#and by 'settle in' I meant a few months afterwards

[1randomperson15]

FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING

[lady-djarin]

home

joel miller x f!reader (one shot)

warnings/tags: sickening fluff, established relationship, no outbreak, sarah’s alive and well, some touching and kissing between reader and joel, still adult content but no p in v. mdni

word count: 2.6k

a/n: not edited much (that’s my motto) but i just kinda dumped this out in one go so it could be bad. who knows.

* ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

“Dad!”

Ever since Sarah entered middle school she has become quite loud.

“Dad, there you are,” she barreled into the living room where you and Joel sat on the couch. “I need you to sign this.”

She pushes a piece of paper into his face along with a pen. He quints at it to read the small print. You grab it out of his hands when he tries to locate his glasses that are nowhere in sight.

“Oh the dance! How fun,” you handed it back to him and made sure he signed it as you shot Sarah a wink as she bounced happily on her toes.

You have been dating the single dad for around six months and you have grown quite close with Sarah. Joel has expressed how nervous he is about his baby girl getting older and all the things that come along with it. More than anything else he hates the idea of her dating. He signs the paper with his usual grumpy frown but does it nonetheless and in turn Sarah squeals and jumps up and down in excitement.

“Can you take me shopping tomorrow, I only have a week to shop for a dress,” Sarah put on her best puppy dog face that usually works on her father.

“I’m sorry angel I’ve got a job tomorrow,” he did look genuinely upset that he couldn’t spend the time with his daughter.

“I’ll take you, we can have a girls day,” you had been wanting to spend some one on one time with Sarah and this was the perfect opportunity.

“Oh my god, thank you!” She squealed again and jumped on you and wrapped you in a tight hug. She ran up the stairs talking mostly to herself about what kind of dress and makeup she was planning for her first dance.

“Thank you darlin’, you didn’t have to do that.” He rubbed your leg with his large warm hand and the other came up to hold your face as he kissed you tenderly.

“Oh please, I love that kid. Plus, I don’t think shopping is your forte,” you both laughed at how true that was.

Even though you’ve only been seeing Joel for a few months, you have never felt so at home. He and Sarah have welcomed you in like you were always meant to fit in their little family. You knew you were never one to have kids of your own but the young girl makes you feel more maternal than you ever have in your life.

~

You and Sarah spend the day in the mall finding stores to invade and try on every dress possible. She finally settled on a beautiful deep purple shimmery one that made her look way older than she needed to, but it was appropriate. Afterwards you found the food court and dug into some pizza and garlic knots.

“So… since your dad will never bring this up… are you going with anyone to the dance? Like maybe a boy? or girl, I don't judge.”

You knew she probably didn’t want to talk about it as pre-teens never do but you wanted to make sure she wasn’t going to do anything stupid. Her cheeks blushed a deep shade of crimson but she giggled slightly, telling you there was someone.

“I mean… I’m not going with anyone but my friends but…”

She was avoiding telling you the truth, maybe because she thought you’d rat her out to her dad.

“Look Sarah… I'm not asking to be a snitch, I just want to make sure you’re being safe and smart, that's all.”

She looked up at you with shyness but trust in her deep brown eyes.

“There is this boy… Ben,” she had the most radiant smile on her face telling you about her crush. He’s a little older than her but in the same grade and apparently very sweet and has blue eyes and dark blonde hair. You can imagine her sitting in class staring at him instead of listening to the teacher.

“So, are you going to meet him at the dance?”

“I mean we haven’t made plans but… I told him I’d see him there, and he followed me on instagram!”

It all reminded you of the days before adult pressure and complicated feelings. You smiled as she continued to tell you about him and the things she found endearing.

“Ok now, I have to ask and be the annoying adult but have you, you know… done anything with boys before?”

While she was only just under thirteen you still had to make sure, kids do anything these days.

“Like what?” She gave you a scrunched confused face then slowly realized what you were asking. “Like kissing?! Oh no that’s gross, boys smell anyway…,” she seemed to maintain her innocence for a while longer.

Thank god.

“Well that’s fair, but just remember, if a boy ever tries to do anything you don’t like, you can always say no. Don’t ever feel like you have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

She looked a little confused at your instruction but nodded anyway. She’s a very smart kid and strong willed, you have full faith in her.

The rest of the day was spent wandering around the mall and you both finally decided to end up getting your nails done.

~

Joel came home to find you both cooking dinner, a hoard of shopping bags littered the house.

“There’s my girls,” he ruffled his daughter's hair and covered her eyes jokingly as he kissed you deeply. “How was shopping? Successful it seems like.”

“Very…,” Joel’s eyes kept flicking down to your lips, as they often did when he got home from work.

“Dad, look! We got our nails done!” She splayed her fingers out so he could inspect her manicure. You let her get some slightly ‘grownup’ nails, small extensions with french tips. She said she’ll be the talk of the dance.

“Oh look at that… my little girl is all grown up…,” he looked a little queasy and you both laughed at his reluctance to let her grow up.

“Sarah, why don’t you put these bags away and I'll finish dinner, ok?”

She hugged you tight around your middle and mumbled about a million ‘thank you’s into the fabric of your shirt before grabbing her bags and darting up the stairs.

As soon as she disappeared Joel grabbed your hips as he stood behind you and pulled you into his hard chest. He attached his lips to your neck and ran his hands over your curves.

“Have I told you how much I love you?” His voice was low and gravely in your ear.

“Mmm, not today…”

He pulled you impossibly closer and nuzzled his mouth against your neck. “Well I do, I love you so damn much,” he continued kissing down your neck and any skin he could reach. “Sarah loves you too you know, she’s always talking about you…”

It felt like he wanted to talk about something else, something more. Your relationship has been going so well and it kind of feels like it’s time to take the next step. While you both know that this is it, there’s no one else for either of you, it might not be exactly time yet to tie the knot. However you have talked about sharing a space, the idea of living together is exciting to both of you.

“Well I love her, she’s a great kid, because you’re a great dad.” You turned in his arms and returned the kisses along his jaw. Just as you slid your hands into his back pockets, loud very teen sounding footsteps came racing down the stairs. You pulled away from each other but Sarah was too busy looking at her nails to notice. The timer on the oven beeped and as Joel and his daughter set the table you gathered the rest of dinner.

You sat around the table like you always did on Saturday nights and talked about the plans for the next week and the dance. You really did love your little found family.

~

The following Saturday you sat in Sarah’s room with her and a couple friends of hers, helping do their hair and makeup. Joel happened to have a poker game tonight with Tommy so he said bye just before the teen girl screaming got too loud. So here you were, a fully grown woman essentially playing dress up with a few 13 year olds. But you couldn’t be happier.

After the girls were ready and a lengthy photoshoot ensued, you were off. Four screaming voices all trying to harmonize to some pop song over the radio made your ears ring but seeing Sarah so happy made it worth it.

The plan was to pick her up around 10pm when it ended.

So you were super confused when you got a call from Sarah around 8:30pm.

“Hey girl, what’s going on? You ok?”

All you heard at first was a sniffle, then a deep breath before her wobbly voice came over the speaker. “N-no, not really…”

Your heart stopped for a second but you tried to stay calm.

“What’s wrong?” You tried to hide the urgency in your voice.

“Ben… he—“ hiccup “He was a… a total jerk!” Her voice was strained and scratchy like she had been crying for some time.

“Oh honey, I’m so sorry… You know what, you stay in the office, ok? I'm going to come get you.”

She only mumbled a quiet ‘ok, bye’ before you slammed the phone down on the receiver and grabbed your keys. You shaved off probably five to ten whole minutes speeding through the streets to the school.

You quickly make your way to the office and find her with mascara running down her cheeks. She hiccuped and sniffled when she saw you before sluggishly standing and wrapping her arms around you. She sobbed slightly into your sweatshirt and you wrapped the one you brought her around her shoulders. After the teacher who waited with her waved you out, you gathered her into your car and made your way home.

But before reaching the familiar street you had an idea. Sarah had been slumped in her seat with the sweatshirt wrapped tight to her form until she saw the neon lights. You swore you saw her eyes light up when she saw the ‘Dairy Queen’ sign and it warmed your heart.

She got her usual birthday cake flavor of course, and you got your favorite. Before now you tried to let her have a few breathing moments but as you settled in the parking lot you tried to get some information from her.

“Are you ok?”

“Boys are so stupid…,” another tear slipped out of her eye.

“I know… I hate to say it but they don’t get much better.” You managed to get a laugh out of her which was an improvement. “What did Ben do?”

She spooned the thick ice cream into her mouth and tried to talk around it. “H-he was with that girl Rebecca all night and I tried to say ‘hi’ but he ignored me and pretended I wasn’t there. They were laughing at me…,” She resolved into sobs again and you rubbed her shoulder to try and comfort as best as you could.

“Oh god I’m sorry that’s so… shitty.” You never really cursed around her as she’s still young but this felt appropriate. It also helped draw out a laugh again, which made you both smile. “Look, boys like that are not worth your time. He’s playing games and you don’t want a boy who plays games. If anyone ever talks to you like that, it means they don’t respect you. You should only be friends, or more, with someone who respects you. Does that make sense?”

She looked at you with her red-rimmed and puffy eyes and you knew she got it. Of course she got it, she’s a smart kid.

“Yeah, I think so. Thank you… I'm sorry I freaked you out.” The light returned to her eyes as she giggled at her own words.

“You didn’t freak me out… too bad.” You were both laughing now, recalling the way you sped over to the school. “Look we can talk more if you want but I think you need some ‘you’ time tonight. Let’s get you some of my nice bath stuff and we can do a little spa night?”

“That sounds nice… thank you.” She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around your neck. On the way home you told her stories of things boys had done to you in the past. You did make sure to let her know that her dad was not one of them, he was the best kind of guy. Once you arrived home you gave her some bath stuff and gave her a clean towel and told her you’d wait downstairs for her.

You made some tea in the meantime and shortly after, Joel got home. Before he said anything he looked towards the stairs and heard the shower running. He gave you a quizzical look and you sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to like it.

“So Sarah had me pick her up early…”

He already looked concerned.

“She’s fine… it was boy drama. We talked and she’s still upset but she’ll live.”

He breathed out a dramatic sigh and you welcomed him into your arms.

“This is what I was worried about,” he sounded so defeated.

“Joel, it’s bound to happen. Every girl gets her heart broken, it’s inevitable unfortunately.” You rubbed your palm over his stubble and looked over his tired features. “She’s smart and strong willed. Boys will be intimidated by her when she realizes it.”

He softened at that. “Thank you for helping her so much, she really has opened up since knowing you.”

“She’s really something, just like her dad. He’s not too shabby,” you giggled as he pinched your waist.

“I’m not too shabby? That’s sweet.”

You mirrored his smile as he boxed you between himself and the kitchen counter. He kissed you deeply, pushing his tongue between your lips, tasting every inch of you. Your hum reverberated through your chest into his and your skin lit on fire from the inside out. Desire instantly pooled in your lower stomach and you ground your hips into his. This only resulted in his hard, jean clad thigh slipping between yours and pushing against your clothed sex. You moaned into his mouth and just as you felt like you were going to lose it, Joel pulls away and then you hear descending footsteps.

Sarah reaches the bottom but doesn’t come down, “I’m going to go to bed, I’m really tired. Sorry dad.”

“That’s ok angel, you sleep good. Love you.”

“Love you guys,” then she’s gone.

“‘Love you guys’?” you look at Joel with surprise. “Did she just say she loves me?”

He just stares down at you with this tender look, unresponsive for a few moments.

“Move in with me.”

It wasn’t a question but a plea. Like he couldn’t imagine you’d say no. Because why would you?

“Really?” Your heart raced.

“Yes really, we both want you here. More than anything.”

“Of course, I’d love to!” You squealed like Sarah did earlier tonight and launched yourself at him. He caught you around the middle and pulled you up, sounding giddy as you did while he spun you around.

You spent the first night in your now full time shared bed after Joel showed you all the ways he truly, passionately loved you.

You knew you were finally home.

[enwoso]

PROUD OF YOU || alessia russo x gymnast!reader

little psa i’m not an expert in the format of gymnastics by any means, this is just from my knowledge. so if anything isn’t correct i apologise🙃

this was supposed to be a blurb from the same universe as number one fan but i got carried away and it turned out being 3k words… ENJOY!

read number one fan here

masterlist

you felt like your entire life had led up to this moment in your life, your first olympics. twenty four years old and you were fulfilling something only your eight year old self could imagine.

you remember watching the beijing olympics more specifically the gymnastics and you knew that was what you wanted to do, even if it wasn't to win while that would be an added bonus, just being there was special and something not everyone could say they had done.

you had spent weeks, actually months in the gym. endless amount of hours spent perfecting your routines and making sure they were perfect and showcased all of your best tricks.

however it was slightly bittersweet as even though you were training for your first ever olympic which was being held in paris, it had meant you had been away from your girlfriend, alessia russo for quite some time now.

only being able to see each other on the odd weekend when you were not training and she didn't have a match, an even still those days came far and few.

but still your relationship was as strong as ever and it meant the time you did spent together was cherished and never taken for granted.

you and alessia had been officially dating for a year now and how the two of you had met was in the weirdest way possible.

you first met when you were in london and you so happened to be in the same coffee shop, alessia with her clumsiness fell over the leg of your chair sending herself and her coffee flying across the room.

you immediately apologising thinking it was your fault when really it was just alessia and her two left feet. you couldn't help but be mesmerised by how gorgeous she was but the blonde had dashed out the coffee shop in shear embarrassment before you had the chance to get another sentence out never mind ask the blonde for her name.

the second time you met was funnily enough in a gym in  kent just a couple weeks afterwards, that being your hometown but also alessia's. you knew it was the same blonde girl, how could anyone forget such a beautiful face.

you were the one that spoke to the blonde first, alessia of course having no idea who you were and not remembering you. her face only flushing when you mentioned her going flying in a coffee shop, alessia found it relaxing that you didn't have a clue who she was.

not recognising her for her football but instead just because she was a person. you never forget how shy she was as she kept stumbling over her words when she spoke to you.

as you both stood talking in the gym locker rooms, alessia stuttering out asking for you number when you were just about to leave. from that day you went on a couple dates, actually discovering who she was and what she did day to day and from then the two of of you had been in your own little love bubble.

those who were important knew about your relationship, the media had it's suspicions but you nor alessia ever confirmed the rumours that circulated.

"what's with the gloomy face" alice kinsella nudged you as you took of your head phones. alice being one of your closest friends in the team, she'd helped you a lot in the running to the olympics, herself already being an olympian helped as she had been able to settle your nerves.

a sad smile was on your face as you looked down at the text message alessia had just sent you, wishing you good luck and that she be watching. you not having a clue she meant literally.

you had it in your head that alessia wasn't going to be at the qualifiers, her schedule didn't line up and she had just finished her qualification matches for the euros next year and she had just flown out to spend a few days in ibiza with her friends.

she told you that if you wanted her to be there for the qualifying round she would be and she'd get an earlier flight from ibiza just for you but you had promised her it was fine and that she should enjoy her time with her friends as your girlfriend had promised you that she would be at the next round as she herself was more than confident you would qualify.

"just missing lessi" you mumbled, texting a quick reply before putting your phone down as alice nodded her head she understood, it was hard being away from those you love.

"i'm sure she's watching, just make her proud yeah" alice smiled as she nudged her shoulder into you again, a little harder this time as she held a smug smile. it drawing a smile from you as you shook your head at your friends childishness.

alice moving away to focus on getting herself in the right mindset as the competition was just about to begin, you slipping your head phones back in your head as you carried on the stretch.

the competition was everything you could have dreamt of, your first piece of apparatus was vault where you were up first your score being 13.833 which you were happy with, the next rotation came around and it was bars a piece of apparatus you were a little bit more comfortable on but a small mistake cost you a few marks but your score ended on a 12.833.

the third rotation was beam a peice of apparatus which was always daunting and slightly scary. it never got easier competing on beam but the routine went smoothly and your score came in at 13.500.

the final rotation was here and team gb were looking good for qualifying for team final, the last apparatus was floor and with a small step out the floor markings cost you but your final score came in at 12.466.

you had done your bit for the team and for your country. taking in every second of the competition the pure euphoria of being there knowing it would hit later on when you were trying to sleep. right now you were focused, praying the team would qualify for the team final.

just alice was left to do her routine on the floor and then you would know if you had qualified, it all felt in slow motion. she did her last move, stood tall and presented to the judges. coming off the floor and down the steps as you waited for her score.

you nervously looked towards the score board waiting for alice’s score to come through, standing next to your teammates as the judges took their time deliberating their decision.

12.733.

team gb were on to the team final, qualifying in seventh with a total score of 160.830.

you stood in shock of a second before turing to ruby and abigail. engulfing them in a three way hug as you were all in a similar position this was your first time at an olympics. “we did it!” you called out into the hug as a smile bigger than ever was on your face.

you moved over to congratulate alice, not only on the team final but also the all around final she had made. “well done alice!” you grinned wrapping your arms around her, hugging her tight.

“you too kid, your first ever all around final!” she smiled proudly as you froze. you hadn’t made an all around final. what did she mean.

“what-?” you stutter out as she pointed to the score board which was currently going through the gymnasts which had made the final.

“there look you goon!” alice pointed to where your name was, number 24. you had just qualified for the all around.

“oh my god” you couldn’t believe it, you turned to the crowd trying to spot your mum and dad who had been there watching. you waving up proudly as you held up a heart to them. turning back to alice who was still facing the crowd.

“y/n, look your mum wants you”

you hummed before turning around to look where your mum was in the crowd, her pointing towards someone next to her. your eye line following her pointing, looking up and finding their face.

“oh my god” you whispered yelled, your mouth wide open. your were lost for words but also had so many questions at the same time. how was she here? why was she not sat in the hot spanish sun?

“told you she’d be watching!” alice nudged you a smug smile, you knew maybe somehow she had something to do with her being sat in the audience watching but you didn’t care how little or how big involvement she had, you just wanted to be in your girlfriend’s arms.

“i- what- how”

“oh go and get your girl, you sap!”

the arena had already started to empty, so you found the nearest staircase you could making your way through the crowds of people still in your navy blue sparkly leotard and your slides. you smile getting bigger as you edged closer to being back in your blondes arms.

saying a hello and giving a hug to your parents as they congratulate you and told you how proud of you they were as you could see alessia stood waiting for you to get to her.

finally your mum let go of hugging you pushing you lightly towards your girlfriend, you sinking into her arms as you held onto the blonde tightly as if, if you let go she would be gone forever.

“i’ve missed you so much baby” alessia whispered into your hair as she placed a kiss on the top of your head. you couldn’t find the words to say to her, you had to much to say but nothing would come out of your mouth.

“i- how are you here? i swear you were in ibiza this morning when you called?” you looked up to her as her hands rested on your shoulders, as your were still wrapped around her torso.

“i’ve been here since last night, my flight was supposed to be this morning but i got an earlier one just so i could make it here” alessia explained but you were still confused as even though you only saw her in what looked to be the background of a hotel, you still remember seeing ella on the facetime call — so how was that possible?

“but you were with ella this morning?” you questioned, a slight crease in your forehead as a confused look took over your face.

“she’s in paris too, so is mary cause she’s just moved to psg” alessia continued explaining, you humming along but not having a clue about football but you knew that psg was a football team but that was about it.

“well i’m glad your here!”

“you didn’t really think i would miss the chance to watch my girlfriend compete in her first olympics!” alessia questioned as you rolled your eyes playfully. “and seeing you in this is a bonus too” the blonde held a cheeky smile as she looked down towards the stoned navy blue leotard you were wearing.

you slapping her chest lightly as she acted false hurt, you were stood face to face with your girlfriend and the one thing you wanted to do was plant your lips on hers, but you couldn’t not when there was stray eyes around.

not knowing who had a camera, and while you didn’t care about what media had to say. you didn’t want to be headlining at your first olympics for that reason if you could help it.

your parents had already left, you were meeting them for dinner later on in the day. “c’mon” you pulled your way out of alessia’s hold before dragging her down the stairs her hand held tightly in yours.

small complaints by the blonde that she was gonna fall, which didn’t surprise you, as you led her back down the tunnel in the arena and towards the small changing room where the rest of your team was.

you stopped once you were in the tunnel, allowing alessia’s arm to have a break as she’d been complaining you were gonna pull it out its socket, you were no where near she was just being dramatic.

you turned to look at the blonde as she placed her arms round your shoulder, there being a slight height difference between the two of you. she obviously being the taller one, only by a few inches though.

“forgot to tell you how proud i am of you” alessia smiles as you could feel your cheeks going darker. something about anyone telling you how proud they were of you always had an affect on your heart but her telling you was enough to make your knees weak.

the two of you had stopped again, this time you were only a mere few meters from the changing room, “my little olympian” her breath fanned warm over your lips as her face was inches away from you as she had backed you up against the wall.

you had been craving this moment, you had been away from her for so long but a need was now blooming deep inside your bones. a need to be pressed flush against her.

“kiss me then” you said a little bossy as you could feel her teasing you with how not only your bodies where but also how close your lips were.

alessia smirked slightly, bending her head and using her hand that has crept up to rest on your neck to pull you in and close her mouth over yours. the kiss was soft and slow, a gentle drag of her lips over yours. the sweet and languid stroke of her tongue when you opened your mouth and angled in closer.

the tips of her fingers grazed your jaw and then she was cupping your cheeks as your back was now pushed so you were leant completely against the cold wall in the corridor. tugging lightly at your bottom lip before returning to kiss you.

heat tricked thick like honey down your spine, your hands fisting the material of her expensive white top as you tugged her impossibly closer before you wound your arms around her waist.

you didn’t want to stop kissing her. you wanted to stay in the moment forever, you wanted to keep swallowing the sound she was making low in her throat until you were dizzy off it.

“i’ve found her!” you both pulled back as you glared at your teammates as she stood in the door way clearly on her way to find you but not needing to go as far as she thought, a teasing smile resting on her face.

alice had dragged you back into the changing room telling you to hurry as most of the girls were ready and that they were just waiting on you.

pecking alessia’s lips quickly you reluctantly left her hold, dawdling into the changing room to get changed alessia following close behind you.

alessia had been talking with the girls as a catch up while you got changed coming back out in shorts and a little top while represented how hot it currently was in paris.

your girlfriend sat in your cubby, you found a seat on her lap. alessia hands immediately finding there place on your lower back and thighs rubbing small circles in your thighs as she smiled at you, your teammates finishing up getting ready for the coach trip back to the olympic village.

"are you here for the entire comp?" you asked alessia as she grinned nodding her head, you pressing another kiss to the blondes lips as you heard the gags come from your teammates.

turning your head you see the teasing sickening look on the girls' face doing it just to wind you up. you rolling your eyes at them. "abi, ruby cover your ears for a second!" alice said as you sighed knowing she was going to say something she definitely shouldn't.

"thank god for them anti-sex beds in the village!" alice snickered as you flipped her off turning your attention back to your blonde lover whose hands had not left your lower back as she traced small patterns.

alessia sat with a smug smile on her face too, "she's so annoying" you grumbled resting your head on alessia's shoulder.

"good job we don't need a bed.." alessia trailed off as she whispered in your ear, your face going bright red as she kissed your cheek, her lips lingering near your skin for a split second before she whispered "i love you, and i'm so proud of you!"

[trippinsorrows]

ltye + leya

authors note: no idea where this came from. but, we here.

no tags. if it ends up on your dash, twas meant to be lmao

words: 1.2k // warnings: mental health topics and roman being an ass to literally anyone not his child.

Children get sick.

It's a normal thing that happens from time to time, or more, depending on immune systems, exposure, and other extraneous variables.

However, for Roman and Solana, when one of their girls gets sick, both usually end up with whatever the ailment is before it's all said and done.

It's why they've come up with a system of sorts. Somewhat keeping the girls separated to avoid infection and exposure. It's not foolproof, nor is it liked by their girls who are more or less inseparable, but it saves the parents a ton of late nights with only having one child sick. Or, at least, one child sick at a time.

And to help out a bit, they split up the duties, taking turns with who caters more to the sick child and who caters more to the well child. It's Solana's turn, hence Roman being the one who's currently strapping Leya into her car seat after picking her up from school.

He goes to step back, a bit of a test when Leya's little hand reaches out to stop him. He sighs. "Why don't we just try one time and see what happens?"

It only takes her eyes widening with unspoken fear for him to know that's definitely not happening today.

"Please...." Her voice is soft and pleading and easily drags him over to her side of the fence. Roman proceeds to secure and unsecure her car seat a total of three times, after which her face settles into comfort and satisfaction.

He doesn't say anything, just makes a mental note to tell Solana they need to meet with her therapist again. Leya's OCD doesn't seem to be improving despite almost two months of weekly therapy.

He's just closed the door to the SUV when the single most annoying voice shouts his name. "Oh, Mr. Reigns!" This fucking bitch. "I need to speak with you!"

He doesn't hesitate to dismiss her ass. "Sounds like a personal problem to me." It's never anything important, just her probably trying to bait his ass into donating more money to their already rich ass school. If it doesn't have to do with his girls, and he knows it doesn't, she can fuck off.

Roman finds slight amusement in the way her smile drops off into borderline shock as he hops into the drivers seat and slams the door shut. Also annoying cause when has he ever paid this bitch any mind?

Nevertheless, he's driving home when Leya asks, "is sissy better yet?"

He wishes. It'd be easier on all of them. "Not yet, baby." A glance at her through the rearview mirror reveals her disappointment. Lina really is her best friend and not being able to play with her has to be hard. "You want me to watch that....Brown guy show with you?"

For the life of him, he can never remember the name of that damn show that has a chokehold on all the children.

Leya giggles, and it puts a small smile on his face. He loves hearing his girls laugh. Any of them. "It's Bluey, daddy."

"Yeah, that too." Close enough. "You wanna watch it or not?"

She nods, grabbing and holding her stuffed animal. She doesn't say anything else, and he doesn't really expect her to. She talks when she feels like it, and he respects that. She's like her mom, but she's also like him. Of few words at times.

It's when they're home, and she's changed out of her uniform into something comfortable, he sits down with her as they share their dinner together. Roman making sure to use one of her pink sectional plates to ensure her food doesn't touch.

Cause he knows damn well she won't eat if it does.

And when she asks for ice cream afterwards, Neapolitan, of all flavors, he watches how she uses her spoon to separate all of said flavors.

"What if I just got you the three different flavors instead?" He has to ask. It's probably unhelpful in helping her learn to manage her compulsions, but it seems at least a bit more efficient than her current routine.

However, she shakes her head, explaining in her cute little voice, "it's not the same...."

Roman sighs. "Leya...." Might not be the best time but between the car seat, her needing to see him lock the car and the front door three times, her completing all of her homework yet again instead of doing some there at school and some at home, and now the ice cream, he has to say something. "You know we've gotta work on some of these things."

He doesn't need to say what said things are. She already knows.

Her gaze drops to the bowl of perfectly partitioned ice cream. "It's my brain."

He frowns. "What?"

She lazily moves her spoon around the bowl, explaining, "Tracy at school said my brain is bad and stupid, and that's why i have bad thoughts."

There's never a shortage of people on Roman's hit list. It grows and changes around every day. But, this lil Tracy bitch just made her way to the top of the fucking list.

Kid or no kid.

"Who's Tracy?" He's mindful of his tone, not wanting her to think his simmering anger is any way directed toward her. Like her mom, she can be very sensitive at times.

"She's in my class....." Was in her class, cause this little bitch with the old ass name of Tracy just earned herself an expulsion from the school. "I just don't want bad things to happen."

Her eyes watering is enough to have Roman get up from his own bar stool as he moves to lift her up, takes her seat and settles her onto his lap.

"Nothing bad is going to happen, okay?" He moves his thumb to her eyes, gently wiping her tears. "Daddy's always going to protect you, your sister, and your mom. I promise you that." With every part of his being, every fiber of his soul. "I know it's hard for you, but your mom and I are gonna help you."

And some of that help might include Roman having to set aside his pride and reservations about medicating Leya. The minute her therapist brought it up, he wanted to cuss her out. She's 7. That's too damn young to be on some mental health medication. But seeing and hearing in her own words how she views herself because of her OCD, it's more than enough to have him at least hear out her pediatrician.

He's pleased to see and even feel her spirits lifted a little, prompting him to take it a step further. "Can you smile for me?" She bites down on her bottom lip just like Solana, clearly suppressing said smile. "I know it's in there." His hand is barely on her stomach, tickling her when she bursts out into giggles, moving against him. Roman keeps his arm firm around her to keep her from falling. And he always will. "There it is...." Her smile is also Solana's. Through and through.

Leya presses her body into his chest. "Thank you, daddy."

He kisses the top of her head. Anything. Anything she needs or will ever need, he's got her. For life. "I love you, Cataleya."

[summercreolefanfictioner]

the scent wafts in, her name making him beg on his knees chap 1.1

pairing: dabi / todoroki touya x fem!oc / reader (MODERN AU)

summary: He mentions her name after 6 months in therapy, absentmindedly narrating vivid memories of her. She was the only good thing during his darkest times.

(In which Touya returns home after rebelling against his family for 7 years. And no, it wasn't about forgiveness. He wanted to fix himself because of a certain someone.)

themes: nsfw, domestic abuse, violence, alcoholism, cigarette smoking, toxic relationships, mental health, co-dependency and other related themes (YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED)

notes: for this one, pls keep in mind that touya didn't have much scars on his face; mostly are on his body to accomodate the plot; charas might be ooc since this is modern au

Todoroki Touya has returned; it wasn't a drill.

The eldest of the Todoroki family has returned, and it was all over the news like wildfire. Pictures of him were around tabloids and newspapers, imprinted on TV screens along with family pictures of his 13-year-old self as news anchors and writers all over Japan broadcasted about the Endeavor Corp. finally having its original heir back to where he belonged. Two years ago, Todoroki Shouto announced he wouldn't be the one to replace his father, Todoroki Enji as the owner and CEO of their family business. However, Shouto focused on one part of the Endeavor Corp., particularly their sports and training business, as he wanted to become a personal trainer someday.

Touya was aware of what was happening on the business side of his family despite his rebellion seven years ago. After all, he saw them all over the news, watched his father on TV, and observed how everything was faring for them. So when he returned to the main house, he was a bit surprised at a few details he had missed. For one, his mother, Todoroki Rei, had already been discharged from the mental ward, faring well and welcoming him back with a big, warm hug and fat tears rolling down her cheeks. It also seemed that things were a lot better between his parents, but some of them still held reluctance to forgive their father.

Particularly him and Natsuo.

Enji was aware of their hatred towards him, hence he would talk to them politically, as Enji the CEO of the Endeavor Corp., not as their own father. Touya believed it was only fair. He would've resorted to violence if that wasn't the case. Speaking of which, that was another reason, he returned.

"I have to settle things between this family and me once and for all," he informed them on the first day of his return. "I need to talk to Father."

He knew what Enji would say to him. His father will apologize and be remorseful over what happened. He will also mention about him being his successor in the future, even though he was having none of it.

"I don't need that title anymore," Touya coldly argued, resisting the urge to punch him in the face as he knew he wouldn't defend himself after everything he had done to them since they were kids. "Not from you, specifically."

Enji understood. Touya meant, "I will have that title by my own hands, not because you passed it to me cheap because Shouto didn't want it anymore." Afterwards, his father explained everything he was required to do before his first day in the company. He also mentioned something along the lines of, "You need to undergo rehab and therapy for a while. I knew what you have been up to these past seven years with your cigarette addiction and alcoholism."

Before, Touya would violently react, would be against his decision and say, "You're just scared because I might surpass you." Now, he just nodded at his direction much to Enji's surprise.

"Why are you so shocked? You think I will half-ass my return to this family?" Touya questioned, slightly mocking him.

"I know you wouldn't," Enji commented.

And before Touya left his office, he added: "Just so you know, I am not doing this for the family."

Enji raised a questioning brow.

"I'm doing this because of a certain someone."

------

The first few months of Touya's rehab and therapy were tough as shit, gnawing at him like sharp nails and digging his soul like he was trapped in darkness. He felt overwhelmed by everything, talking about his feelings all day, breaking out of his shell, and slightly wanting to just break things and be alone. Touya craved darkness at some point, the urge to be violent creeping on his shoulder like the devil even though a rational part of him warned him that it would not be the best choice. He wanted to destroy himself at this point, missing the familiar pain his piercings left on his ears and nose. He was breathing hard to calm himself, persuading his brain to shut its damn trap.

It's getting annoying, fucking shit. Everything's been chaotic.

The first few days were blank, spending it staring at mindless paintings and counting how many times the water from the faucet dropped in the sink. It was eerie yet relaxing, the silence enveloping him like a plague until it bit back to tell him how much madness he needed to unleash but couldn't. He secretly had his mp3 player in his pocket, and he would watch the door and the shadow underneath, checking if someone would come in. To this day, he still couldn't take it out.

He missed that damn voice, but he needed to be patient. He shouldn't miss her. He shouldn't think about her. This is nothing, he convinced himself. This is nothing compared to all the abuse I've endured before. The angry stare. The hateful remarks. The violent beatings. The disapproval underlying Enji's tone. His rough hand smacking him in the face. The burning scars left on his skin from the heating iron. The pitiful stares. The blood he spat from his mouth.

Everything.

EVERYTHING.

I WANNA DIE.

Out of panic, he quickly reached for the mp3 player from his pocket, a secret he kept from the treatment center. He wasn't supposed to have any gadgets with him, but he knew he had to. He couldn't drink alcohol. He couldn't smoke a stick to curb this annoying feeling. He cannot destroy shit. But he had to hear that soothing voice. He had to endure.

He put in the earbuds and played the audio, his breathing coming down in sighs as he felt himself relaxing.

"Touya..."

"Yes, call me that," he said to no one, tears streaming down as he smiled in satisfaction.

"Touya..."

"Touya..."

"Are you awake?"

"I made you breakfast."

"Touya..."

"Do you want me to take an off day from work?"

"Yes," he answered, hugging the pillow beside him and imagining it was her. "Just stay. Stay with me."

"Touya..."

"I love you..."

"Touya..."

I love you too.

------

Touya has learned something, and that therapy was another form of circle from hell, or that was just him. He heard people preach about therapy all the time, that undergoing therapy healed them, made them see the light at the end of the tunnel, and had them humbled in a way they could never explain. Touya wished it was the same for him, but nah. It wasn't. Therapy was another circle from hell. It made him too vulnerable, too open he could feel the burnt scars on his skin itching too much the more the therapist asked him about himself.

He also thought his therapist couldn't care less about his minimal responses, the first few days boring him as the man asked about his name, how old he was, what he did for a living after he ran away, what helped him cope—you know, the basic questions every therapist could ask for.

"Todoroki Touya. 26. I did odd jobs. Alcohol. Cigarettes. Fighting."

The therapist looked displeased, he noted. He probably wanted more answers than that.

"Have you been in therapy before?"

"No."

"What do you expect from this session?"

"I don't know."

"Why are you seeking therapy?"

If he was being honest, Touya's answer would be: "I don't know? Just to get this shit done, I guess?" Not like he would be rude now. After all, he returned as Todoroki Touya after seven years of rebelling. He should keep his damn trap if he wanted them all back.

Even her.

"Do you want to become a better person?"

"Yes."

next chap

masterlist

[bazaarwords]

thank you @why-does-it-matterr​! i think i got a little carried away, but i hope you enjoy!

cw: descriptions of injuries

-

There was a place she used to go to after the Order had days like these. Bad days. Ones that left her numb.

Historically, the place is both tangible and not—a lonely tower at the Cat’s Cradle, and once there, a few long moments of contemplation. But her old home is a long way away, and so Beatrice finds the part of her mind that needs this kind of treatment and sends it elsewhere. As for her body, she deigns to get to work instead of separating herself. The OCS may not be her world anymore, but there are wounded. People she cares for.

In the wreckage of their makeshift hideout, Beatrice wonders if maybe it’s never been the events of the day that seep the feeling from her. Maybe it’s always been this—this thing she must do to herself in order to succeed. Months of wandering have not divested her of the need to perform. The months have, however, been a reminder of all she’s lost.

She sets her feelings aside. There are things to do.

The first order of business: Camila’s shoulder is out of socket, and for all their collective expertise, Beatrice remains the best candidate to set it. Years ago, before the Order had swept her away, she’d spent a long summer volunteering in a hospital. It’s not the medical training she’d received afterwards, but the exposure was, at the very least, an advantage.

“Ready?” She asks, although she knows that Camila is always ready.

Camila, in the kind way she does all things, just smiles as if Beatrice is the one that needs the reassurance. She nods. “Go for it.”

Camila doesn’t flinch. She lets out a long, measured breath and she says, “ow” and she laughs at herself. Beatrice would like to take the time to laugh with her, but her joy is locked up in that faraway place. She squeezes Camila’s other shoulder, helps her into a sling made of a torn shirt, and moves on to the next.

Sister Dora has twisted her wrist. It’s discolored and swollen, but her bones are, thankfully, intact.

“A tarask,” she explains, “I thought it’d… well, I thought it’d kill me but…”

But she came back, Beatrice thinks to herself, searching the wreckage for wood to make a splint. She saved you.

She blinks that away—she has to. Sister Dora must notice her reticence. She doesn’t complete her thought. So Beatrice secures Sister Dora’s arm, and she moves on.

Yasmine has taken a glancing blow to the head, and Mother Superion has opted to stay up with her in the wake of the fight to monitor the damage.

“I’m okay,” Yasmine says when Beatrice comes by, holding up a placating hand. “I mean—I remember my name, so. So that’s good, right?”

Superion offers the smallest of smirks. It’s fond, not hard-won. “Yes, Yasmine,” she says, and rises up on unsteady footing. It’s not the new, halo-resurrected Superion.

“What happened?” Beatrice asks, firmer than she’d meant to. Emotions are nebulous when she settles into this way.

Superion shakes her head. “Nothing that should concern you. A few bruises.” She gives Beatrice a meaningful look—one she’s not present enough to catalogue. “There’s a cot in the back. Rest. We’re fine here.”

It sounds like an order, and even though she’s put the church behind her, she still respects Mother Superion. She can still recognize that she’s done all she can for the group, within reason. So she makes her way to the back room, feeling nothing. She sits on the edge of the cot, feeling nothing. She shrugs off her outer layers, feeling nothing.

Her mind has been in that faraway place, however, and as she returns to herself, everything sinks in.

While information comes in in pieces, on thing is for certain—there’s pain, everywhere. It would make the most sense to take stock of the worst places, the ones that need her immediate attention, but when feeling rushes back into her, the only thing she can think is that she needs to get out of this room and to wherever she’s gone—

There’s a jolt, razor sharp in the already excruciating throb of her abdomen. It’s quite obviously from when she’d been launched across a courtyard. The intensity winds her halfway to standing and her hip smarts as soon as she’s fallen back to the cot. She tells herself several times that she needs to get herself back in that empty place, that world where she feels nothing. Above all things, she needs to be there because she needs to find Ava.

A week prior, there had been a desperate call for help, a train from the small Finnish town she’d wandered into the month before, and Beatrice had found herself right back in the fray. Seeing the faces of her friends again after all their time apart had been bittersweet. When the fight had come to them, she’d remembered the last words Lilith had said to her. A holy war.

Despite her best efforts, she’s in the middle of it.

“Fuck,” she says, because she curses now. Because she knows that her knee is going to give out if she tries to stand. Because she’s effectively trapped herself in this room.

Frustration wells up in her like a lit fuse.

Assess the damage, she thinks, because what the hell else can she do?

The buttons of her shirt are slow work, her hands are weak from gripping her machine gun, her knives, the side of a building as she hoisted herself and Yasmine back to safety.

God is lost to her now, but it is a miracle that none of her injuries have drawn blood. A massive swath of skin along her side is purple and yellow but unbroken—it is the very worst of things. It hurts to draw breath, and hurts even more to bend and pull her pant leg up past her knee, to find the skin there in much the same condition. Upon further inspection, her hip, too, is a wild mess of bruises.

She’s a wreck, and what do they have to show for it? A few inches of ground? A few battered nuns, scrounging up whatever tools they can find?

Ava.

They have Ava. She just… doesn’t know where.

Beatrice had seen it happen as if in a dream.

The blinding light from above, the shockwave that had sent the tarasks flying in all directions, but hadn’t so much as nudged the sisters. When she’d looked, it was Ava’s form in the center of the light—Beatrice would know it anywhere, in any world—flickering in and out. She remembers shouting, desperate, stumbling through the wreckage. The details from there are hard to recollect. It’s when she’d been grabbed and thrown, it’s when the fight had resumed and she’d lost sight of Ava.

But she had seen her. That she’s certain of.

She closes her eyes, wincing as she tilts her head to the ceiling. The breath she tries to take is shallow and does nothing to steady herself.

“Beatrice?”

The pain of movement is forgotten, the voice like a ribbon of gold around her heart.

There’s Ava. There’s Ava.

The breath is gone in a rush, and Beatrice forgets the rest of the pain and she tries desperately to stand, to run, to move. Her leg gives out and Ava’s on her in a second, easing her back down.

“Ava,” she says, voice breaking, throat tight, “Ava.”

Ava kneels in front of her and she takes Ava’s face in her hands and she can’t look away. Suddenly, that place she goes—the one that is empty and lonely is filled with life. Filled with Ava. And she’s here, she’s real and alive and breathtaking in all the ways that Beatrice has loved. Loves. She feels nothing but it, looking at Ava.

“Bea,” Ava says, fingers wrapped around Beatrice’s wrists like they’ve been fused there. “Bea, you—you’re hurt.”

“You’re here,” Beatrice responds—nothing else matters. “Ava, you’re—“ She doesn’t have other words.

It should hurt to speak. It should hurt to lean forward, but then her lips are on Ava’s and nothing hurts, everything aches. Ava makes a small noise that lets loose something in Beatrice’s chest, and she wants to draw Ava closer, but her body betrays her, her whole side lighting up as if on fire. As if to remind her that respite is fleeting. But she doesn’t care, nothing else matters—

Ava notices her wince and pulls away. It hurts to try to pull her back, but still Beatrice tries. “Fuck,” Ava says, voice shaky, “Bea—hold on. You need—“

“I need you to not leave. I’m fine, I promise.”

“I’m not—you’re not fine, your—oh, God, Bea your side—“

Another Beatrice might have taken modesty into consideration. Her shirt is wide open, her trousers undone, and Ava is knelt before her, a hand on her bare knee. She just—she just wants so keenly that the constant, painful reminders of her body’s journey through battle feel like they’re killing her. She wants to pull Ava up and on to her lap, she wants Ava’s mouth on hers again, she wants, she wants, she wants. And maybe it’s her pilgrimage and her seperation from the church that’s allowing her this clear revelation, or maybe it’s just the relief to be in the same room as the girl she loves. Maybe that’s all it’s ever been.

“Let me… shit, I don’t know how good I am at this yet.” Ava focuses down on Beatrice’s splotchy, wounded knee, and the dark room is slowly illuminated by the glow of the Halo.

It feels… itchy, at first. It’s not a scab, but the injury takes on the properties of one—Beatrice tamps down the overwhelming need to scratch or pat at it, but then—as soon as it began—it’s gone. Ava pulls her hand away and the skin is as normal as it’s ever been. An oblong scar where bone is closest to skin from one too many skinned knees, but other than that? Nothing.

“How did you…” Beatrice trails off, swinging her leg back and forth easily.

“I’d… you know, I’d really like to explain it, but, uh. I have no fucking idea.”

Beatrice can’t help it, she laughs, a little hysterical. And then she wants to throw up.

“Don’t—no laughing. Stop it,” Ava says with a worried smile. She sets the tips of her fingers at the massive bruise on Beatrice’s side, and Beatrice can’t tamp down the shiver that rockets through her at the feeling. “Sorry. Sorry, I just need to...” Ava says, her voice thick, “just let me…”

The Halo does its work again, scrubbing her pain from her, raw and red until it’s not anymore. Beatrice takes a breath, and there is no pain.

“Good?” Ava asks.

“Good,” Beatrice responds. She wants that to be the end of it, but when she tries to move in again—“I think there’s another…”

Herein lies the problem. Her hip.

Ava looks down, and they’re in the middle of a war, but Beatrice wonders if she closes her eyes for just a moment, maybe they’ll be back in the Alps. Maybe there, this touch is necessary for another reason. Maybe Ava is looking up at her like this and maybe nothing has ever been wrong.

But they’re in the blown-out remains of a church, and there are demons everywhere, and in her darkest moments she’d worried that this—her and Ava—was lost for good.

Ava hovers over her bruise, and Beatrice nods. Ava is delicate, fingers light over her hipbone. This is not the time to wish for another life, but still she does. And for the first time in months, the wish has legs. It climbs out of that place she goes and it smiles at her, and Ava smiles at her too, proud of her work.

Beatrice draws her in, and the war rages on, but there are no more lonely places.

She has Ava. It’s enough.

[misguidedasgardian]

The Winter Sun (25)

25. A sea of doubt

MASTERLIST

Summary: The final battle approaches 

Pairing: Cregan Stark x Fem!Targaryen Reader 

Warnings: Cursing, medieval and asoiaf customs, AGE GAP, Cregan is 12 years OLDER than reader), arranged marriage, mentions and implied non-con and involuntary imprisonment, birth of a baby and all that comes with it,, fear of miscarrying, might miss some warnings

+18, MINORS DNI

Wordcount: 2.9 k

Notes: uffff HERE IT ISSSS OUR SECOND BABY

Aemond was preparing it all, he found in the small town adjacent to your castle a willing Septon, and your castle had a small chapel where the ceremony could be held.

Like his mother’s favorite child, he was close to the Gods, it meant quite a lot to him for you to be his in their eyes, under the faith of the seven, not under those false, Old Gods like the pagan Cregan Stark

He couldn’t be happier, you were getting heavy with his child, maybe two months shy of giving birth, it had to be soon.

But as he was getting ready to fetch you, having already prepared a dress and jewelry for you… he received an important letter from his men on Harrenhal

They were a week away to be surrounded by the Northerners and the Knights of the Vale, all of them together had come to destroy them. The spies had just spotted the great army marching past the Crossroads Inn

“The greatest army the seven Kingdoms had ever seen”

He only smiled because the bigger the army, the slower they were, and the easier way for him to burnt them all with his Dragon

But he needed to gather his own army , with the Baratheons and the Royal army, it was going to be easy to surround the army between them and Harrenhal, and from there it was going to be an easy defeat.

But he had to postpone the ceremony

His child might be born a bastard

But no matter, his brother will declare him legitimate, and he was going to marry you afterwards anyways. 

He went to say goodbye to you, he found you as he always did, with a sad look on your eyes and a tight line as your lips. 

The only thing you said to him was

“I wish you good fortunes in the wars to come, my prince”, and the only thing he said was to promise you he was going to come back before the baby comes, you didn’t want him to

With that in his mind, he left you in your home once again, climbing into Vhagar’s back, and flying away 

You saw the monstrous dragon flying away from your home and you could only feel relief, your own dragon flying around the cliffs she knew so well, and you prayed to the Old Gods that Aemond would never return again.

Because every breath that you drew was agony, when you think about Rickon, it had been months in which he had been growing without you, and your only wish was to see him again, to take him in your arms and hug him against your chest. Your hand went instinctively to your belly, feeling so conflicted

Was it Cregan’s? or was it Aemond’s?

You couldn’t escape Aemond, you couldn’t escape him taking you, and possibly impregnating you, but, you could escape being married to him.

Aemond had left, and he didn’t marry you before he did 

After that… threat, it felt like threat to you, marrying Aemond, there wasn’t really much you can do to avoid it, he couldn’t make you say the words, he couldn’t make you marry him, but right now, you didn’t feel like you had the strength to fight him, this baby was draining you of your energy constantly

If the Baby was Cregan’s, your due date should arrive very shortly… a few weeks maybe, your belly button had popped out of your belly, which happened right before Rickon was born… 

But your belly wasn’t as big as RIckon’s had been

The uncertainty was killing you. The prospect of your baby having dark hair will give Aemond exactly what he needed to send it back to Winterfell, another child you would not be able to raise as your own. The thought alone made you cry and as a deep ache had settled in your chest, you whined when you felt a pressure in your lower belly

“Ah!”, and then… a strong contraction. 

If it was Aemond’s baby, it was too soon

Too soon

And a crippling fear got a hold on you, thinking you might lose your unborn baby

“No no no, please!”, you cried, “please”, you didn’t think you could survive losing a child, so fat bitter tears fell down your eyes, “not yet, not yet ARGH!”, a contraction wrecked your body again, it was all so sudden

Your screams could be heard so loud in the castle, a maid was by your side in a second

“Your grace”, yes Aemond had insisted you would claim back your title of princess, “what is it?”

“It’s the baby”, you whined, “I think it’s coming!”, and if it was like you were calling it, your water broke, wetting the floor beneath you. You whimpered, more scared than in pain

It happened so quick

A cloud of pain numbed you, as the maid called in the castle’s midwife, who brought in a young assistant, they helped you out of your dress and put on you a soft night shift, they released your hair, and soon it stuck to your forehead with your sweat

They help you to the bed, it all happened so quickly.

“You are doing it great”, the midwife said sweetly

“What if it is too soon?”. you whined, “it’s a little over seven moons”, you explain. She look at you sweetly

“All is going to be fine, your grace”, she reassured you, and you believe her

You had felt your baby kicking all week, so you became certain it was going to be alright.

“AH!”, a strong and painful contraction made you rethink that statement, it was pain, pain all over. 

It was the worst pain you ever felt in your entire life.

With Rickon it all had been sudden, you had never felt anything like it, but it happened rather quickly, you had heard of women who had suffered for hours and hours, but Rickon came quickly and without much fuss

You were lucky

But you felt like your luck was running out

You whined when you saw the faces of the midwives and maids constricting more and more in worried gazed as minutes turned to hours.

It was tortuous, the pain came and went lin waves, hitting you hard like a storm against the rocks

“Push your grace! it’s time!”

And you did, with all your strength, you did, in what it seemed like hours of excruciating pain with no end.

And then… with a last push you expelled your baby from your body

And even though there was an end to the pain… there was nothing else…

Only silence

You stopped crying in relief, to start worrying

The midwife wouldn’t look at you, you trying to raise your head to look over the bloodied sheets but you couldn’t see anything either

“What is happening?”, you cried, “why isn’t he crying?”, they were tense minutes in which the only thing that could be heard was your labored breaths and then…

A cry, your baby’s cry

You cried with relief 

“It’s a healthy baby boy, your grace!”, the midwife said, “a little small, but he is strong as a horse!”, you were so relieved, so relieved to hear that, that you didn’t care when she placed your baby in your arms, and you saw his silver strands on his head.

Another son

You cuddled against your chest, he was crying his little lungs out, but as soon as he felt you, he got quiet, trying to open his eyes

He was so beautiful, still covered in afterbirth, but he was so small 

“Hello little one”, she was right, he was small, very much so, but still, he looked healthy, he had all his toes, all his fingers. You kissed his bloodied forehead, “my baby”, you whispered, “and mine alone”, you whispered

You felt incredibly relieved, he was well, healthy, and that is all that mattered

The maids cleaned your son, cleaned you, the bed, all of it. And let you be with your baby

A million thoughts were going through your mind once the maester came to see you and gave you milk of the poppy to soothe your aching body. You watched your son right next to you, sleeping, and you believed he didn’t look like Aemond nor Cregan, he was only a newborn.

Perhaps you were never going to know

But the white hair… he was small, that truly made you think, doubt, fear

Maybe Aemond was never going to come back to the castle, perhaps he was going to die, and he was going to leave you alone, in your home at least

What then?

If Aemond is not here, would you return to Winterfell? What about your new baby? was he going to be welcomed? Rickon needed you, he needed his mother, he needed you, the North had Sara to lead them until Rickon comes of age, but he was going to need you, but… Was the people of the North going to receive you?

There was so many things in your mind, that you barely heard when a maid entered your room slowly and gently 

“What is it?”, you asked softly

“I need to speak to you, your grace”, she said, she seemed nervous

“Speak”, you encouraged gently, caressing your son’s cheek, you wondered how you were going to name him, Aemond had barely suggested names.

“Your grace, now that the baby is here”, the maid, the oldest one, that had known you since you were a child, approached you, “I need to tell you something”

“What is it?”, you asked, concerned

“Prince Aemond went to fight the Northerner army”, she said, and that truly surprised you, “and the knights of the Vale, but also… Daemon Targaryen''

“Daemon?”, you asked, amazed, “really?”, she nodded enthusiastically. 

“I heard him talking to the maester, the Northerner army gathered, it is one of the greatest the seven kingdoms has ever seen”

Daemon was the only one who could face Aemond and actually have a chance, but his chance will certainly increase if…

You helped him

“Why are you telling me this?”, you asked her

“Queen Rhaenyra sits the iron Throne”, you gasped, “the only Green army left is in Harrenhal, the last stand of the Greens!”, she said

“Rhaenyra sits on the Iron Throne?”, you asked, wanting to cry from happiness

“Yes!”, she said, “and the final battle is going to be fought in Harrenhal!”

You looked at your baby in your arms, it could only take two days for you to be ready again. You could go to Harrenhal, nobody was going to stop you, you could leave your baby here, he was going to be safe… but you doubted, what if Aemond made it, and attacked you? he could kill you… 

And then, your baby, with silver hair, he opened his eyes and revealed a pair of icy blue eyes, gray almost, just like Cregan’s

You gasped.

He truly could be Cregan’s, you had to fight for the Northerners!, you had to help them, you had to help end this madness

Aemond had arriveD before everyone, but thanks to his spies he knew the army was within a two day march away from the castle

He was tempted to go and meet them halfway and burn them all

But his army was halfway as well

It needed to be decisive and a powerful hit to the Black forces.

And after this, he was going to retake the capital and save his mother and sister. His drunk of a brother could be gone for all he cared, he was going to be King next. 

ALL WAS GOING TO BE WELL 

He had the girl, he was going to have a child, he was going to become king, who cared if he had to betray and force his way into it? it is what he deserved

As he grabbed the stones of the battlements of Harrenhal, and looked beyond those lands to the North, he breathed in all the excitement for the battles to come. 

But as soon as the sun set on the very next day, Aemond, with horror, saw the wood surrounding Harrenhal lit up with a hundred thousands of torches. Threatening him,  teasing him, they surrounded the huge fortress completely, there was no way out for him

If he had been only a simple man.

That night Harrenhal, and all the men within didn’t sleep. The Northerners and the Knights of the Vale blew horns and played the drums all night long, to completely destroy the morale of the soldiers within the burnt walls.

And it had worked

Aemond haven't sleep a wink the whole night, he didn’t even attempt to go to bed, he just stood over the battlements until the very first light, were this own soldiers started to prepare

The captains of the small group of soldiers came to him, asking him what they were going to do about the huge army waiting like a hungry wolf to a dying prey in front of it, and yet not doing anything.

Aemond had to win some time, his own army could surround them, press them against the castle, and then they could hit them from above and from inside, and the Baratheons and the royal army led by Criston was going to kill them from the back

Oh if only

As he was organizing the boiling of thousands of gallons of oil that was going to be dropped over the heads of the savages from the North, when Aemond heard a sharp growl that made him tremble, although he was never going to admit it

The biggest army in the world was not alone

His uncle had come for him

“I want her to know I’m here”, said Cregan,a s he looked amongst the trees at the high walls of Harrenhal

“She probably believes you are dead”, muttered Deamon, looking at him, the love he saw in the Stark’s eyes was incredible

“I don’t care, remember what I said, no destruction to the castle, we don’t know where she is…”

“Yes, I know”, he said, almost bored. Daemon put his helmet on, and then walked towards Caraxes, climbing to his saddle, and then he commanded him to fly

And the battle started.

Caraxes flew over Harrenhal teasing Aemond and Vhagar. The greens distributed their efforts in all points of the battlements, following the lead of the Blacks that had surrounded the castle, but now, early in the morning they marched towards the weakest point of the walls, focusing all the efforts in one point of the walls. 

The wall was overrun was the Knights of the Vale siege weaponry pretty easily, half day in and they already where breaching the walls

The battle was brutal

Specially when the Baratheons and the remains of the usurper’s royal army arrived and attacked the forces of the blacks that were yet to enter the castle wall’s

A battle that was going to be told throughout the ages,

The castle was quickly overrun, but every soldier of the black forces waited for Cregan’s command. The Stark had clear instructions that he was to be the one to enter the castle first with his best twenty men. The goal was to find you, and the people inside didn’t suffer the cruelties of war. He wanted to secure you first, before he could let his soldiers take the castle.

But he couldn’t find you anywhere

You weren’t here

He felt a desperation inside his chest.

You knew that monster might hurt you, the way sick men harm women, but he could never guess that he could… actually end your life

No, he couldn’t lose hope, he had survived to find you, you couldn’t be gone. No, he believed Sara’s visions, you had so much to life together, you had to be still of this world.

As he was hastily walking towards a huge window… he heard it.

He ran towards it so he could see outside towards the skies, he would recognize that growling anywhere.

Just as Vhagar and Caraxes intertwined in a mortal embrace to kill each other, another dragon soared the skies, a white, huge dragon 

Vhaelar

Vhagar met Caraxes in the skies, he was quickly to bit his wings, but the blood wyrm turned in the air, scratching the Queen of dragon’s chest and making her release him. That is when Vhaelar appeared from between the skies.

Aemond couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

For a second he believed you had come to his aid, but his idea quickly disappeared when Vhaelar close her huge jawa surrounding VHagar’s neck

Caraxes took the opportunity to burn the old dragon’s body and then bit off one of his huge wings.

You were in the air, fighting with dragons.

Cregan saw with wide eyes as you took the Queen of Dragons off of the skies. Vhaelar released Vhagar, that fell limply to the lake underneath. The water column that formed when VHagar fall into the lake was as tall as the castle, but nobody would ever believe it. 

Your huge she-dragon kept herself on the air with the help of her huge wings, and just as Daemon’s Caraxes was also trying to keep himself in the air, he was hurt, but he was going to be alright in time. 

But under Cregan’s and Daemon’s surprised gaze, you made your dragon turn around in the air, and flied away

Cregan whined, concerned, as fast as you had came, you were leaving Harrenhal without even stepping a foot within its walls

Without the support of a dragon the Green forces were done for.

They were completely alienated, having captured Lord Borros Baratheon, Criston Cole and another important men

But Cregan couldn’t care less about that.

He needed to find you. 

More notes!: So... are you still with doubts? hehehe, so he is small... so he could be Aemond's... and has silver hair, but it has eyes with a similar color as Cregan's... and reader did spend a rough period with Aemond without much eating and drinking... so it could be that... anyways I'm not a doctor JEJEJE

A little messy I felt, but I really wanted to write this, up next we will see the reader's POV and FINALLY THE REUNION

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[allmoshnobrain]

𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

part 28 of ? | masterpost

word count: 2167 | ao3 link | fic's playlist

For the first time in days, I felt something beyond apathy, even if it was a messy mix of sadness, anger, and confusion. How could he think I hated him? How could he think I didn't love him, that he wasn't enough, that I wouldn't do anything to have him around? It wasn't fair. It was tearing me up inside.

✦ on this chapter: dave mustaine x female!oc, james hetfield x female! oc, oc is cliff's cousin, +18, language, slice of life, angst, love triangle

✧ On the night that we met / I looked cool, rolling cigarettes / You were fooled by my jokes / I was too, I didn't know you / And I woke up alone / In a frozen, broken home / And my cousin gave me the flu / So, I flew back to L.A., but not back to you ✧

Cliff stuck around for most of the next week. If my parents found it odd that I moved back in with them and got dumped by my boyfriend out of nowhere, they didn't say a word. Honestly, I hadn't seen them so thrilled in ages. Yet, in my bitter and gloomy state, I could only picture that their joy, especially my mom's, had more to do with having me back under their thumb, away from friendships and romances they didn't approve of, than actually having their daughter back in their lives.

A couple of days later, Cliff and my dad rolled out to grab my stuff. I felt kinda bad for dragging Cliff into all this mess; first, he drove all the way from LA to Long Beach to bring me home on that rainy Sunday, and then he had to make the trip back to LA to snag my motorcycle and all the other junk still hanging around the apartment Dave and I used to share. Even if I had the guts to go, I knew Cliff and my dad wouldn’t have let me. So, I just stayed behind in Long Beach, sprawled on my bed, watching the sunlight lazily dance across the ceiling, the hours ticking away without any real purpose.

Of course, Cliff offered to help me unpack everything afterward; I figured he just wanted to make sure I wouldn't try to tackle it solo. I'd been so zoned out and drained during the last few days that anything that could be remotely unsettling to me had become a shared concern between him and my parents. I played it cool, ignoring the hushed comments they exchanged when they thought I couldn't hear; their worries about how fragile I supposedly was, that I might not be strong enough to bounce back.

I just sat on my bed, watching in silence as Cliff lugged in box after box; my clothes, my records, my whole life from the past few months, all packed and sorted like it meant nothing. He dropped the last box on the floor with a grunt before settling down next to me on the bed.

"Ready?" he asked, his fingers running through my dark brown hair, untangling some of the knots that had formed in the past few days. Despite my mom's attempts to help me, I hadn't mustered the strength to care about my appearance lately. I shook my head no, my gaze unfocused, and Cliff held my hand before saying, "Hey, it's okay. We can head downstairs, grab a bite. What do you think?"

"No," I murmured, my voice coming out hoarse and faltering from lack of use. "No, let's get this over with now."

"Okay," Cliff said, getting up, seeming pumped that I had finally said something. It hit me that those were indeed my first words of the day. "I'll grab this box with your clothes, and you can sort out that small one over there."

I sighed, giving a nod. Despite not being a pro at organizing my room, Cliff kept pushing to shield me, tackling the bulkier and trickier tasks. It didn't really lift my spirits; if anything, I felt guilty for piling all this work on him. But I pushed those thoughts away as I sat on the floor, cracking open a box and checking out what was inside.

I let out a sigh when I stumbled upon my vinyl record collection, and there was my jewelry box tucked into an extra space. I grabbed it, popping it open and blinking when I found an envelope inside. I tore it open, pulling out the blue necklace Dave had given me for my birthday. I hadn't worn it when I went to grab my jacket at Mike's house, but now its chain was broken, and that made my throat tighten because I knew it was intact the last time I had it on.

I couldn't help but wonder if Dave had broken it, if his anger toward me was so intense that he wanted to wreck one of the gifts he'd given me. Giving the envelope a shake to be sure there was nothing else inside, a little piece of paper tumbled into my lap. I picked it up, curious, my eyes filling with tears as I read what was written on it.

I'm sorry for being such a shitty person. I never meant to hurt you; I'm so sorry I wasn't enough. Just please promise you won't forget me, or at least that you won't hate me forever.

I started bawling before even finishing the note, tossing the paper away. For the first time in days, I felt something beyond apathy, even if it was a messy mix of sadness, anger, and confusion. How could he think I hated him? How could he think I didn't love him, that he wasn't enough, that I wouldn't do anything to have him around? It wasn't fair. It was tearing me up inside.

Cliff swiftly ditched the box he was packing and plopped down next to me, giving me a tight hug, pulling me close to his chest as tears rolled down my face. He hoisted me up like it was nothing, carrying me over to my bed and lying down beside me, wrapping me up in his arms and whispering that everything would be okay. I could barely hear him, though, drowning in my own distress.

It took a while for me to calm down, but he didn't leave my side for a second, his fingers running through my hair in a comforting move as I buried my face in his chest. When my tears finally dried up, all that lingered was silence; silence and exhaustion as I tried to brush off the pulsating emptiness in my chest.

"Maybe you should talk to him," Cliff finally murmured, sounding hesitant, like his words might trigger another round of tears, which, honestly, wasn't too far off the mark. "If you like him so much, you should talk to him."

"Cliff, I can't... I can't do it," I whispered, my voice faltering. And it was true; I couldn't talk to him without breaking into tears. Worse, if he didn't want to listen, if he didn't want to believe me, it felt like I could shatter into a million pieces. All I wanted was to have him back, but I didn't know what I would do if he rejected me, if nothing worked out, and that scared me beyond words.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm sorry," he said, kissing my cheek and holding me close. "It will pass, I promise. Everything will be okay."

I gave a nod, sniffling as I wiped my face, that same apathy from before hitting me even harder. But Cliff's embrace made me feel a bit better. It was like slipping into something familiar: the scent of his skin, his hair, just like back in the day when we were kids and used to crash at each other's places, just to end up sleeping on the same bed. I couldn't help but feel grateful he was there with me.

"You know..." Cliff started, then hesitated. "James really cares about you. You know he didn't want this to happen, right?"

I stayed silent. Thinking about James over the past few days was something I consciously avoided, mostly because I was pissed. Not necessarily at him, but more about how everything went down between us. He'd tried calling me a few times since Sunday, but I swerved all his calls. I just didn't have the energy to deal with him right now, to unravel the whirlwind of emotions he stirred up. And I knew that, despite all the pain from the breakup with Dave, my feelings weren't any less intense: I still loved him, and that hurt me the most.

Cliff didn't push it. We just hung there, wrapped up in each other's arms until I eventually crashed out. Despite it all, being with him made me feel secure; sheltered and loved, for the first time since everything went sideways.

Things didn't exactly get easier after Cliff left. He didn't want to bail, but I knew he had band commitments and, let's be real, there was no legit reason for him to keep babysitting me. Those wounds weren't magically gonna heal overnight, after all.

December rolled in, and my parents decided to whisk me off on a European trip to shake things up. Yet, despite the change of scenery, it was hands down one of the crappiest New Year's of my life. I'd paid a jeweler to patch up the chain of my necklace, and started wearing it as a bracelet all the time. At first, that hurt too, but as days rolled by, the pain and sadness twisted into a strange kind of fondness.

Post New Year's, we rolled back to Long Beach. While my parents were busy fine-tuning their grand plans for my education over the next few years, I was on a mission to piece myself back together, bit by bit. Long Beach hadn't changed much in a year, and I found myself gravitating back to some of my high school buddies. Charlotte, a Drama Club friend, became my main go-to. She'd hopped on the theater train after graduation, and I started tagging along to rehearsals, first as a spectator, then as an assistant.

Most importantly, I dove back into art, especially drawing. Most of the time, I ended up sketching everything I could recall about Dave — his hands, his hair, his eyes, the curve of his lips, the way his nose crinkled when he grinned. All the things I longed to have back. All the things I couldn't bear to forget. Turns out, my drawing and painting skills, though a bit rusty from the neglect, hadn't completely ditched me.

The end of January rolled in fast. On a particularly chilly and gloomy day, I got a call from Cliff.

"Hey, Nore," he greeted me, the usual laid-back tone in his voice.I could almost picture him chilling on the couch, probably puffing on a cigarette while holding the phone with one hand. "How are you?"

"I... I'm okay," I replied, though the truth was, I was still working on getting there. "And how 'bout you guys?"

"Ah, we're good. Same old," Cliff answered. I hesitated. I almost asked if he had any news about Dave, but then it hit me — I was scared as hell to hear the answer. Scared he hated me. Scared he forgot me. Scared he moved on, or worse, still loved me. So, I didn’t ask, and he didn't tell me. "Listen, I got an invite for you."

"An... Invite?" I asked, a bit on edge. I'd been cocooning myself in a bubble for the past few months, keeping crazy busy to dodge thinking about all the drama with me, Dave, and James. I wasn't sure if I was ready to peel away from the safety of that isolation, but I figured I might as well hear Cliff out. "What invite?"

"Well, the guys and I locked in a tour... in Europe. Just a handful of gigs, you know, but I was thinking if you'd be up for joining us."

"Oh. I literally just got back from Europe, Cliff. Spent New Year's there."

"Really? I had no clue," the classic irony in his voice made me scoff, rolling my eyes. "I won't bug you if you're not up for it, but it's gonna be our first international tour. Oh, and we're opening for Venom, by the way. I just reckon you'd be a dummy to pass on this chance."

"Alright, fine. I'm in," I agreed, more to keep him happy than for any other reason. My stomach did a bit of a flip, the thought of facing Lars, Kirk, and especially James again stirring up a cocktail of excitement, nervousness, and anxiety. "But you gotta work your magic on my parents."

"I've already had a chat with them. Your old man thought it'd be a good plan for you to shake things up a bit. It's just ten days; we'll be back before you know it. Deal?"

"Okay," I murmured, trying to suppress the little grin that insisted on spreading through my face. "I'll go, then."

"Cool, I'll tell the others," Cliff replied, his laid-back tone now tinged with excitement. "I'm stoked you're coming... Missed you, you know?"

"Yeah, I missed you too," I said with a smile.

For a second, it almost felt like I could shove the sadness that had been trailing me for weeks into the background. I'd been to gigs before, sure, but tagging along on a tour was a whole new deal. And hell yeah, catching Venom live, one of the bands the guys and I worshiped, got me buzzing. Maybe, just maybe, letting myself get swept up in this distraction wasn't such a bad idea.

Maybe, just maybe, it was time to start living again.

✧ if you'd like to be tagged on the next parts, let me know and I'll add you to the tag list! ❤ ✧

tag list: @killazilla777

[coraniaid]

trick or treat!

This is another opening scene to a fic I never finished.

This one goes back a couple of years. It was going to be a Dawn POV Season 6 AU in which the Scooby Gang break Faith out of prison early. Never really quite worked out exactly what I wanted to do with it beyond that premise: I had several ideas, but I never settled on how they'd all fit together.

But looking back at it now I think the intro isn't too bad, even if it's a bit rough in a few place.

The thing you have to keep telling yourself is this: Dawn isn’t real.  

Not properly real.  Not the way she used to think she was; not the way everybody else is.  See, until a year or so ago, she was just this mystical glowy ball of energy, floating about aimlessly somewhere in the universe.  She didn’t have a mom.  Didn’t have a big sister.  Didn’t really have much of anything, as far as she knows.  She can’t even tell you what that was like: she doesn’t remember any of it.  Maybe being a big green ball of energy didn’t feel like much at all.

Then last summer some stupid monks had cast a spell, and suddenly everyone remembered things a little differently.  Suddenly the Slayer has a sister; which meant that Buffy Summers had a sister.  Not a brand new sister either: all of a sudden Buffy had had a sister ever since she was just a little girl.  Suddenly an ancient mystical force that had existed since before the beginning of civilization was five foot tall, fourteen years old and in serious danger of flunking geography.

(And now, about a year later, she’s back to not having a mom again.  Or a sister.  That’s ironic, she thinks.  It's something, anyway.)

The point is, none of this happened quite the way Dawn remembers it.  It didn’t happen the way anybody else remembers it either.  She wasn’t really there, whatever the monks made people think.  Whatever they made her think.  She isn’t really real.

But she does remember it.

Dawn remembers meeting Faith for the first time almost three years ago.  She’d showed up the same month Buffy had come back from wherever she'd run off to in LA.  (Buffy had never told Dawn where she’s gone or what she’d done while she was there.)  That had been a bad summer.  Maybe worse than the months when Mom and Dad had gotten divorced; worse than the months before they'd all moved out to Sunnydale in the first place.

At least then, when things had gotten really bad -- all those shouted arguments late at night, lingering and smoldering on into the morning only to reignite the following evening -- she’d had Buffy to talk to.  To protect her.  To tell her that none of this was her fault.  That even when she heard her name, it wasn't really her they were talking about.  That Mom and Dad were fighting about boring grown-up stuff, like money or whose parents they’d go to visit for Christmas or the long hours Dad kept spending at the office.  She knew they still loved her, no matter what, because her big sister told her it was true.  And she'd known that whatever happened to their parents she’d always have her sister.  At least, that’s what she remembers thinking when she was too young to know better.

That summer though, she’d found out she was wrong.

It all started the night Mom found out about the Slaying.  The night the cops came looking for Buffy, talking about a murder.  The night Buffy had staked a vampire right in front of Mom.  The night they’d stopped being able to pretend.

Dawn had been upstairs, at the time.  Faking sleep.  At least, that’s how she remembers it. 

She remembers voices drifting up from the kitchen below.  Mom shouting at Buffy that she was crazy, that she had to go to the police.  Buffy raising her voice too, angry and frustrated.  Not backing down.  Dawn hadn’t heard what Mom said next.  She’d only found that out later.  She’d just heard – and felt – the kitchen door slamming shut in response.  She'd lain in bed for what felt like hours afterwards, with a pillow pulled over her head, just like she was a little kid again.

It was only much later, by chance, that she found out what Mom had said.  If you walk out this house, don’t even think about coming back.

Afterwards, when Buffy had gone, she’d crept back downstairs.  Found Mom still in the kitchen, head in her hands, staring at the door.  And maybe Dawn was kind of furious – even not knowing what her Mom had said yet, she’d had a premonition that some sort of line had been crossed, that she wouldn’t see Buffy again for a while – but Mom just looked so sad, sitting there by herself.  Worse than she ever had during the divorce.  Like she didn't know what to do.

So Dawn had bitten back whatever it was she’d been planning on saying, whatever she'd thought about saying in Buffy's defense, and just reached over and given her mother a hug.  They’d just stayed there, together, waiting to see what happened next.

(Except, of course, she hadn’t done that.  She hadn’t been there at all.  It hurts, now, to think that she hadn’t been there.  Not in real life.  That Mom had had to go through that summer all alone.  Just like Buffy had, out in LA.  She hadn't been there for either of them.  She couldn't have been.  She wasn’t real.  She's never really been real.)

Nobody had really thought Buffy was going to come back.  Not her friends -- clever, funny Willow and brave, reliable Xander -- and not her Watcher, stuffy old Mr. Giles.  And not Mom. That had been the big secret they'd all danced around for months.  Growing quiet whenever Dawn came into a room, looking at her all sad and serious.  Her sister was gone, their faces said, and she wasn't ever coming back.  They just hadn’t had the guts to say that to her face.

But Buffy had come back, eventually. Proved them all wrong. That was what Buffy did.  That time, anyway.  That time she’d come back.

And then – only a couple of weeks later – a new Slayer had arrived in Sunnydale.  Staked a vampire right outside the Bronze, made a big impression on all of Buffy’s friends, and invited herself back to Buffy’s house for dinner.  And that’s how Dawn remembers meeting Faith. 

Faith had been in the house for all of five minutes when Dawn realized she was probably the coolest person she was ever going to meet.  Way cooler than Xander.

And obviously Faith was, without even trying, immediately infinitely cooler than Buffy.  Her sister might have fought demons and dated a vampire and saved the world a few dozen times, but was still, at the end of the day, just Buffy.  Just her big sister: not as cool or as smart or as funny as she'd like to think.  Kind of a pain, if anything.

She was such a loser, and Dawn had missed her so much.   Buffy had proved her wrong too, when she shown up outside the front door that morning at the end of summer.  She hadn’t thought she was ever going to see her again.

She’d been so worried.

And now Faith was here, and everything was going to be okay.  She wasn't going to let anybody hurt Buffy again.

Yeah, right.

Dawn actually met Faith for the first time in her life earlier this afternoon.  Less than a week after Buffy’s funeral.  The doorbell rang, Dawn went to answer it, and there she was, looking just like Dawn remembered.  Maybe a little older, maybe a little less cocky.  But still Faith.  Still the girl who was supposed to have been Buffy’s replacement.  Still the girl who had come to their house for Christmas one year and had come back to hold a knife to her Mom's throat the next year.

And maybe Dawn isn’t real, maybe she isn’t supposed to be here.  But Faith’s not supposed to be here either.  She's a criminal.  She's a murder.   She's evil.

Faith’s meant to be in prison.  Where she belongs.

(And Buffy’s meant to be alive, but she…)

“Hey, kid.  I--”

Dawn had slammed the door in Faith’s face before she could say anything else.  Before she could lie to her.  Maybe she'd fooled her the first time, with her shoplifted leather jackets and her stupid lying stories and her five by five bravado.  But Dawn's not going to let her fool her again.  She’s not a dumb kid anymore.

(Later that night, when Dawn's let her guard down a little, Willow and Tara let Faith in.  Let her sleep on the couch in the living room, let her stay right in the house.  In her house. Buffy’s house.  As if she can just come back here and take over Buffy’s life after what she tried to do.  After what she did.)

Traitors, she thinks.

Sure, Dawn knows the arguments.  She’s heard them all plenty of times.

She knows that Willow had tried rebuilding that Buffy robot, but it was too badly damaged after the right with Glory.  That Willow and Tara can use magic to create the illusion of Buffy patrolling, but that the magic can’t make it physical.  That sooner or later the vamps are going to figure it out.  That the Hellmouth is still here, and they need a Slayer to watch over it.  And unless another Slayer was called, after Buffy -- which neither of them seems to know for sure -- that means they need Faith.

That's why they'd spent the summer casting spells and hacking into police computers, messing with her records to get Faith's sentence reduced to almost nothing.   That's why Dawn met her again (for the first time) today.  Because Angel says Faith is good now.  That she can be trusted.  That's she's going to protect them all.

She understands the arguments.

But that doesn't mean she has to like it.  It doesn't mean she has to accept it.

You don't belong here, she thinks that night, staring down at Faith's sleeping form suspiciously from the top of the stairs.  You were never supposed to be here.

But that's the thing though, isn't it?

Dawn was never meant to be here either.

[eff4freddie]

2 Sweet 4 Me | Epilogue

Dieter Bravo x AFAB Reader Words: 800 Warnings: None

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

A/N: Ok I couldn't leave these two where they were at the end of part three. I did say it was a love story. And I do think Dieter's come to a better place as a result of it. That's a happy ending, right?

Dieter shivered. He didn’t like LA, always found the place so phony, too constructed, but fuck if he didn’t prefer the weather. He pulled his jacket tight over his shoulders, holding it closed at the neck as he moved through the hotel lobby. He could see Rudy waiting, holding the front passenger door open for him, could see the paparazzi and the autograph hunters lining up for a piece of him. Dieter sighed. He’d taken that job you’d recommended, that little indie project with an up-and-coming director, and he’d accidentally resurrected his career with it. Prep was underway for awards season. He was exhausted by it already.

As he got into the car he waved to the fans out on the street, laughed when they screamed at him. As Rudy pulled away from the curb he settled in, letting the seat warmers ease his joints a little.

‘One day, Rudy, I’m gonna be the one driving,’ he said, and Ruby grinned at him.

‘Oh, don’t pretend you don’t love being a little passenger princess,’ Rudy playfully griped at him, and Dieter rolled his eyes.

‘I dunno man, it just feels a bit like I want to take the wheel in a few different ways,’ Dieter said, liking the metaphor. Rudy was quiet, watching the road.

He was heading to a screening, then a short Q&A afterwards, in a little theatre off Broadway that had maybe 150 seats. It was one of those intimate settings, SAG or whatever. Maybe Julliard. He couldn’t remember, they’d blurred together. This one was going to be industry people though, 150 of his peers and colleagues, some of them with voting rights. He was mostly going as part of the ensemble. He liked those, as it turned out. Less pressure on him.

He thought about you. Even though it had been months since you’d last been together, since he’d texted, sent you a handful of rambling voice notes, he still scanned every crowd for your face. Couldn’t help it, didn’t want to stop doing it, even though it hurt him he still preferred it to not hoping. He’d never been an optimist. Except when it came to you.

There had been one time a few weeks back, at the Arclight of all places, that he’d seen you. You had your hair up, and your date-night boots on, and he’d felt his stomach drop a little at the thought of it. Maybe it wasn’t you, it was just someone as beautiful as you, maybe he was pining so hard he’d started hallucinating you. He could see you were waiting for someone, but Dieter couldn’t stand around long enough to see who.

For a second, he’d imagined it was him. That you’d heard he was going to a matinee of Rashomon, that maybe you’d come out to catch the glimpse of him he was now enjoying of you. Or maybe you were waiting for him because he’d called you, and you’d answered this time, and because you’d agreed to meet him, to dip your toe back in. Maybe you were dressed up in your date boots because you knew that he would know what it meant, that this wasn’t a friend thing, that this was something else entirely. Maybe you were waiting for him to wrap you up in his arms, bundle you into the back of an uber and take you home, finally, home.  

Now, in the car with Rudy, he contemplated his own selfishness. Sober sober - not just LA sober - for the first time in a long time he remembered with better clarity the way he had hurt you, lied to you, tried to hide the ugly, dark sides of himself from you even when all you’d wanted was to stand alongside him in them. His sixth therapist had a couple of ideas why that might have been the case. He wanted to talk to you about them, get your thoughts, and knew that, too, was just selfishness.

Rudy pulled up to the theatre, just as it started to snow. He knew it was better this way for you. That this way you had a fighting chance at a future, at a family. But still, Dieter wondered if you would emerge in the backrow, pop up in New York somehow, drop in from some other industry event into this one. Just to see him, just to let him know you were there. Dieter knew it was impossible, and also, didn’t care. He wondered in that moment if you regretted things, felt a stab in his chest at the idea that you might. He wondered if you ever pined for him, reached out across a cold bed and felt for him. He wondered if you ever scanned the crowds looking for him, if he wanted you to, if he wanted that for you.

He wondered if he would ever be the kind of man he wanted to be, the one that finally put you first, your happiness, what you needed. If that would be enough to hold him. Wondered if wanting you, missing you, loving you still, if that was all it would be for him, if that would be enough. He schooled his features, prepared to swing the door open and step out. Decided, in the absence of any information to the contrary, that it would.  

Taglist: @harriedandharassed

@readingiskeepingmegoing

@missladym1981

@misstokyo7love

@ghostofzion

@dieterbravobrainrotclub

@the-feckless-wonder

@swankyorange

[nerdieforpedro]

Part Eight of "The Lake Between Us"

Binary Stars

Ezra AU x Seraphina (Plus size OFC)

This blog is for readers 18+ MDNI

Word Count: 1264

Warnings: Domestic fluff (98% bruh) and implied public sex (a dash because we simmer here like Ezra's gumbo)

Summary: The end or a new beginning? That's for Ezra and Seraphina to decide.

Notes: Thank you to everyone who has kept with me and supported this series. 🥰 I'm kinda sad to end their journey but I enjoyed the pacing and that they're two mature adults navagating a relationship. Let me know what you thought of the series overall. ❤️

Main Masterlist/ Ezra Masterlist/ The Lake Between Us Series

The subsequent six months led to a few changes. 

Most nights now ended at Ezra’s home, as he often had food in addition to himself waiting for Seraphina. She felt welcome and safe in his home. It slowly changed to reflect a few brighter colors, though she did stick to his theme of green. Mainly dark greens, reminiscent of forests and secluded places one might see while skating across the water atop his airboat. 

Sera had talked him into giving her a private tour a month after their initial dinner with Cee and Zora. She’d worn a soft pink sleeveless dress to match the sunset displayed over the water’s surface. Listening to him go over the history of the unique creatures and flora that inhabit the bayou and its depths made her smile. There may have been a good bit of celebrating on the airboat. Sera indulged Ezra’s request of her calling him captain at different volumes during their heated jubilations. Once back ashore, they had dinner on the dock overlooking the twilight, the sky seemingly settling in for the evening. The small round table had a chair on each side as they ate dinner. Afterward, there were two large wooden chairs that Seraphina assumes Ezra set up closer to the edge of the dock facing the water. While they shared a bottle of rum, Ezra asked her if she ever wanted to leave. The question begged a curious look from Sera.

“Leave and go where Ezra? Are you talking of moving somewhere? I’m not sure if you’ll be able to have such a job that favors your gift of gab. My options are fairly open. What state are you considering?”

A small chuckle at her answer, he kissed her cheek and took her hand in his, interlacing their fingers.

“You appear to imply that you would be coming with me, Moonbeam. For that I am eternally grateful. I pose a different question then. Will you stay with me and not leave my bed?”

A grin creeps over Seraphina’s face, lifting her hand, she kisses the back of Ezra’s tasting the salty tang of his sweat once more. A sigh leaves her as she recalls events not too long ago in which she saw the yellows, pinks and oranges weave themselves along his chest, arms, back and face. “Is it limited to the bed, or can I actually step foot in the house? I’m fine with you carrying me but there’s going to be a few logistical issues with this.” She has his hand rest against the left side of her chest as her eyes roll from their hands, along his arm toward his face. Ezra has the same look he normally does at Seraphina: like she’s delicate, dear and meant to be adored. “I believe you were asking me to live with you my dear captain.”

It was Ezra’s turn to smirk for he was aware the effect her calling him his title had on him. He turned his body toward hers, “Would you give this old scoundrel of a captain the privilege of knowing you’ll make a home with him? Knowing that he’ll keep all your appetites fed?”

Seraphina nodded and swiftly made contact with Ezra’s lips, holding for a moment before placing her forehead against his, “Even if I were to enter from the rear my dear captain, my presence would be known no matter my status. I don’t mind if you feel the need to hide me, as long as I am allowed in. Correct?” She’d quoted back to him what’d told her when they agreed to their first date along this very dock, many months ago. Moonbean sits back in her chair and Ezra keeps his eyes focused on hers. The captain sees a playful mischief in her eyes, the same ones that regard him with constant warmth that give him comfort along with her reassuring touches. The quote has his free hand land on her knee and draw small circles around the bone. 

“There will be no hiding you Sera. Everyone in my life who’s important already knows about you. You can enter the house any way you choose.” They share another laugh before looking back at the night sky. The moonlight glowed without clouds blocking it across the water’s surface. 

It took two months to combine their homes, sorting through possessions and marking more room for each other. Once that was complete, there was the question of what to do with Seraphina’s home. 

By this time, Cee graduated with honors with her degree in business administration and Zora had hers in English with a minor in history. They asked if they could use Seraphina’s home to open a restaurant. Sera was fine with it, Ezra negotiated terms with Cee in a dinner table discussion that took two hours, three sheets of paper and five napkins to come to an agreement. Zora and Sera napped on the couch during the latter part of the exchange. Once the guardian and charge agreed, they looked to their partners with mild annoyance that they’d found them boring enough to doze off. 

The house was being modified into a restaurant but keeping most of its original structure intact. Despite the small spats Ezra and Cee would have, when it was time to create a menu, he’s written out most of his recipes with measurements. They also accounted for some allergies and vegan preferences. “To get you and Zora started Birdie.” With a hug and a kiss to her cheek, Ezra handed over the handwritten notebook and both women thanked him. They set to practicing the recipes.

A month ago, after finishing and afternoon tour, Ezra found a gray fuzzy dog hiding under one of the seats on his airboat. He was curious how it got there and even more so about the owner. Asking around at the dock yielded no answers, even after having the manager look after the dog for a few days. Seraphina suggested that maybe they could take the dog in, it wasn’t a puppy and so far according to the owner was potty trained. Flyers could stay up about the dog in the meantime. Ezra said he wasn’t sure, but then also wouldn’t put the dog down until he was in the house. They went shopping for different supplies and took it to the vet to get a clean bill of health. The dog, identified as a goldendoodle which Ezra found to be a ridiculous breed name to him, was named Pluto because the dog was a smaller size. 

Late nights into the early mornings were rare for Seraphina and Ezra outside of their home. Tonight, they were sitting on Ezra’s back porch, little Pluto warming their feet with a bottle of Jack Daniels. Seraphina wore the white nightgown that she first saw Ezra in, and he was shirtless in a loose pair of sleep shorts. Her head rested between his shoulder and his neck with his arm around her as the held hands. A single cloud graced the sky tonight and floated on by reflected on the lake’s surface. Neither of them thought that the other would end up across the lake quite like this - in each other's arms. 

There were few stars visible in the obsidian above them, save for small ones side by side.

Binary stars that had formed their own small circle relying on one another for support and to function. Together because one didn’t make sense without the other. Bound together by a profound sense of need with love filling them both. 

Merging the Star Clusters

Glimmers of moonlight on the lake 🌕: @rav3n-pascal22 @maggiemayhemnj @morallyinept @survivingandenduring @bonezone44

@magpiepills @yorksgirl @gemmahale @missredherring @missladym1981

@alltheglitterandtheroar @megamindsecretlair @readingiskeepingmegoing @pedroshotwifey @tinytinymenace

@inept-the-magnificent @vivian-pascal @jessthebaker @pascalsanctuary

[kissycat]

when did you start running if i may ask? i'm thinking about starting too, so if you have advice for a beginner i'd love to hear it 🙏

A few months ago, I think

In the beginning for a while I did it "wrong" and would run for ~20 min at pretty high speed, so I was exhausted after - this (running too fast) is how you should NOT do it, and I don't really count that time now because it didn't improve anything

I started consciously training when I found out that to build endurance you're supposed to run at a speed that doesn't feel exhausting, with your heart rate something like 65-75% of your maximum heart rate (which for my age is supposed to be ~200, so the target heart rate is around 130 to 150). Having a watch that shows my pulse was very helpful for me, idk how I would have monitored it otherwise - there's guidelines like "you should be able to talk while running" but that's all quite vague

For me in the beginning staying at this heart rate meant being VERY slow, so slow that I could almost have been faster walking, and in fact often taking walking breaks if my heart rate went too high. Honestly not super fun imo, kind of boring, but then I improved pretty fast and can now run at a constant speed without my heart rate going too high.

Then once youre at that solid point you can include stuff like higher intensity/speed intervals but I haven't really done that systematically yet. For now I'm happy running ~8 km slow af and trying to increase my distance...

Ig the key thing for me was that it's NOT supposed to feel exhausting, you're NOT supposed to be out of breath and then afterwards completely destroyed. That discovery itself made running much more attractive to me because I knew it from school as something deeply unpleasant (and forced), but you're really not supposed to feel like that. Just be slower if it does feel like that, even if it means barely running

One more note is that for me the beginning of a run often feels the most exhausting, when my body is kind of not in the mode yet and I'm like ughhh no way I can do this for an hour... But then once I settle into the rhythm it starts to flow.

Someone here recently recommended me the book "Slow AF Run Club" and I haven't actually looked into it yet but it sounded very helpful!

Obligatory disclaimer that I'm not qualified to give advice on exercise and this is just my own experience :) good luck! It has been really good for me on a lot of levels, but especially as someone who was extremely terrible at sports in school and failed out of running lmao

[morganaseren]

Snippet Sunday (Arranged Marriage AU)

Tagged by: @blackjackkent

Tagging forward: @illusivesoul, @this-is-something-idk-what, @noeldressari, @chaosroid, and anyone else who wants to participate!

Pairing: Leliana/Niamh Cousland

Rating: Teen

AU: If You'd Cross An Ocean for Me

Note: Honestly, you could consider this scene to be a continuation to this one I posted a while back.

---

Following dinner, Leliana found that the tent she was meant to share with her new wife had already been pitched up. It was domed in its design, and as expected as one of the leaders of the nomadic coalition, it was larger than many of the others that darted the valley. As La Louve brushed aside the tarp entrance to allow her through, Leliana couldn't help the sudden nervousness that settled over her as she wandered into the darkened space.

With their wedding ceremony and the feast that came afterward, the consummation of their marriage was, of course, to be expected.

Leliana was hardly new to sharing her body with another, whether for romantic intent or to satisfy a carnal curiosity. Despite the abruptness of their arranged marriage, La Louve had so far shown herself to be rather courteous--enough that Leliana wouldn't have been opposed to laying with her.

Still, after Marjolaine, Leliana knew all too well that the persona one presented in public could be so very different when behind the privacy of closed doors...

Before her thoughts could darken upon that memory, her breath hitched when she heard the snapping of fingers behind her. Her startlement had less to do with the sound but the fact that the act itself had instantly lit the candles that were lined in various locations within the tent. It brought a comforting warmth to what had been an unknown space to her.

Leliana could see the clean reed matting placed over the ground, providing a clear separation between the outdoors and one's personal sleeping area. Given how nomadic the Fereldans were, she expected the tent to be rather sparse, which was proven true. Save for a collapsible writing desk and chair along with the bags that held their clothing in the corner, the majority of the space was taken up by the pile of furs that Leliana realized was meant to be their bed.

She found that she had wandered over to it without truly meaning to, and as she reached down to touch a large, silvery pelt, she found that it felt just as soft and luxurious as she had expected. Looking over her shoulder, Leliana found that her wife was still standing at the entryway and hadn't bothered to close the distance between them. From the sheepish expression on the other woman's face, she couldn't help but wonder if La Louve was perhaps just as nervous about the expectations of their marriage as she had been.

Soft lips parted to speak, but before La Louve could voice a single word, a shout--a summon perhaps?--from outside had the woman frowning. In response, La Louve poked her head out of the tent briefly, and Leliana could just barely hear the muffled conversation outside. Before long, her wife flashed a look of apology her way. She didn't understand the words that followed either, but she also didn't miss the way La Louve gestured emphatically toward the bed before she left the tent entirely, her dark cloak sweeping behind her.

All in all, it was... not quite how Leliana expected to end her evening.

With nothing left to do, she began to undress, leaving herself only in her smalls before she tucked herself under the covers of the bedding. She couldn't help her sigh of relief as she sank into the soft furs, grateful for the chance to simply relax after such an eventful day.

An eventful month in general if she were being completely honest.

Exhaustion weighed heavy upon her, but she felt it polite to at least wait for her wife before succumbing to it. However, as the candles around her gradually lowered and dimmed, and with La Louve still nowhere in sight, lethargy settled more quickly into her bones.

A few minutes, Leliana thought to herself, barely suppressing a yawn. She could rest her eyes for a few minutes before continuing her vigil. She curled up more comfortably beneath the covers to take a brief rest, but despite her best intentions, her breathing soon slowed as she transitioned into deeper slumber.

---

When Leliana next awoke, it was to the sound of gentle clamoring outside the confines of her tent along with the scent of food being cooked. Much closer, however, she could hear the repeated scratching of quill against parchment. Blearily shaking off the lingering dredges of sleep from her mind, Leliana slowly sat up in bed, causing the sound of writing to be stopped.

"Leliana."

She recognized her wife's voice immediately. Common was perhaps a coarser language than her native Orlesian, but Leliana had quickly noticed that La Louve and her siblings had a distinct inflection--different from the linguistic standard found in Ferelden--when they spoke. Her wife in particular was rather soft-spoken, and it added a pleasing... lyricality when she uttered the syllables of Leliana's name.

She looked up to see La Louve standing from her desk to deliver two bowls to her: one filled with an arrangement of freshly picked berries while the other held the remnants of the ram they'd had last night but in a stew-like form. Energy for the day ahead, she supposed.

Leliana took the food from her wife gratefully, and if her wife appeared at all discomforted by her current state of undress, the other woman didn't show it, offering only a friendly smile, which she recognized to be genuine.

"Thank you, but did you not eat?"

As expected, her inquiry drew confusion in that gaze even as the smile across from hers remained politely in place. The language barrier was likely going to be a continual test for their marriage, Leliana thought, as she carded a hand tiredly through her hair in an attempt to make it more presentable.

"This," she said, pointing to the bowls atop her lap that were barely half empty. She gestured to La Louve then. "Surely, you need more sustenance than this to get yourself through the morning."

Thankfully, the other woman caught on quickly to what she was trying to ask and responded in kind, saying something in Common as she gestured to the bowls and then back to herself before holding up two fingers.

Two... Leliana's brows furrowed, trying to make sense of what was being conveyed to her. Her second bowl then?

"You already ate?"

La Louve seemed to confirm as much with a nod although it was done hesitantly, as if she wasn't sure if she completely understood the question.

"I see." Leliana huffed out a small laugh at the early morning charades before picking up the spoon in the stew bowl. "Thank you then."

With a relieved smile, her wife wandered back over to her desk to begin working anew on the various missives atop it. With the way the other woman's cloak was so casually draped across the back of her chair, it didn't seem she or the Fereldans were in any rush to leave the area anytime soon. Still, there was likely work to still be done, and she didn't want her new wife and clan to think she was a layabout. As such, she ate her fill before preparing her mind for the rest of the day ahead.

---

It was on her second week with the Fereldans that Leliana found herself growing increasingly perplexed, but it had little to do with the differing customs.

No, that had long been expected.

Rather, her bemusement came with her wife's continual disappearance from their tent whenever night fell. It wasn't as if her wife was avoiding her, Leliana knew. La Louve was always at her desk when Leliana awoke in the morning, rode at her side when it was time to travel, and joined her for every meal.

Yet, Leliana still went to bed alone.

Frowning as she stared at the empty pile of furred pelts, she finally wandered out of the tent to seek an answer. Of course, she soon realized that trying to find one was quickly turning out to be an exercise in frustration.

She had tried to speak with a group of returning hunters to find the whereabouts of La Louve, but, as always, the language barrier proved to be too much. They were hardly rude as they stood there, struggling to understand what she requested of them. As the wife of one of their leaders, perhaps they were wary of showing anything less than the proper deference to her. Still, after a time, one of them--a mage if the staff over her shoulder was any indication--motioned for Leliana to follow her.

She sound found herself led to one of the campfires dotted around the area. As luck would have it, both of La Louve's siblings were there. The mage shouted a greeting, drawing the attention of the two warriors, who saw Leliana and grinned widely in greeting. Both rose to meet her, but the mage who led her there got to them first.

A rapidfire conversation followed that Leliana had no chance of understanding, and the two leaders' gazes darted to her every few seconds, but from the puzzlement in their own gazes, it didn't seem they were any closer in offering her the answer she desired either. The mage could only offer a smile of apology to her before she quickly left to find the other hunters and help dress and preserve their catch of the evening.

Weary, Leliana was all but prepared to return to her tent at that point, but she tried yet again with a small sigh. "Do you know where La Louve is?"

The two warriors glanced at one another for a long moment before the blonde woman spoke to her.

“Neev?”

Of course, the word itself meant nothing to her, so Leliana couldn't help but stare blankly in response.

“Lah… loov?” the woman asked haltingly, trying to form the Orlesian words. She then drew her head back to emit a low pantomime of a wolf’s howl before raising her brows in question at Leliana, who recognized at once what she was trying to tell her.

“Yes! La Louve!" she replied excitedly, relieved at having finally gotten a lead. "Do you know where she is?”

The woman could only grin smugly at her brother, who rolled his eyes before waving her off. “Neev,” she said profoundly before escorting Leliana away.

Neev?

Leliana tossed the word around her mind for several minutes as La Louve's sister led her through the throng of tents. The way the other woman had said it seemed important however--at least in relation to her wife.

She blinked then.

Was it La Louve's actual name?

Before long, they had gotten past the settlement and were making their way down a grassy incline towards the riverbank. The fires of the camp didn't encroach as far out, but with the twin moons hanging overhead, there was little concern about losing their way in the dark.

Or finding La Louve as it turned out.

The woman in question was sitting at the edge of the water atop a bedroll with a sketchbook in hand, determinedly filling in the details of something or other on the page. Leliana knew she always carried it about when they were traveling. Her wife was apparently quite the artist, one who could often be found documenting the flora and fauna around them when her duties as the clan's emissary weren't needed.

"Neev!" the warrior beside her boomed out humorously, causing that dark head to turn toward them.

Moonlit eyes were surprised to see them there although La Louve seemed less than pleased to see her sibling if her expression was any indication. Although Leliana didn't understand the words being spoken between them, the rapport of sibling banter was as universal a language as anything. She bit her lip to keep from laughing when she saw La Louve's eyes roll so hard in exasperation at her sister's comment that she was almost half-convinced they were going to roll right out of their sockets. Having had her fill of the teasing, La Louve clicked her tongue and summoned the mabari pup that had been laying next to her.

In response, the white-furred puppy rose to his paws and immediately placed himself between the warrior and his mistress, bristling and yapping with infantile fury even though his current foe was several times his size. It was so adorable that Leliana almost couldn't resist cooing at the sight. La Louve's sister laughter was a deep, bellowing sound, but she held her hands up placatingly while backing away from the pup. Still, the little mabari insisted on herding the woman away from the two of them, tail wagging all the while--likely pleased at protecting his favorite human--while barking at the warrior's ankles in a vain attempt to get her to move faster. The sounds of them both soon faded away as they passed the perimeter of the encampment.

"Leliana is... okay?"

Leliana turned to see La Louve looking up at her with concern, but she smiled. "I'm fine, yes. I was just curious as to where you've been all these nights." As expected, all she received in return were dark, furrowed brows as her wife tried to piece together what she was saying with little success. Leliana shook her head, unbothered. "But never mind that. Is Neev your name?”

Ghostly-grey eyes lit up toward the end of her sentence, and Leliana felt she was making progress with communicating with her although perhaps not quite enough to bridge the language together just yet. She glanced down at her wife's sketchbook and found the woman had been drawing a flower of some sort but had also written some notes next to it. As she eyed the writing, she found Orlesian and Common shared a similar alphabet although the latter seemingly lacked any diacritics.

Leliana gathered her cloak more tightly around herself to ward against the night's chill before crouching beside the bedroll, motioning for the sketchbook and charcoal pencil in La Louve’s hands, who gave them away without much protest. In little time at all, Leliana had her own name written on a fresh page, which she showed to her wife.

"Leliana." She pointed to the page emphatically before gesturing to herself. "Leliana," she repeated again, watching as more understanding filled her wife's gaze. With the connection made, she proceeded to write what she assumed to the other woman's name just below her own. "Neev," she stated then, pointing to her writing.

After a brief inspection, Leliana could see her wife was very clearly trying not to laugh at her if the smile threatening to curl at the edge of her lips was any indication. Clearing her throat, La Louve gestured for the sketchbook back. From there, the other woman proceeded to cross out the attempt at her name before writing something else down in a neat, flowing script that she finished with a flourish, which she presented to her.

"Niamh."

It was... clearly not spelled as Leliana had expected, and when she looked back up with suspicious eyes, La Louve--no, Niamh--merely smiled.

"Are you just teasing me now?"

Niamh bit her lip, shoulders shaking silently, before writing down another name on the page. “Fergus,” she announced, pointing to her brother in the distance, who Leliana could see was helping another clanmate set up a tent. The spelling was more or less what she had anticipated it would be, but when Niamh pointed to her sister, who was currently wrestling with an absolute beast of a mabari--and was laughing maniacally all the while if her ears were to be believed--the arrangement of letters that had been revealed to her was even more complex than Niamh's own name.

"Saoirse."

Silence.

"Now you are teasing me..."

Leliana doubted her wife completely understood what she'd said, but she supposed her expression said enough for the both of them because the laughter that spilled from her wife's lips then were akin to the wind chimes that hung along the stables back at her mother's estate--airy and beautiful in their tinkling sound.

"Alright then, Niamh," she said with some measure of humor once her wife's amusement faded on the breeze. "Why are you sleeping out here--" She tapped at the bedroll the woman was sitting on. "--and not in our tent?" she finished, gesturing toward the Fereldan encampment.

As her wife's gaze following her outstretched arm, Leliana wasn't expecting any answer she would truly comprehend, but the pensiveness she saw settling on Niamh's features had her curious as the woman turned back to her.

"I sleep here to..." A jaw worked itself thoughtfully as she struggled to find the words. "...To give Leliana comfort alone."

Leliana blinked as she turned Niamh's answer about in her head.

If she understood correctly, her wife had taken to sleeping out beneath the stars every night because of her. It wasn't far from her initial assumption. Their marriage was still new, and with them both being of different cultures, perhaps Niamh hadn't wanted to overstep any boundaries Leliana might have had. Rather than inadvertently risk making her uncomfortable, Niamh had stayed away to allow Leliana to acclimate to her new surroundings alone.

It was... very thoughtful, Leliana could admit. Unnecessary but thoughtful all the same.

"Well, if you won't join me in our tent, then may I at least sit here?" she asked, tapping the bedroll repeatedly with her request.

Her wife's gaze turned to Leliana and the bedding several times before her eyes widened in seeming realization. The other woman nodded rapidly with her consent, making room for Leliana, but she scooted herself over so much that Leliana couldn't help but laugh when Niamh nearly ended up on the grass.

"Come here, Silly!" she said, reaching out to steady her wife before she needed to fish her out of the river. She tugged her closer across the bedroll and marveled at the warmth emanating from the mage's body even on such a cool night. She smiled. "There's space enough for both of us, no?"

---

And that's it for now! I always love writing soft things about these two! If you liked this, please leave me a like or comment, and consider checking out the other AUs I have!

[moonlit-mystery-writer]

My Oc's Relationships with the Arcobaleno

First and foremost I want to clarify that these are romantic relationships that all formed before the Arcobaleno Curse happened and it's one big polycule. For more information on my Oc, Celeste, here's the link for my KHR Oc Masterlist

I hope you all enjoy!!

Tw: Attempted suicide. I don't go into any graphic details or anything, but it's still there and a pretty pivotal point for one of Celeste's relationships.

@childe-of-saulot @myrmyrtheorca @lixenn

Skull: Why are we starting off with Skull? Why because he's her dearest childhood best friend of course! The two of them met very young at 4 at the circus Skull's parents were apart of. They bonded near instantly with each other. To the point child her was in complete hysterics and inconsolable when she had to leave him for days afterwards. As one of the two potential heiresses for her mafia family, this simply couldn't be allowed. So through events neither child understood at the time (*cough* her family pressuring his parents and the circus to give him up *cough*) Skull started living with his grandparents who lived in walking distance of her. She spend basically every second of every day with him. Her family didn't care too much, seeing her as just the spare in case her older sister failed as the first heiress and seeing Skull as just a plaything or her lackey. (This man can never escape the lackey allegations)

The two of them have been through thick and thin. They've seen each other at their worst and their best. She's why he understood flames pretty well even before joining the Arcobaleno and getting involved with the mafia. Celeste definitely fell for him first, but he fell harder. In their late teens, she even started to plan out their future together; 3 kids, he owns an auto-repair shop, and she's a stay-at-home mom who does mafia stuff on the side. The idea at the time flustered him, but he also loved it so so so much. Things took a turn for them though when her family figured out her sister didn't have strong enough Mist flames or illusions to take the position as boss, but she did.

Her time with him was limited, but he could see how much everything was draining her. Once a brilliant star who swayed with all kinds of music and overflowing with love and kindness was slowly decaying into a bitter rock aimlessly floating in the void of space. As a Cloud, he naturally hates things that bind and clip wings, for himself or for those he holds dear. So when she showed up on his doorstep in the middle of the night begging for help and pleading for him to help her run away before she offically inherits the title of boss; of course he helped her get far away. This leads to the two of them joining a new circus.

Originally, they preformed a trapeze act together. Skull, having mild experience from his childhood, and Celeste, having done gymnastics almost her whole life, easily got used to this and learned everything like fish to water. They even made the hand signals to communicate with each other that Skull now uses to command Oodako! However, after a few months, both quickly got bored doing the same thing nightly. So they decided it was time for a change! Around this time is also when Skull becomes more of a daredevil. Celeste supports it wholeheartedly and does acts to compliment his daring ones, namely tightrope walking or occasional magic performances with her illusion.

A year since they ran away soon pass, Skull is now famous for his stunts and being immortal, both literally to those who know him and figuratively to his fans. Celeste couldn't be happier! Maybe this is finally the life they're meant to have and settle down in! Then one night, he simply disappears. Only leaving a vague note to her about Italy and a man with a checker patterned mask. Devasted and desperate to find Skull again, Celeste contacts her mafia family and takes the boss title to use their resources to locate him.

It takes her another year to find him, but when she does, she rushes to him and instantly tries to get him to come home with her. Something the other Arcobaleno aren't happy with at the time.

Nowadays, post-getting cursed, Celeste and Skull are still super close. She's not actively romantic with him (or any of the Arcos) anymore, because she's not comfortable doing so in his cursed form. However, he's still the one she calls up when she's at her lowest. He's still the one she shares good news with first. She's part of his motivation for getting his curse broken. (We ignore the creepy fact the Arcobaleno don't go back to their real ages in this household. Because what the actual fuck Akira Amano???)

Luce: Onto Luce!! As stated, the other Arcobaleno weren't happy with the fact Celeste just showed up one day and tried to take Skull from them. Namely because he was their Cloud and she was infamous in the mafia world at that point for being a run away heiress. Luce, out of the group, was the least upset about it though. Being the type of person she was, she did her best to understand Celeste's view of the situation. To her, Skull had simply run away, or possibly even taken, to join this group of strangers in the mafia. Of course she'd want him home. Luce understood this. But while she never let Celeste take Skull away, she did do her best to get the others to leave Celeste alone and let her tag along with them. At least for awhile.

However, when a rather nasty spat with Reborn ends with Celeste running away and Skull coming to her in tears and begging for her to help Celeste because she was refusing to listen to him, Luce stepped in fully. Finding where the woman had gone wasn't hard for the Sky in the slightest, the Giglio Nero family is expansive and she holds a lot of power even if she doesn't flex often as a grown woman. Celeste wasn't too upset to be found, having expected it, but was surprised to see it was Luce. She kept her distance, assuming the other woman would've done the same, only for Luce to carefully waltz her away from the roof edge of the restaurant she'd been having her last meal.

Celeste had been burned, figuratively, from her rather shitty Sky. She never thought she'd find a Sky she could fully trust. But Luce, in moments, proved she could and more. In moments, she fell for the woman hard. Luce, for her, was perfect and everything she ever wanted in a Sky and in a partner outside of Skull. For the rest of that night, Luce stayed by her side and even ordered them some wine to drink. Wasn't until months later that Luce learned that Celeste hates red wine. And when Celeste was simply exhausted afterwards, Luce carried her back to the base and let her sleep in her room. And after that night, Luce made it crystal clear to the others they needed to back off of Celeste and stop picking so many fights with her.

Luce didn't fall for Celeste and it was far more gradual than how Celeste fell for her. When they were finally together though, they quickly became an almost cheesily cutesy couple. Both out a genuine love and because it annoyed others in such a way they both found it funny. After two years of dating, they get "married". Legally, they're married to Reborn and Skull, however to anyone close to them and to the mafia world, they're the ones married to each other. It was a beautiful June wedding.

When Luce died, Celeste took it hard. However, she had to pick herself and her pieces up, for the other Arcobaleno and for baby Aria. Even so, all the grief comes right back to her on their anniversary, on Luce's birthday, and the date of Luce's death (September 8th, 11:59 pm).

Nowadays, post-curse, Celeste almost selfishly and greedily hopes that when the curse breaks, that it'll somehow bring Luce back. Don't get her wrong, of course she loves the other Arcobaleno and wishes they had their proper forms back again everyday, but Luce was everything to her. The light of her life. She'd do anything to have her back again. To be able to hug her or be in her arms again.

Viper/Mammon: At first, Viper was one of the Arcobaleno who disliked Celeste the most. They naturally distrust other Mists, especially ones with iffy reputations like Celeste. However, after the night Luce brought her home, the dynamic between the two of them started to change. The two avoid each other for awhile which turned into the two of them quietly hanging around the same room as each other, but never addressing the other. That then became the two of them having small conversations with each other and backing each other up when one of them makes complete lies about being a Mist or Mist flames in general for the sake of messing with the others.

Eventually, Celeste offered to pay Viper to take missions they didn't want to do and who are they to refuse free money? The addition of money to their dynamic together was the biggest game changer for. Viper fell for Celeste first and did not know what to do. At first they tried to pull away from her again, when that didn't work, they tried spending so much time with her that they were sure they'd grow tired of her. Celeste's not stupid and spending more time with them led to her own feelings developing. So, to help Viper with their crisis in a weird way, she asked to pay them so she could love them. This helped Viper settle a little as they were used to conditional agreements that involved payment. So for the first month of their relationship together until Viper fully accepted their feelings, Celeste paid Viper a set amount so she could love them lol.

Nowadays, they remain in as much contact as they can. It's not uncommon for Celeste to surprise visit them at the Varia base. Both tend to refer to the rest of the Varia, especially Bel, as their kids/sons in a kinda teasing and loving manner towards the group.

Fon: Obviously, Fon wasn't one of the ones who'd pick fights with Celeste even if he was iffy with her. However, he did tend to kinda ignore the arguments with her that happened around him. He of course felt extremely bad for doing so after the night Luce brought her home. Yet, the two of them still didn't bond right away. Then one night, he found her almost completely sprawled out on the couch, completely sore after a few hours of practicing her beloved gymnastics. Not only could he relate to the muscle pain, but he also knew just how to help her.

After that, the two of them started bonding over simple things like cooking and occasionally did warm ups together. There was no real specific moment or specific person who fell in love first. It was a sweet, gradual thing between them and they both realized it about the same time.

Nowadays, Celeste is in the most active contact with him. Namely because they have a kid together: I-Pin! As parents, they balance each other perfectly. She spoils their daughter rotten with gifts, food, and as much quality time as she can. Fon meanwhile teaches I-Pin discipline and independence. Also, kind off topic, my headcanon for I-Pin's real name is Yu. Which if Behind the Name is to be trusted means: 玉 Yu - Jade, Precious Stone.

Lal Mirch and Colonnello: Combining these two to make it easier on myself. Lal, even after the night Luce brings her home, doesn't bond with Celeste for awhile. Most of their interactions having been awkward silence between the two of them. Then Colonnello joins the Arcobaleno finally. He and Celeste quickly click together, the two of them bonding over being kinda outcasts in the Arcobaleno because they weren't actually chosen.

Obviously, Lal doesn't care if Colonnello has friends or even female friends specifically, but his tendency to tease her over being tomboyish while Celeste is very feminine does start to breed some insecurity. Then one day he makes the comment to her while Celeste is around them and she very shamelessly responds: "Why should she change one of her hottest traits?? If you don't want Lal as is, I'll take her."

Not only does this comment make Colonnello back track what he said, but also makes both Rains realize Celeste's been way more into Lal Mirch than Colonnello the entire time. Her explanation: "I know like millions more blond haired, blue eyed men with C names who've joined the military than I do pretty women with blue hair and red-brown eyes and L names who also joined the military."

Her bonding with them is a little awkward, especially with the rougher parts of Lal's personality, but she grows to love them nonetheless and they soon enough love her too.

Celeste deeply respects the fact Colonnello took the Rain pacifier for Lal. Part of her wishes she could've done the same for Luce or any of the others.

Nowadays, she doesn't get to talk to them often because they're both busy and rather reclusive for Rains. However a good chunk of the time when she does talk to them, she's either trying to convince Colonnello to get her a free trip to Mafialand for the kids or she's asking Lal to convince her not to kill Iemitsu/Lal's shitty boss. Obviously, this isn't every time, but it's a decent handful of times. She also considers Basil their kid together ever since she met him when visiting Lal at CEDEF one day.

Verde: He never hated her before per say, but he didn't see the point in her hanging around. Then one day, again after the night Luce brought her back, she started poking around his lab. She didn't mess with anything she shouldn't, but she did take a great interest in his animal subjects. Especially Kaiman. In fact she took enough of an interest that she kept going into his lab to play with and take care of his animals even when he wasn't there. On one hand, it annoyed him she just kinda invited herself to do that. On the other, her taking care of them means he has more time to do experiments and such.

Soon enough though, without him realizing right away, her taking care of his animals turned into her taking care of him. Bringing him food and making sure he eats it when he's in his lab all day, having a first aid kit ready for any small lab accidents, coaxing him into his room and bed to sleep rather than taking power naps in front of his computer, and things of that nature. When her actions clicked for him and he calls her out, Celeste just pauses for a long time before reaching up and patting his head while informing him: "You were worrying the others and Kaiman. So, since I was already in there a lot to help, I decided to help you out more."

Not long after Verde lets his minor qualms with her taking care of him go, Celeste find his art. He's Da Vinci reincarnated, of course he does art occasionally! But he hardly sees why she's so amazed by it. He tries to ignore her comments about it, but she soon starts to give him little challenges around it. Like: "Did you really draw these hands? I mean of course a genius scientist can understand how hands work, but draw them?" or "Can you prove that this is your self portrait? It doesn't look like you anymore so I can't tell."

Verde, being the rather cocky and even prideful man he is when it comes to any of his works and talents, of course falls for these challenges hook, line, and sinker. Then one day he realizes she's gotten him out of the lab, with Kaiman following them on a leash as they look for a good background for a painting of them. When he finally questions why she cared so much about his art, Celeste happily tells him how much she liked the "old Da Vinci's" work, both art and science, so of course she wanted to see what the "new Da Vinci" can do in both fields. Then happily informs him she loves his work way better, even if she doesn't fully grasp a lot of the complicated science.

Needless to say, while Celeste did ultimately fall first, Verde fell harder.

Nowadays, they remain in mild contact. Though Verde never gives her any specifics on anything, he keeps in contact purely because he knows she's the type to try to track her loved ones down if they attempt to cut of communication for no reason. However, the last thing they tried to do together was save the Estraneo kids which ended a tragic bust, having been just a little too late to help them. At least the Estraneo in general were dead... This is another reason as to why he limits contact with her. He'll never forget how distressed she was and looked over failing those kids.

Reborn: I was going to jokingly call him the star of this show then realized I wasn't wrong technically. Out of all of them at the start, he was the worst to her. Not only was he naturally protective of the others, but he looked down on the fact she tried to run away from being a boss. At the time, he didn't understand it and didn't understand her. This led to the two of them butting heads a lot. Did he regret being mean to her? A little, especially the argument that led to her running off then being brought back by Luce. Yet, even after that, he struggled bonding with her. Even as the others fell for her, he either avoided her like the plague or still bickered with her here and there.

They did find their way of getting closer though. Namely, hating how the other sounded trying to communicate to them in their native tongue. Celeste couldn't comprehend how Reborn would butcher English and he found her Italian simply atrocious. For the longest time, their middle ground was using French as it was Celeste's second language and Reborn's third. However, the two eventually decided to fix the problem by tutoring the other in their language. It was... So fun and funny on top of actually helping their communication. Lots of pronunciation fuck ups that completely change what a sentence means or makes it complete gibberish, dumb jokes about how certain words sound, and more. By the end of it, they were definitely close.

Neither knew what to label the relationship though. Were they friends? It feels like more, but it's not quite love yet. So, in an attempt to understand the other better, both separately decided to track the other's daily schedules! Totally not stalking. However they both find there's big chunks in the day where they can't find the other. Neither figures out why until Celeste complains about it to Luce and Reborn overhears. That's how they fully fall in love; realizing they have similar habits to each other just in their own ways unique to their personalities.

Nowadays, they have the second most amount of contact. Namely so Reborn could be an active father in Aria's life growing up and now because Celeste deems Tsuna and Dino their sons. While she doesn't act lovey dovey with him currently because of his cursed form, she will still happily rag on him and tease him for things he's done or does in that way couples do. Tsuna and Dino don't know what's scarier, the fact she can get away with things like that or the fact it genuinely flusters Reborn at times.

[ghostsbimbo]

The boys and going to the Trinity Of Terror [3rd Leg] with you

A/N: for those who don't know what the ToT Tour is, it's a 3 part tour containing Motionless in White, Ice Nine Kills, Black Veil Brides, and at some shows, Atreyu - I went to it last year and it's coming up on the one year since then, so why not make a whole post dedicated to it. Also, my very first attempt at writing Rudy and Alejandro!! :D hope you like it.

Simon "Ghost" Riley.

the dude would much be the type to help you get to the barrier and keep your guys' spot safe, glaring at anyone who would complain about his tall stature being right at them. He didn't wear his skull mask or balaclava, but you did do his make up so it'd very much fit one of the aesthetics of the bands. - He agreed to do a horror movie-esque look for Ice Nine Kills. - He wouldn't show it, but he definitely admired you in all the lighting. He also managed to catch a rose and guitar pick at the end of Motionless in White's set for you <3. Oh and he watched with an amused look when you were squealing over getting the set list.

John Price

Peepaw would be in the seats as you had the time of your life down in the general admissions area. He'd be watching with worried eyes when he seen the amount of mosh pits going, and get even more worried when you went into one. He's to old for this, and to see how you just ate up the energy of it all was amazing. He would definitely go through the concerts again if it meant seeing you so energized and happy after the show.

Johnny "Soap" MacTavish

You can not deny he'd be one to join in on the fun that is mosh pits. Of course, you'd have to teach him pit etiquette first, but it'd still be so worth it in the end. He'd also make sure to get you guys matching hoodies for y'all afterwards. you'd guys argue over which band, before settling on Ice Nine Kills hoodie, and then the SpongeBob themed Motionless in White shirt.

Kyle "Gaz" Garrick

I'm so sorry, but I don't think I can even see him at a metal concert. He'd be the type to drop you and a group of friends off and give you his card for merch - and food if you're hungry enough to spend money on stadium food. - He'd probably just sit in the car in the parking garage until you and your friends were ready to go. He knows the type of shows you like going to when you told him about one singular one, and his anxiety is like "nope, not for me, but I will totally drop you and your friends off at them"

König

His build and stature REALLY helps you out, Barricade EASILY. Sticks out like a sore thumb to the bands. Chris Motionless even taking a few minutes during the show to point him out in the crowd. - being nice of course, because that man is a SWEET HEART, like if you look up the word sweetheart in the dictionary? An image of Chris pops up. - Anyways, he gets like two flowers from MIW easily, one for you, and one for a little kid that was about 6 or 7 he had seen in the crowd that was bummed out he didn't get one. oh and he definitely got a drum stick from the drummer who he remembered was your favorite members. [ How could he forget? You have a whole fan blog dedicated to the drummer, Vinny Mauro ]. He is also VERY fascinated by the Bombshells during Motionless's set, especially when they have the grind pads near their crotch and have sparks going everywhere - "Mein Gott, isn't that dangerous?" - He also is all heart eyes for Spencer from Ice Nine Kills. Dude changes his lock screen to a photo of Spencer that he got during the show, even.

Alejandro Vargas

You would spend MONTHS begging him to go with you. He finally crumbles the night before. He definitely is the guy to stand there, straight faced and his arms crossed over his chest while you're headbanging and going into mosh pits and crowd surfing.

Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra

He'd probably surprise you with VIP tickets so you could do the meet and greet. - hell, he'd use the meet n greet to propose to you so you could be proposed to in front of your favorite band because that dork loves you. - He'd also spoil the FUCK out of you with merch after :)

[rooviebae]

SELF ORDER

❥︎ Venti plans on raising little kaeya as his own, but things don't go according to plan. ❥︎ part oneㅤ-ㅤpart twoㅤ-ㅤpart three ❥︎ 2.6k words ❥︎ might be a bit rushed, i apologize for that !

ㅤ

Raising a child is quite the challenge according to Venti: the more time passed, the more worried he became of the boy. Of course, this may not seem like a bad thing, but the only reason he's taking it as one is because as time flies past the two, the more Kaeya began to open up and express his child like nature in such a scary way. Which means, he's curious. He constantly wants to go out and explore, and always finding least a little bit of joy in trivial things, sometimes even when there's danger.

Just how did his previous family raise him? At first the bard grew to be concerned for Kaeya's past well-being, but then again, there isn't much that can be done other then keep a close eye on him.

Despite him changing a bit these past few months, there's one thing that Kaeya still struggles with: socializing. While he's fine with Venti since he's the one caring for him, but every time the two visit Mondstadt, the child can't help but aggressively cling onto his guardian as though he was going to be taken away. And yet, all Venti can do is gently pat his head with reassurance that everything was going to be alright as long as the two were together.

Currently, the two were sitting at a table waiting for their food at Good Hunter. Venti leans against the back of his seat while playing a few strings on his lyre to pass time, but also for the blue haired child sitting right next to him.

"You know, my little Kaeya," the bard opens one eye and peaks at the said boy, who looks up from the lyre and at him. "We come to Mondstadt almost every single day, but I never see you at least try to make a friend." He stops playing his instrument and sets it on the table.

Kaeya, at this statement, catches his breath and crosses his arms as he leans back against his chair as well. He inhales and holds it for a few seconds before letting it all out. "I don't trust these people."

He speaks with complete honesty in his voice, and it makes his guardian tilt his head, but then let's out a small chuckle. "Well, how would you know if one is considered trustworthy if you don't know anything about them? You could be missing an opportunity and ignoring the person who could be the closest friend you could ever have."

"I'd rather just stick with you." Venti's mouth opens slightly at this as though he was taken by surprise, but his shock quickly diminishes and is replaced by a kind smile.

Although that's not what Venti meant, he doesn't say anything against to what his adopted son said considering that it did, in fact, warm him. At least one person was there to listen to his troubles when needed and could be there to help him when he doesn't understand, which is likely why he doesn't care about making friends: because Venti is all he needs.

Not much was said afterwards, there wasn't anything needed to say. Once the food came they ate in silence, but filled with content.

They were both comfortable in each other's presence even after that dinner, gripping on to each other to show the other that they were still here, sometimes occasionally humming little toons with each building they pass.

They didn't do as much that day compared to the rest; they simply ate a few times, went on walks, and occasionally talked with passerbys (or at least Venti would while Kaeya buried his face in Venti's side.)

Still though, each day everything settled upon Kaeya, much like back then. Although, the only difference is that he actually feels comfortable and protected within the presence of the bard.

And it's only been three months.

Quite a situation to be in: to slowly begin to forget his past life in such a short amount of time because of comparing how he was treated in both of those lives. He chose the better one and decided that it would be best to toss the other out the window and enjoy his second life filled with comfort and love.

What a sad situation.

A child in his first life with his first father who was practically being forced to grow into a young man and develop a mature personality.

What a joke that man was. He hopes he nevers sees the face of that man again. Because now, with the life of his second father, there is no need to grow up so quickly. He shouldn't have to, the only thing that he should understand is that he shouldn't be punished simply for being what he is: a child.

Kaeya let's out a yawn as he stretches his legs on the sofa, moving the book he was reading out of his face as he stretches his arms as well. He glances at the clock hanging on the wall.

It's almost 10, normally he's asleep by then, but for some reason he wasn't that tired.

Instead, he plops the book on the table and searches for his dad, which didn't take too long since he already knew where to search.

"Dad." Kaeya climbs up the ladder on the side of the house that leads to the roof (that Venti put up himself for the kid to relax with him.) Venti is laying on his back and his eyes are closed, but his fingers danced with his lyre strings as he plays soft melodies that Kaeya was all too familiar with.

Hearing the sound of his sons voice, he cracks open one eye, looking at the smile that decorated the childs face. He smirks before opening his other eye and sits up, holding his lyre against his chest. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

Kaeya felt like a true child once he said that, because even though it was rather a simple statement, it made him let out a childlike giggle and rush up towards him.

"Hey hey, slow down! I don't want you falling off the roof, now do I?" Venti reaches out and grips onto his sons hand, helping him sit next to him (even though it was unnecessary.) Watching him plop down next to him and slumping on his back in such a dramatic way made him set aside his lyre and relax next to him.

"My little Kaeya," he starts, almost wanting to scoff. "You didn't answer my question."

The little boys smile widens slightly as he raises his hand and sweeps his dark blue hair away from his covered eye, resting his fingers on the eye patch. "I guess I just wasn't tired yet." He answers, yet his voice seemed low and sounding as though he's lost in thought. "But you're probably going to make me sleep, aren't you?"

A chuckle can be heard from the bard before he sits up, watching each star that decorate the sky, almost as though he was counting each and every one of them. "You know me so well."

He stands up, stretching his arms out. "Your health is very important you know! Having an irregular sleep schedule can cause a lot of issues!"

"Dad.. sometimes you're too overbearing when it comes to my health."

"Kaeya." His tone softened ever so slightly as he reaches a hand towards the child. "Remember how I found you."

He didn't want to remember that: the cold rain as each drop slipped down his pale skin as he shivered in the middle of nowhere, dreaming of the proper life instead of hell that he was forced to be a part of.

The way that Venti loosely holds his hand out, waiting for him to take it so that he could go to bed was the same way that he held his hand out to him those few months ago waiting for him to come to his new home.

Maybe he hasn't given him enough thanks for what he's done for him.

"Alright alright, I'll go to bed."

Venti finds it rather odd how the hilichurls and abyss mages are seen much more frequently then before. He remembers overhearing about it a couple months back and it was beginning to cause distress among the people of Mondstadt.

And the more he started to think and remember, the more started to realize that all of this mostly began once he took in Kaeya. And the longer he kept him..

..the worse Mondstadt was becoming.

Venti didn't like this.

Who knew that Khaenri'ah would be so desperate to do something as stupid as this, especially to a child, but now that things are becoming more clear, what options did the anemo archon have?

He could keep Kaeya with him under his care and help Mondstadt with any threat that comes its way. Yeah, that sounds right, but then again the number one thing on Venti's mind isn't even Mondstadt despite being it's archon, it's God.

It's Kaeya.

And if he's dealing with stress, like his own dad fighting off to save his own nation, then Venti would be next to him in an instant.

He could give Kaeya to the Knights of Favonious headquarters while getting rid of the threats.

No, because most of the threat may be near, but not inside of Mondstadt. Some make their ways inside, but they never really come back out. The reason why they aren't bothering to go in head on is because they know Kaeya isn't in there; he's out here. No wonder Venti felt oddly uncomfortable with the amount of hilichurls and even some mitachurls near his home, near his son.

Why are they so desperate to get a child back that was abandoned by them anyways? They want him to give him back?

Hell no, that's not an option. Taking in an abandoned kid just to abandon him again, what a cruel thing to do, especially to a kid who's already suffering enough as is.

Venti was getting fed up with everyone.

The bard let's out a frustrated sigh as he tiredly pass by each tree, pressing a hand on them to help his steady balance. Kaeya ended up sleeping just as he said he would, which was such a relief, but instead of falling asleep as well, he decided to just go for a walk instead.

However, once opening his eyes again, he didn't expect to see a group of hilichurls causing a scene around a fire and a pot that was filled with.. something that just didn't smell good. Most of them were dancing to the sound of the crackling of the fire and the few others were fighting in such a child like way.

It was annoying. He didn't want to use his lyre, he didn't want to use his arrows, he wanted to use his hands. He was becoming increasingly enraged and violent.

He purposely stomps on a thin branch to get their attention, causing their little party to come to a stop as they turn all of their attention to him.

"I'm fed up with all of you. Endangering my son, endangering my nation. What else?" He tightly grips onto his bow as his glare darkens. "You're getting brave. You all keep coming closer and closer to our house."

He doesn't even wait for the hilichurls to move as he loads his bow and shoots on at the first hilichurl in the front, watching as it pierces through his arm and inside of a tree. It was stuck now.

Good, it can stay there, now for the rest.

He loads his bow again, analyzing each of these ugly creatures before shooting.

Getting rid of them is the easy part; they're weak, but doing this every night will be a problem. How long can he keep this up when more and more charge at him.

He can't ask for assistance with the knights because then they'll request for him to bring his son to headquarters, which will only bring more problems. Are they going to have to find a new house? Even if they do, they'll quickly be found, just like how quickly they found their current house.

What kind of a father even is he? How can he take care of his own son if he was beginning to struggle so much. If this keeps up, Kaeya will..

No, there's no point in thinking about that, but something about that thought haunts him. Where did he find the kid again? Right, on the very edge of Springvale. He was sitting against a tree that was next to a path that lead to the winery that Venti knew very well.

Dawn Winery. The owner has a son too, right? Around Kaeya's age? They haven't been getting much disturbances there, he's heard, so maybe..

Venti's fingers clench tightly into fists as he stares at the house that he spent those three months with. Those beautiful, wonderful three months.

He'll never forget those three months.

He slowly opens the door and makes his way to his sons room, seeing his messy blue hair sprawled on the pillow and his arms tightly clenching around one of his blanket as though it was a person.

The bard sighs, carefully picking him up in his arms and grabbing the old blanket that he kept when he found him and begin to wrap him with it.

Once he left his home, his breathing became uneven with short staggered breaths as words haunt and shake him. He feels ashamed of doing something like this, even the thought was outrageous.

Yet there was nothing that could be done as he set the child down against that same tree, his heart throbbing in agony. He sits on a high branch, wanting to see his delicate face just one more time before he goes. His long lashes that made his appearance look more endearing, his eye patch that he was always so adamant to keep on, his messy hair that is loosely tied on a low ponytail.

He should leave about now, but for some reason he can't. He can't. That's his son, his little boy. He doesn't want to take his eyes off of him.

How can two people be so close in such a short amount of time?

It was almost like everything went back to the very beginning, when it was raining and thunder was raging above the clouds, only now it wasn't as aggressive as it was before. The thunder was quiet and somewhat calming, and the rain was soft as though each droplet was a kiss to ones cheek.

And then light. Venti saw light.

Crepus was there with a lantern until his eyes settle upon the sleeping child. His eyes fill up with pity, seeing his lonely state.

Venti almost wanted to jump down there and grab Kaeya, but then again, maybe letting Crepus take him would be a safer route for the boy. At least he'll finally have a friend to play with.

What was his sons name again?

Diluc. His name was Diluc. He remembers seeing him occasionally run about outside of the winery to help his father collect grapes from the vines, and also chase some of the crystal flies when the sun would be down.

Venti could only stare and watch as Crepus carries the boy in his arms and make his way to the winery.

Would Kaeya hate him for this? Would he even understand?

Shit..

Maybe he wasn't cut out to be a parent. Maybe he should have picked him up and took him closer to the winery instead. At least, that's what he's telling himself.

My little Kaeya. You just wait for me.

I'll be back.