the table.

[softquietsteadylove]

I’m sorry (not really but anyways xD) but I have to ask you: would you write Thenamesh actor AU with Thena thirsting over Gil’s muscles? I mean seeing him with a bare chest would be a hell of a sight! Bonus if he is doing something and its flexing his muscles!

I thought about them shooting a scene but it’s entirely up to you!

"Nervous?"

"You have no idea," Gil murmured, accepting yet another cup of coffee.

"You're really doing this stupid diet for it?" Thena frowned as he popped a few skittles as well. It was all he'd consumed for the past two days in preparation for his much-anticipated shirtless scene.

"You know what it's like," he lamented, knowing that she knew just as well--if not better, what actors had to go through for the beauty standards of their chosen industry.

"Still," she frowned as he shook his head, "it's not good for you.

Of course it wasn't. He had been drinking only coffee and eating only skittles for three days, and that was with his strict gym regimen after being told to 'tone up' for the scene.

If Thena found out who had told him he had to tone up she would have their career presented to her and devour it in front of them.

"Ugh," Gil groaned, combating the headache that had plagued him through his terrible dehydration. "It's done after today, though."

"Thank goodness," Thena muttered, squeezing the water bottle in her hands. She kept carrying one around, hoping to tempt Gil into having just the tiniest sip, contract be damned. But he was a professional, and he was disciplined.

And she really was going to kill whomever had suggested this to him.

"Gil, it's time!"

"Okay," he nodded to the production assistant before handing Thena his bag of skittles, "wish me luck?"

"I'd rather wish you good health," she sighed, nodding him off as he gave her a smile and a wave. She waited off to the side, watching as he stepped into the lighting they had already calibrated for his skin tone and the lenses and reflectors they would be using.

"Okay--ready, big guy?"

"As I'll ever be," he mumbled, fidgeting with the white t-shirt he had on. Gil was the only actor she had ever met who could have that kind of muscle mass and be nervous for a shirtless scene.

"Rolling!"

"Action!"

Thena bit into her lip as the scene played out. It was a silent introduction--a morning scene to introduce Gil's character. He ran a hand through his hair, flipped through the papers set out for him on the set table. He looked at the kitchen clock before pulling his shirt off over his head.

The dehydration had pulled his skin taught against his muscles, rippling with his every move. His arms bounced as he flexed, his flank caught the lights and shadows just right. They had even positioned his sweatpants on his hips just-so.

Thena looked away. Which was silly, she told herself. It was just a torso--a very bare, very muscular torso. And in fact, she preferred her Gilgamesh not shrink wrapped, thank you very much. She had seen him shirtless before (when she went to check on him after his arm break). She knew that he was a wall of muscle, but there was also a very human softness to him.

She knew what it felt like to collide with that chest from when he would hold her to him (to save her from paparazzi, or in scenes).

"Cut! Back to one!"

Gil pulled his shirt back on for another take, letting hair and continuity pick at him. He looked over at Thena.

She offered a little wave in support, hoping he couldn't tell from the lit soundstage that she was flushed bright red. If Sprite were here she would hear no end of it, she was sure.

They ended up doing four more takes by the time the director was officially satisfied they needed no more angles or pickups. Gil was dismissed as they changed settings, finally allowed to descend the stage and maybe consume some nutrients.

Thena could barely look at him by the time he came back over to her.

"So," he sighed, happily accepting her bottle of water - finally! - and guzzling it back, "what did you think?"

"Hm?" Thena blinked, winding her hair around and around and around itself over her shoulder. "Th-The scene?"

"Yeah--how did it look?"

Perfect, glorious, beautiful, simple and yet somehow salaciously sexy. To her, at least; Thena cleared her throat, "I think it looked good. DP was nodding, at least."

Gil just nodded, still chugging back water like a dying man.

Thena liked to imagine she could already see some improvement in him physically. "Think you'll be allowed to eat something other than boiled chicken breast, now?"

"I think I'll keel over if I don't get a burger in me," he laughed, much to Thena's visible relief. He fell in step with her as they headed towards their trailers outside the studio. "What was the last crazy diet you had to do?"

"Hm," Thena mused aloud as she thought about it. "I don't recall, really. Although, when I start training for stunt work, my personal trainer generally tells me I have to eat more--not more protein, just in general."

"Well, muscle mass eats up a lot of calories," Gil shrugged lightly.

Thena shrugged one shoulder, "I've seen the tabloids, I know how skeletal I look to some people."

"Hey."

Thena blinked as Gil pulled her closer to him, bumping into one of those arms of his.

"They don't know what they're talkin' about," he scoffed with a sense of pride to it, "you're gorgeous and you know it."

She wasn't sure about that, but she wasn't going to argue with him over it. And not because she was flustered or anything.

[softquietsteadylove]

Hi. Have a request for a prompt! Thenamesh au where Gil is a special force agent and Thena being his commander in charge. Gil is at a risky dangerous mission and Thena, having a secret crush, is watching worriedly through his and the other teammates bodycam, talking with him at a quiet moment. A bit of angst and fluff? :) would be interesting to read something like that!

"All teams in position."

"T minus ten minutes," Thena spoke into the mic from the safety of the command post. She eyed the monitors, displaying their access to the security feeds as well as her team's body cams. "This happens fast, it goes smoothly. You move as we practised...no one gets hurt."

"Yes, sir."

Thena stepped back, holding her arms folded around herself. They had gone over this, they had trained and planned for it. Everything was in place and things were expected to go fine. But she was worried.

She shouldn't have been. It was...inappropriate for her to be.

But her eyes drifted up to the corner monitor, displaying Gil's position at the end of the hall. He was one of the only ones of the team isolated from the others. But his strength would be needed if they had to restrict access to the windows and stairwells.

"Hey, Boss?"

Thena switched over channels, uncaring how suspicious it was to want the privacy. "Gil."

"Sorry," he sounded like he was smiling. He could always speak casually, even if they were in the middle of a critical and dangerous mission.

"No, what is it?" Thena asked softly--too softly.

"I guess," he sighed. Anyone else pulling this would have gotten an earful about her not being a therapist, and that if they were having doubts then they didn't have to be part of her squadron. But Gil was different. "Are you sure you're safe over...?"

Thena bit into her lip, trying not to smile. It was silly, really. She was in a secure location, the command post for operations being just within range for her to keep an eye on her team. "The area's been cleared. We're perfectly safe."

"You're right," he mumbled, shifting anxiously as their countdown continued. "You know I just...worry."

She did know. She knew that he was entirely too sweet for this line of work, and that he was a great home cook, and that his favourite colour was green-

"What if they know where you are?"

"They don't," she answered plain and simple, hoping she sounded like a commanding officer when she said it. This wasn't the first time she had gone out of her way to assure Gilgamesh wasn't worrying about her when he needed to have his eyes in front of him.

"I guess they'd be in for somethin' else even if they did," she heard him chuckle on his end. "I wouldn't wanna face down the Goddess of War one-on-one."

Thena let out a faint laugh before she could stop it. He heard it, though, and she could tell. "Focus, Gilgamesh."

"Yes, Ma'am." It sounded dangerously like flirting when he called her that.

"Gil," Thena began again before she could stop herself. But her nails were digging into her palms and her heart was pounding. "Keep your eyes on the prize. No unnecessary risks."

"Get in, get out," he finished for her, and she watched his bodycam rise slightly as he straightened up his posture again.

"Just," she paused, her throat tight and dry. "Come back...to me."

Whoops.

"Alive!" she rushed out to add on, "come back to me alive!"

There were a few seconds of silence on his end, and Thena felt as if the temperature in her saferoom had increased tenfold.

"Count on it," he promised her, sounding much more serious than he had before.

"Gil, I'm serious."

"So am I," he responded quickly. "We'll be back before you know it, Boss."

Thena went back to folding around herself, pacing as their time ran out second by second. "You better mean that."

Gil held position as the first unit blew the door open down the hall. They were out of time. The image of his cam feed blurred as the smoke bombs went off.

"Thena, I promise."

[softquietsteadylove]

Hey I had this idea for the ice queen/tyrant king au! Thena visits Gil to speak about business but then she sees him from a little distance in his building how he comforts a lost little girl (let’s say about the age of 5-8) and how sweet he talks to her and gives her some sweets and makes her laugh.

"Ice Queen," his staff greeted as soon as she walked into the building. She had business to go over with him, and it happened that this time it was easier for her to visit his office. "You are expected."

"I'll show myself in," she nodded to them, as they did her. There was nothing questionable about her showing herself up and into Gil's office for herself, as much as that was maybe not something she wanted.

She hadn't been to Gil's office in a while, by now. She had been avoiding it, after all, and even before that, he usually ended up at hers first. By sheer coincidence, of course, not because they were both more familiar with her office being where they were...intimate.

Enough of that train of thought.

Thena was nearly to the elevators when she paused. She leaned only slightly, partially behind a massive column. There was a little girl, seemingly by herself and crying in Gil's lobby. But it wasn't the child's upset that had drawn her attention.

"Hey, what's wrong, little lady?"

Gilgamesh knelt down by the girl, who wiped her eyes and nose with her hands before Gil pulled out his pocket square and handed it to her.

"Are you lost?" he asked her gently, offering his most charming smile to the little visitor.

The girl nodded, looking between Gil and the extravagant fish tank that had caught her attention. "I just wanted to look at them."

"They're pretty, aren't they?" Gil chuckled, getting another nod. He looked at the fish with her. "I picked them all out myself."

"Really?"

"Yep," he beamed at the child, scooching on the floor to point at the fish swimming around. "That one's my favourite."

The little girl gasped at the fish with its flowing fins. "It's so pretty!"

"Isn't she?" he chuckled, even lifting the girl slightly so she could see it better. "She's dangerous, though."

"Dangerous?"

"She's a fighting fish," Gil explained, leading the girl away by the hand. "But she was so pretty, I couldn't resist."

"What's her name?"

"Thena!"

The Ice Queen rolled her eyes from her hiding spot; Gilgamesh would get a fish and name it after her. Probably thought it was something cute and romantic to do. What a silly man.

"Are they happy there?"

"I think so," Gil answered honestly, walking with the girl to his front desk. "The people who work here make sure they're taken care of and have all the right food."

The little girl's misery returned, "Mama told me not to get distracted."

"It's okay, kiddo, we'll find her," Gilgamesh promised with that soft smile of his. He leaned against the counter, muttering in Korean.

The worker behind the desk nodded sharply and left into the back, surely to find the child's mother with the utmost urgency.

"Hey," Gil whispered loudly at the girl, giving her little hand a squeeze. "Do you like...candy?"

Obviously the child's eyes lit up.

"Don't tell your mom, she might get mad at me," Gil snickered. He reached behind the counter, onto the sunken surface where he clearly knew some sweets were being hidden. "But, just between you and me..."

The little girl gasped as Gil handed her a hard candy wrapped in shining plastic.

"Sh," he held up his finger, which she mirrored before they both ate their respective treats.

Thena smiled at the sight from her alcove by the elevators. She wasn't sure if she could have guessed that Gilgamesh had a way with children. But it made sense, seeing it now. He was sweet, and charming, and funny, and warm, and who wouldn't love him as soon as they met him?

The elevator doors opened and woman rushed out, running and scooping up her daughter at the sight of her. Thena's Korean wasn't nearly at a level for her to decipher what she was saying, but she could hear her thank Gilgamesh for watching her. He offered his reassurances that it was no trouble and that they were welcome back.

Thena stayed leaning close to the column, perhaps hoping he wouldn't know she'd been watching the whole time.

He sauntered over to her, hands in his pockets, that stupid - sexy - grin on his face, "Ice."

"Tyrant."

"I guess I owe you an apology for being late," he shrugged, "although you can see why I was."

Dammit. Thena tugged at her lace in a shrug of her own feigned nonchalance. "I can indeed."

"Shall we, then?" he smiled, holding out his hand for her to get on the elevator first.

Thena waited until the doors were closed and they were on their way up to his office. "Really, Gil?--a fish?"

"Come on, Princess," he chuckled beside her, sneaking glances as often as she would allow. "She is awfully pretty."

"If you compare me to a fish-"

"I'd never," he cut her off, daring to let his hand brush against hers despite the elevator camera. "I don't even compare you to the moon itself, Sweetness."

Thena sighed, resisting both urges to pull her hand away and to let him hold it. She let their fingers weave together ever so tentatively. "It was sweet--the way you helped that girl."

Gil shrugged, his hand still clasped around hers gleefully. "I guess I've been feeling soft...since becoming a married man."

Thena rolled her eyes and snatched her hand away from his, although he must not have sensed any real hostility in it, because he was laughing. She huffed, putting a little extra half-step between them in the elevator.

They were almost to his floor when he reached out and tapped the back of her hand with his. "Like it or not, Ice, I'm yours."

Thena didn't answer, only stepping out of the elevator ahead of him, if only to escape the reflection of herself smiling in the chrome doors.