#and thank you all again for reblogging my letter when i shared it on here earlier and for supporting

[hanjisungs-bigtittyg0thgf]

Aphrodisiac

rival!seonghwa x fem!reader

Trigger warnings: mentions of anxiety

Content warnings: oral (f receiving), names (baby, sweetheart, pretty), choking, spitting, a little bit of hair pulling, seonghwa is actually obsessed with you

Summary: your colleague-turned-enemy pulls a prank on you.

Word count: 6.8k

A/N: so i actually got this request like a year ago buttttt life happened and i'm just now publishing it. anyways i hope you all enjoy it and will continue to support this blog by reblogging my work and commenting your thoughts! much love, angels. <3

Tags: @bahng-chrizz

Smut below the cut

“I’m sorry, what?” You both said at the same time, eyes wide.

“Yes, unfortunately we only have one room left. We can prepare a walk letter for one of you to take to another hotel just a few minutes away and we will pay for your stay, but unfortunately we are fully booked.” The front desk clerk offered an apologetic smile.

“Okay…um…give us just a moment.” Seonghwa pulled you back from the desk as soon as you spoke, his expression dark.

“I’m not leaving, y/n, I’m fucking exhausted.”

“I wasn’t going to suggest you do. I’m more than happy to turn around and go back home.” You sighed, swiping your hand across your forehead. “Listen, if you’re staying here then I need the car. I don’t give a fuck how we do this, I just want to lay down.” Your lack of snark was concerning to him, given your usual form of communication was bickering.

He was silent for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. “Look, why don’t we both stay? You can cancel your reservation and save yourself the hassle of going somewhere else. I’ll get a rollaway bed and you can have the huge bed.”

Your cheeks flamed at the idea and you weren’t sure if it was due to indignance or something else. Even so, you caved quickly. “Are you sure?”

“We used to be friends, we can manage three nights together.” He rolled his eyes. The words ‘used to be’ hurt for some reason.

“Okay. But any funny business and I’ll hurt you.” You gave a warning glare before stepping back up to the desk. “You can cancel my reservation and give him the room.” You said before excusing yourself, making room for him at the desk.

That was how you’d landed yourself in your current predicament. “I’m a fucking idiot for letting you talk me into this.”

“You’re an idiot for less but okay.” He shrugged as he dropped his bag on the bed. “It’s not my fucking fault they ran out of rollaway beds. It’s also not my fault you’d rather eat rusty nails after having your wisdom teeth removed than share a bed with me.”

“Actually that last part is entirely your fault.” You snorted humorlessly as you rifled through your bag for your pajamas. A cold knot of anxiety settled in your stomach once more when you couldn’t find them. “Oh are you fucking kidding me?” You mumbled to yourself as you checked your bag again. Nothing. “Way to fucking go, y/n.” You sighed and held out your hand. “I need the keys.”

“For what?” Seonghwa asked even as he reached into his pocket.

“I can’t find my fucking pajamas.” You sighed again and he watched with concern as you raked a hand through your hair. “I’m pretty sure I left them on my bed when I was packing.”

Instead of the keys, a shirt landed in your hand. “I’ve got some basketball shorts too. They’ve got a drawstring so they’ll fit.”

“You’re being awfully nice.” You said cautiously. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch. I’m just not prepared to comfort you if you start crying - by the way, you look like you’re about to.” His usual sass was tinged with something else but you were sure it wasn’t concern.

“I am not.” You huffed before squashing your irritation as he handed you the shorts. “Thank you.” You mumbled begrudgingly as you made your way to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Left alone, he heaved out a sigh. What was he doing? He never really hated you, he was just upset over being passed on for the promotion and was mad that you were offered the position when you didn’t apply for it. He was more mad that you didn’t take the offer. He could’ve gotten over his jealousy had you not turned down the position but it felt like a slap in the face that you wouldn’t take something that was being offered to you when he would’ve pounced on the opportunity.

Now he was faced with the uncomfortable reality that he still had feelings for you and would be in extremely close proximity to you for three nights but you couldn’t stand him. Had things not soured between the two of you, he likely would’ve made a move during a trip like this. Now he was left with his feelings and no hope of having anything more than a series of arguments with you.

His heart stumbled to a halt for a brief moment before kicking into overdrive when you came out of the bathroom, hair wet from a quick shower, his clothes dwarfing your frame. Part of him was dying to get his hands on you, to kiss and claim every inch of you. You looked absolutely delectable wearing his clothes and his possessive streak was about to rear its head.

Instead, he cleared his throat and turned away. “It’s about time. Do you always take forever to get dressed after a shower?”

“Well now I'm tempted to take even longer next time. Don’t play with me.” You gave a fake smile as you circled the bed to where your bag still was. You lifted it off the bed and placed it on the floor by the nightstand then turned the sheets back and grabbed the can of disinfectant spray from a shopping bag. The two of you had already stopped by the store and you’d grabbed a small can.

“Is this really necessary?” He frowned in annoyance even as he humored you and followed suit, moving his things and turning his side of the sheets back.

“Yes it’s necessary. Do you know how many people touch these sheets even after they’ve been washed? Or how dirty those laundry rooms actually are? And don’t even get me started on the duvets.” You cringed as you began to spray the bed down, lifting the pillows on your side before circling the bed and working on his side.

“And we’re about to make it dirty by sleeping here. What is your point?” He rolled his eyes and grabbed his clothes from where he’d placed them on the opposite night stand. “Whatever. Have your fun. I’m going to shower.” And with that, he left you alone.

Once you were satisfied, you placed the can back in the bag and crawled into bed, cutting the light on your side off. You drifted off before he was even out of the shower.

When he returned, still toweling his hair, you were fast asleep. He was quick to turn the other light off to keep from disturbing you, even though he wasn’t ready to bed down just yet. He stood over you and watched for a moment, taking in the planes of your face. You looked so worried, so fatigued. What had changed for you in the time that your friendship had fallen apart? He didn’t think too hard about it and got in bed as well.

————————————————

Your presentation had been a failure and you were currently nursing your wounds at the hotel bar, trying to avoid Seonghwa. You knew he’d mock you and you couldn’t handle that at the moment.

You let out a deep sigh when he found you, turning further away from him when he sat beside you. “Please don’t.”

“Don’t what? Remind you of how badly you fucked that up?” He paused before feigning apology. “Oops. Too late.”

“Seonghwa please just stop.” You felt a lump forming in your throat and reached into your purse for your wallet.

“Why? You’re the one who screwed up, not me. You can’t seriously expect me to feel bad for you.” He did but he couldn’t stop digging the hole deeper.

“Seriously. Stop.” You forced out, rifling through your wallet as pressure built behind your eyes.

“Listen, I'm sorry you’re not good at public speaking or whatever, but that’s not my problem. It’s not my job to be your bestie.”

“Yeah, fucking obviously.” You finally spat as you tossed down a twenty and stood. “Just leave me the fuck alone, Seonghwa.” Your face was red and your vision was starting to blur with tears so you hurried off towards the elevator, not wanting to let him see you cry.

It wasn’t your fault you bombed the presentation. Your anxiety had choked out every word you’d tried to say so you’d fumbled through each slide and he’d stepped up, covering the information in a more coherent manner. If he’d been anyone else, you would’ve found comfort in the support, but he wasn’t someone who did things because he cared.

You stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for your floor before repeatedly smashing the ‘door close’ button but it was too late. He’d managed to get an arm in the door before it shut and stepped inside, an unnerving amount of concern etched on his face. Why was he concerned? He loved seeing you pissed off.

“Y/n…” He reached a hand out but you jerked your arm away as the doors slid shut.

“Don’t fucking touch me, Seonghwa.” Your voice cracked and you turned away so he couldn’t see the tears starting to fall.

“Y/n, stop.” He grabbed your arm more forcefully this time and spun you around. You looked down so he couldn’t see you properly and he just sighed as he pulled you into his chest. “I’m sorry.”

Those two words broke something in you and your shoulders shook with a silent sob. He rubbed circles on your back as you cried into his chest, his familiar scent slowly seeping into your bones and calming you as you finally reached the tenth floor after several minutes. Why the fuck was the elevator so slow anyways?

As soon as the door opened, you untangled yourself from him and headed off towards your room without a word. You weren’t sure what to say.

The second the door was shut, he reached for you again. “Y/n, we need to talk.”

“We’ve needed to talk for two years. Why now?” You were tired of trying to figure out what he wanted. Tired of the fighting that only seemed to encourage his irritating ways.

“Because I'm tired of hurting you.” He sighed, gently squeezing your bare shoulders. His warm hands on your skin offered a measure of comfort you hadn’t realized you needed.

“Why? You hate me.”

“I never hated you. I was angry at you.” He corrected, urging you towards the desk chair and forcing you to sit before he propped on the desk. “I didn’t understand how you could pass up such an amazing opportunity and I was angry that you didn’t want it as much as I did. It pissed me off that you could want to miss out.”

“Seonghwa, I never wanted that position. I’m comfortable where I'm at.” You sighed and crossed your legs. “Have you ever considered why I didn't take it?”

“I just said that.”

You ignored his snarky tone and carried on. “Not only did I not want the job, I knew that you did. It was partially out of self-preservation and partially out of respect for you.”

“If you’d respected me as much as you say, you would’ve taken the job and not seemed so ungrateful.” He deadpanned and you felt more tears, this time from frustration.

“I just told you I didn’t want it!” You exclaimed, uncrossing your legs and leaning forwards. “You saw what happened today. That would’ve been every day if I’d taken the promotion. It’s embarrassing and anxiety-inducing, something I frankly don’t need more of. I’m not mentally strong enough for that humiliation. I didn’t want to take it because I knew I’d fail.” You said bitterly as you stood and kicked off your heels. “And for the record, I told them you were a better fit. So if you want someone to be mad at, be mad at them. Not me. I tried to get you the job.” You spat and then you stormed into the bathroom, leaving him sitting in silence.

It took you fifteen minutes to get ready for bed and when you emerged from the bathroom, he was sitting on the foot of the bed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think to consider the full reasoning behind you turning down the promotion. I was just so angry that you were chosen and still refused.”

“You’ve always been more ambitious than me. You’re more comfortable in your own skin than I am. More confident.” You shrugged and sat on your side of the bed.

“Which is sad, quite honestly.” He smiled humorlessly. “Listen, I know this is my fault. Can we agree to stop the feud?”

“That depends on you. I don’t instigate, I react. So we can only stop this if you stop trying to get under my skin.” You shrugged and laid down, pulling the sheets up to your chin when he stood. “Now go take a shower.” You hummed and flicked off your lamp.

It didn’t take long for you to fall asleep once he left the room but the next morning, you awoke to a strong arm wrapped around your waist. You realized your head was laying on his other arm so you tried to move away but he pulled you in closer. “Seonghwa.” A sleepy grunt was his only acknowledgement. “Why are you cuddling with me?”

“You’re warm.” He hummed, his voice deep with sleep. Holy hell… “Must’ve moved in my sleep.” He hadn’t. He’d been holding you the whole time.

“Okay but you’re awake now. So why are you still holding me?” Your cheeks were rapidly heating at the realization that he was shirtless this time. He made an unconcerned ‘I dunno’ noise and shrugged but made no move to release you. You tried to wriggle away again and his grip tightened.

“Well now I can’t let you go.” His voice was laced with amusement. “Solely because you want me to.”

“Unhand me!” You cried, a smile already on your face as you struggled to get away again. He laughed and pulled you further against him. “Come on, I thought we were gonna act like adults.”

“I never agreed to that. I just said I’d stop being mean.” He pointed out as his fingers dug into your side, earning a soft squeal as you jolted. “And in the spirit of being nice, I won’t exploit your ticklishness right now.”

“You’re such an asshole sometimes.” You rolled your eyes, still smiling even as he finally released you.

“Go get dressed. I’ll make us some coffee.” He hummed. You did as he said, padding to the bathroom after grabbing your clothes. As soon as you were gone, he shot out of bed with a grin, ignoring how perfect you looked in his clothes. Just because he was being nice didn’t mean he couldn’t still prank you.

He brewed the coffee and mixed in the creamer and sugar like you liked - he’d observed you making your coffee many times and knew how you liked it - then dropped in the chocolate. He knew how much you loved chocolate so you’d be thrilled to have it in your coffee. It was like a milkshake with how much creamer was in it.

When you came out a few minutes later, he handed you the cup. “I added something for you.” He hummed, waiting for you to sip the drink, which you did cautiously. Your face lit up at the sweet flavor and you thanked him, not catching the mischief in his smile as you drank in comfortable silence.

“You know, part of me isn’t sure I should trust you just yet.” You admitted a few minutes after finishing your coffee.

“I know. I’m sorry. I’ll do my best to change that, okay?” You nodded and bit your lip as you settled against the headboard. “We’ve got the whole morning free. What do you want to do?”

“Honestly, I kind of want to go back to sleep.” You chuckled as he gathered his clothes to get ready for the day.

“I mean, you could.” He shrugged as he padded to the bathroom. “I’ll be right back.”

In the short amount of time it took him to get ready for the day, you noticed something was off. You were warm and your breathing was picking up. You felt flustered at the memory of his shirtless form, sweats slung low on his hips, and your thighs squeezed together involuntarily. Why were you so turned on?

Your mouth went dry for a brief moment when he came back before watering as you took him in. He was in all black, his button down hugging his chest just right and his thighs looking powerful in his tight pants, and you wanted to pounce on him. What the fuck?

“You good?” He drawled, lifting a perfectly-groomed eyebrow.

“Yeah, why?” You responded immediately. That was far too quick for your liking.

“Because you look like a tomato and you’re eyeing me like a piece of meat.” He paused and made a show of moving closer. “Wait a minute…” He leaned down and examined you for a moment before grinning, faking shock. “Are you…turned on?”

“No!” You practically shrieked.

“You must’ve really liked that coffee.” He snorted as he righted himself.

Everything clicked at his words and your jaw dropped slightly. “What did you do?”

“Oh you know.” He shrugged as he went to his bag and reached inside. “Gave you a treat.” He grinned as he held up the pack of aphrodisiac chocolates.

“You motherfucker-” You chucked a pillow at him, indignation filling your words.

“Should I have one as well? Maybe we can fuck away the animosity.” He wiggled his eyebrows as he opened the box and pulled out the foil packet. When you hesitated to turn him down, his grin grew. “You want that? Want to fuck away all the bad feelings that ever existed between us?”

Your breath hitched as he broke off a piece of chocolate and lifted it to his lips. Finally, you nodded sheepishly. He quickly popped the candy in his mouth and let out a theatrical groan, both for your reaction and because it tasted amazing.

Your cheeks grew hotter at the sound and you averted your gaze, earning a laugh from him. “You’re too cute, y/n. You never struck me as the shy type.” He stalked towards the bed, lifting one knee onto the mattress as soon as he reached. “You wanna know what I think?” When you didn’t respond, he continued anyway. “I think that the second I get you naked, you’ll be a completely different person. You seem like a screamer. I bet you like it kinda wild.”

You hated how your body reacted to his drawl and you especially hated how quickly he figured you out but didn’t say anything to correct him. Instead, you simply accepted his advances when he moved closer and tipped your head back against the headboard. “Now’s your chance to back out.” He warned, his lips a hair’s width away.

Instead of verbally responding, you closed the tiny gap between the two of you. You felt a jolt of electricity when your lips touched. Immediately, something in him changed. He quickly lost his cool and began to devour your lips, his tongue delving into your mouth the moment your lips parted. You could taste the chocolate on his tongue and your pulse ratcheted up.

Your pussy throbbed when he let out a soft groan and you couldn’t stop your hands from moving to his chest. You deftly unbuttoned his shirt as his hands untucked your blouse and began to lift it. The instant you pulled back, your top was tossed aside and he urged you to stand. You didn’t want to move just yet, enjoying the feel of his lips on yours, but you complied quickly and a moment later he was knelt in front of you.

He pressed his forehead to your stomach as he took a steadying breath, then reached behind you to unzip your skirt. “This fucking thing has been taunting me for ages.” He growled as the material slid down your legs, revealing your already-soaked panties.

He pressed a kiss above your belly button, followed by one right below it, then another right above your panties. “How long?” Your voice sounded strange to you, never having been so rough in your life.

“Doesn’t matter. What matters right now is that I get a taste of your pretty pussy.” His gaze was heavy as his fingertips skimmed along your thighs, making your thoughts fuzzy. “May I?” He asked, fingers finally tracing along the edges of your panties.

You nodded quickly and he didn’t bother moving the material before pressing his tongue to you. The motion was meant to tease, as he quickly replaced his tongue with his nose and took a deep breath, groaning at the scent of your arousal.

Long fingers pushed your panties to the side a moment later, revealing your glistening folds to him. “Shit…” He hissed, his eyelids growing heavy as he zeroed in on your slick. Then his tongue was back on you, lapping at your mess. He locked eyes with you and his hands went to your ass, kneading the soft flesh there as his tongue worked you.

Seonghwa ate pussy like he’d been in the desert for days and your body was the first drop of water he’d stumbled across. Like a man starved. He was beyond enthusiastic and you were certain he’d wring you dry of orgasms before noon.

He sucked on your clit while pulling you impossibly closer and your jaw dropped, eyes fighting to stay open. “S-Seonghwa-” Your voice was a breathy moan as your hands tangled in his hair and he growled against you in appreciation, making sure you felt the vibrations.

You tugged at his hair in response and he gave a harsh suck, making your knees weak. You let out a soft curse and felt him smirk against you but couldn’t be bothered to be annoyed with his cockiness. He was too damn good at what he was doing for you to think about anything else.

Your head tipped back after a few minutes, soft moans flowing freely from your lips. You were doing well at keeping quiet so as not to disturb other guests but he’d change that. He was determined to make you scream and cry for him.

A soft nip to your clit had your spine straightening and your eyes flying open. “Oh fuck me-” You gasped at the pain that quickly gave way to pleasure as he soothed the sensitive bud with his tongue.

“Later, baby.” He teased before diving back in with renewed vigor, his tongue working faster as he felt you tensing under his touch. You shot him a glare but bit your lip hard when he laughed against you.

“Shit-” You whimpered, your grip on his hair tightening. He groaned at the sensation and you made another small sound. He knew good and damn well what he was doing to you and you didn’t want it to end, even as the knot in your belly began to unravel. “Oh- ‘m gonna cum-” You warned and he sucked on your clit once more, harder this time.

Your toes curled with the intensity of your orgasm. Your chest heaved and your head fell back as you let out a string of subdued moans and soft curses. Even as you came down from your high, he continued to lap at you and you felt a burning sensation under your skin. You could handle several orgasms but you needed a few minutes between each one.

“Hwa wait-” You whimpered. “Hold on.” You gently pushed him back and he reluctantly pulled away.

“The second I get you undressed and on that bed, my head is going back between your legs.” He warned as he stood, pulling you against him. His stiff cock strained against the confines of his pants, pressing against your belly, and you couldn’t help but reach out and palm him as he tipped your head back for a kiss.

You moaned softly at the taste of yourself on his tongue as he plundered your mouth, noticing the way his cock twitched at the sound. He wasted no time in unclasping your bra and tossing it aside, lightly pinching your nipple a moment later. You squeezed him through his pants in return and he nipped at your lip as he pulled you impossibly closer.

Impatient, you broke the kiss and began to sink to your knees but he stopped you. “Another time, baby. Let me take care of you this time, yeah?”

“But…”

He leaned in so his lips were right by your ear before whispering. “After all our meetings are done for the day, you can do whatever you want. We can come back here and you can have me however you’d like. How’s that sound, baby?”

You clenched around nothing, both at his words and the sound of his voice, rough with desire. “Anything I want?” He nodded. “You don’t know what you’ve just signed up for.” You grinned mischievously as he righted himself and pulled you against him.

“I’m more than happy to be your toy, sweetheart.” He hummed as he hooked his thumbs in the waistband of your panties. “Now let’s get these off so I can keep playing with you.”

He slid the material down your legs and you stepped out of the flimsy cotton only to be pushed backwards onto the bed. He crawled over you with a wolfish grin, one hand caressing your side. “You gonna let me go down on you again, pretty?”

“Please-” You nodded, your voice coming out as a breathy moan.

“Good girl.” He cooed, already moving down the mattress. He knelt beside the bed and hooked your legs over his shoulders, eyes locked on your dripping pussy. “God- you’re so fucking pretty, baby.”

You don’t bother trying to stop his praises, too focused on the way his lips seal around your clit once more. You never would’ve had a chance to respond even if you wanted to.

Instantly, the burn under your skin returned but in a more delicious way. Your hands tangled in his hair, guiding him this way and that. You knew you wouldn’t last long since you’d already had one orgasm so you decided to fully enjoy it and tell him exactly what to do.

Of course, he had other plans. He wanted to appreciate you in ways he’d only been able to dream of before. He wanted to take his time and drown in you. You tasted like Heaven, like he’d always imagined, and he couldn’t get enough.

After several moments of sucking and licking, he decided to try something else. Something he hadn’t been able to do while you were standing. His tongue pressed inside you and you immediately pressed against his touch, his nose bumping your clit at the same time. “Oh- Seonghwa, please-” You gasped out, pulling his hair hard.

He groaned against you at the sting and retracted his tongue only to plunge into you once more. In and out, in and out. He carried on like that for close to a minute before he retreated, tongue flicking over your clit once more. At your whine of dismay, he slid two fingers into you and curled them instantly, finding your g-spot in record time. It was as if he had studied your body for years and knew every inch of you. He’d wanted you for so long that he’d dreamt of doing so.

His impossibly-tight pants were constricting. They were getting on his damn nerves. But he wanted you to be the one to undress him so he didn’t dare try to shimmy them off. Not when he was finally able to bury his face between your legs.

You let out a loud whimper as he scissored his fingers and lapped at your cunt, your back arching off the bed. “Fuck- ‘m close, Hwa-” You warned, thighs beginning to tremble. He was too fucking good and you were too high strung to hold back.

As you clenched around his fingers, coming undone as soon as the words left your mouth, he let out a long groan against you. You felt him shift under your legs but didn’t bother trying to figure out why as you allowed wave after wave of white hot pleasure to cascade over your body, back still bowed off the bed.

He helped you through it, sucking and nipping at your clit until you were certain you’d gone up in flames. You gently pushed him away, chest heaving, and he stood between your legs. “I’m so giving you the sloppiest blowjob later.” You panted, smiling up at him as he moved over you.

“I’ll look forward to it.” He grinned as he leaned down to catch your lips in a messy kiss. You reached for his pants as you kissed and made a small sound when you found a wet patch across the front.

“Did you-”

“Yeah. You tasted too good and looked too perfect for me to hold back.” He admitted shamelessly as his lips trailed to your neck. He was careful not to leave any marks since you had another round of presentations you needed to look presentable for later in the afternoon.

“There’s no reason that should be so hot.” You murmured, slipping your hand inside his soiled boxers. You didn’t care if it was dirty, you needed to touch him. Lewd sounds quickly filled the room as you stroked his cock, pride swelling in your chest when he bucked into your touch.

“Wait.” He stopped you even as he rocked his hips once more. “I need to be inside you. Are you still on the pill?”

“IUD.” You said as you lifted your messy hand to your mouth and began to lap up his cum.

His jaw dropped as he watched you lick your fingers clean, eyes glazing over with lust. “Fucking hell…” He groaned, pulling back abruptly. He wasted no time in kicking off his pants and underwear, trying to clean himself at least a little before he rejoined you on the bed. “You’re going to be the death of me, y/n.”

“There’s worse ways to go.” You teased, pulling him down for another sloppy kiss. Your legs wrapped around his waist, tugging him closer in invitation. A string of saliva connected your lips when he pulled back, which you quickly leaned up and licked away, earning a soft curse. You leaned up once more to whisper in his ear as he lined up. “Fuck away all the bad feelings, Seonghwa. You promised.” Then you gently clamped your teeth on his earlobe, reveling in the choked noise he made.

“You’re a demon.” He hissed as he pressed in, gasping at how tight you felt. You whimpered at the stretch and tugged him closer, lip catching between your teeth. “So fucking tight for me, baby. So perfect.”

You moaned at his words, clenching involuntarily around him. You loved the praise and he knew as much now. He finally rocked his hips and you let out a soft whine at the friction. “You’re so big…” You moaned as you allowed yourself to fall back against the sheets, hair fanning out around your head in a halo.

Stars danced in his eyes as the sight of you beneath him. This was a religious experience and he was already in the clouds. And you were praising him? He felt like he might die if you continued to comment. Your approval was all he ever needed and to get the validation in bed too was enough to have him on edge. He was fighting hard to stay composed so was trying to distract himself with random thoughts but you were clouding his senses and he couldn’t focus on anything else.

He gave a deep thrust and you let out a reedy moan, guiding his hand to your chest so he’d thumb over your nipples. Instead of simply teasing, he pinched you and your eyes rolled back. “Harder.” You demanded, unsure of what you were referring to. Did you want him to pinch your nipples harder or did you want him to fuck you harder?

He couldn’t tell either but gladly did both, relishing the sound you made. “You like that?”

“So much.” You nodded enthusiastically. “Need more. Please?” You pleaded, gasping when he pinched your nipple again.

“So impatient.” He tutted. “I love it. You’re so desperate for me that you can’t wait. How cute.” He continued, his hand sliding up to your throat. “Don’t worry, I’ll train you to be patient.” His smile darkened as he began to apply pressure to the sides of your throat, cutting off blood flow. His hips slowed and you whimpered but he briefly tightened his grip in warning. “Be a good girl and take what I give you, yeah?” You nodded furiously and he snapped his hips forward, knocking the air from your lungs. “Good girl.”

You weren’t on this planet anymore. You weren’t even in this universe. The whole ordeal was so hot that you were in your own world, focused only on the pleasure and the oddly-comforting weight of his body on top of yours.

“Open.” He demanded suddenly and your jaw instantly fell slack. “So obedient.” He cooed as he leaned closer before pursing his lips. Oh god is he about to do what I think? Fuck. You gripped his wrist as he spit into your mouth, a pathetic noise slipping out. “Swallow.” You did so eagerly, your entire body spasming at how hot it was. His jaw dropped at the way you suddenly clenched around him and he quickly pulled out, cumming across your thighs. “Fucking hell, baby. You like it that much? Fuck.” He panted as he stroked himself through his high, groaning when you nodded and reached to rub tight circles over your clit to guide yourself through your own orgasm.

He looked stunning like that. His jaw hung slack, his eyes half-lidded from the intense pleasure. He looked fucked out. He looked so fucking beautiful. He was art.

“Please.” You whispered breathlessly. “One more. Need to cum one more time. Need you to cum one more time. Please?” You begged, vision whiting when he squeezed your throat again.

“So needy, baby. Want me to fuck you so dumb you drool? Is that it?” His tone was nothing but adoring even though his words were meant to sting a bit and your heart throbbed in your chest. Was this more than fucking away tension and animosity? “Flip over. Lemme see that perfect ass.” He pulled away and you quickly complied, wiggling your ass as soon as you were in position. “God- you’re so fucking perfect, y/n. So perfect.” He praised as he squeezed your soft flesh.

“Seonghwa…” You whimpered his name as you tried to push yourself back onto his cock. “I need you so bad. Please?”

“I can’t say no when you ask so nicely, baby.” He said as he lined up and pressed into you. “Fuck- this pussy was made for me, pretty. Feels so fucking good.” He breathed, setting a rough pace from the start. His hips slapped against your ass as he plowed into you, driving you into the mattress.

You couldn’t help but cry out when he slammed into you so hard he knocked you forward. Your knees would be so irritated from the position and the way the sheets rubbed against your skin but you couldn’t care less. You simply wanted to feel him. He was all you needed at the moment.

He suddenly pulled you up from where your face was buried in the sheets and wrapped his hands around your throat for leverage. “You take my cock so well, sweetheart. Like you were made for it. Were you made for me?”

“Yes!” You gasped, jolting when he brushed your cervix. “Yes, I was made to take your cock and anything you give me.”

Lewd sounds filled the air as he repeatedly slammed into you, your mess running down your thighs to mingle with his. You’d need new sheets brought in by the time you were done. You almost felt bad for the housekeepers who would service your room later this afternoon. Almost. You couldn’t feel too bad with Seonghwa balls-deep inside you.

“You’re gonna make me cum.” He warned suddenly as he released your throat and you bit your lip hard. “Where do you want it, baby? I’m already so close.”

“Everywhere.” Your request was simple and it drove him over the edge. He pulled out as he came, covering your ass and thighs with his release. His breathing grew ragged as he allowed the pleasure to overwhelm him and he let out what was easily the sexiest sound you’d ever heard a man make, his voice pitching low in a way that made you clench around nothing.

Before you could reach between your legs to finish yourself off, he was back inside you and working faster than before, even as he began to get overwhelmed from the pleasure. He could feel you tensing with your impending orgasm and he wanted to be the one to send you over the edge one last time before you had to go shower again. “Don’t you dare touch yourself, baby. I’m gonna make you cum. Understood?”

You nodded quickly, thighs beginning to tremble from the sensation overtaking your body. “Yes! ‘M so close, Hwa. Please make me cum. Please!” You begged and he immediately reached around to toy with your clit. Tears sprung into your eyes at the pleasure flooding your body and fire spread beneath your skin.

“I can feel you trembling, pretty. Why don’t you just let go? Cum all over my cock, baby.” He coached and you couldn’t fight it anymore. A cry ripped from your throat and tears began to roll down your cheeks as your final orgasm crashed into you. “That’s right. Just like that.” His deep voice spurred you on as he tangled a hand in your hair, pulling just hard enough for the most delicious sting to spread out over your scalp. “Good girl.” You let out a choked sob at the name, delirious from the pleasure and gratification.

As you slowly came down from your high, he gently released your hair and smoothed his hands down your back. “You did so well for me, sweetheart. So perfect.” You whimpered softly at the praise as you collapsed against the mattress. He slipped out of you and immediately laid beside you, still rubbing your back with one hand. “You okay?” He asked as soon as he saw your tears. You nodded weakly, utterly spent. “Words, baby.”

“I’m okay. That was just…intense.” You murmured, suddenly exhausted.

“It was.” He agreed quietly, reaching to brush your hair back from your face. After several beats of silence, during which he took his time admiring you and playing with your hair, he spoke again. “You’re beautiful, you know.”

Your cheeks heated up and you fought the urge to hide your face. “Can I ask you something?” He nodded so you continued. “Earlier you said my skirt was driving you crazy. How long? You didn’t answer me before.”

“Too long.” When you didn’t respond, he let out a soft sigh and began to explain. “I always felt like shit for it but I've wanted you since day one. The moment we met, I knew I needed you. And seeing you in that damned skirt week after week drove me absolutely insane.”

“Why would you feel like shit for that?”

“Because we were friends. I shouldn’t have wanted you the way that I did. They always say women can’t have male friends because they all wanna sleep with you and I felt like I was only proving that right and risking our friendship.”

“Well if it’s any consolation, I’ve always found you insanely attractive too and have had my fair share of untoward thoughts.” You grinned and he let out a soft laugh. After a few beats of silence you spoke again. “I have another question.”

“Shoot.”

“Why the fuck did you have those chocolates on this trip in the first place?”

“We should get cleaned up.” He hummed as he sat up, clearly not wanting to answer. He had a secretive smile on his face and you rolled your eyes.

“You’re such a pain.” You sighed in exasperation. “Just tell me.”

“Well I hadn’t anticipated being the one helping you with it but I did plan to inconvenience you a bit.” He laughed and you sat up to chuck another pillow at him.

“You’re such an ass.”

“I’m your ass though.” Your cheeks pinked at the thought and you nodded slowly, liking the idea more than you’d anticipated.

“Yeah. I guess you are.”

[gyllenhaalstories]

ALIBI — RUSTY SABICH

summary: rusty seeks comfort in someone from his past to hide from both the present and the future.

warnings: mentions of cheating & the murder, mostly angst, smut (pussy eating, penetration, marking & hickeys, accidental creampie, some elements of noncon). 18+ NO MINORS.

word count: 4075

gif credits: me @/gyllenhaalstories / divider credits: @/firefly-graphics

notes: i was going off the vibes from the trailers but there are spoilers from the first two episodes. this was supposed to be all smut but then i didn't feel like writing smut so it was all angst but then i remembered i'm bad at writing angst so now it's... a mess. sorry? 👓 thank you for reading & REMEMBER TO REBLOG!

The doorbell rang. The noise was so loud that it startled you.

You had been on the edge all day, ever since you received a mysterious letter in your mailbox. The enveloppe was bare, the paper did not look much better. It could have been a bad prank for all you knew, it was not addressed to anyone specifically nor did it have the information required to return it. If it had not been of the familiar penmanship that wrote the words I'll be here at midnight, you would have believed that the letter was completely anonymous.

Rusty stood on the other side of the door, his body completely frozen while his mind and his heart raced faster than ever before. It was a bad idea, one of the worst ideas. He tried to make sure that nobody had followed him, but how could he know? How could he completely be sure there was not a car parked in the darkness of the night?

You ripped the metaphorical bandaid off. "What are you doing here?" You gripped on the door knob tightly, fighting the urge to slam the door back in his face.

He looked down at his feet. "You got my letter."

You were not having any of his misplaced timidity. He reached out, he needed to face the consequences. He needed to face you. So, you stepped out of the way and let him make a decision. Whether he walked away before it was too late, or whether he...

Rusty's shoulder bumped against yours while he made his way into your home. Memories flooded his mind. Memories of the two of you talking, laughing, kissing and...

"What are you doing here?" You repeated, this time with more annoyance in your voice.

He stopped reminiscing the past you shared. "I had nowhere else to go. I have no one else, but..."

"You don't have me either. You made that very clear when you disappeared. It's been so long, I started to believe you forgot I even existed. When was the last time we talked?"

When Carolyn started working. "It's been a long time, I know."

"You know everything, don't you?" You stated and closed the door. Rusty stood there, almost as clueless as you about his presence. You eyed him from head to toes and scoffed.

He flinched, expecting you to go on with another lecture about how he was such a horrible man. You did not, you knew he would like that too much.

You walked towards the living room and crashed on couch, as far as you could be from him. The distance made you feel safer. Only this safety was ephemeral and fragile.

"I, huh... I just," he stuttered and clenched his jaw while trying to compose himself. He pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I needed you."

You scoffed again at the use of past tense. Before you could talk back, he continued.

"I need you."

That confession weighted heavy in the air for several long, agonizing minutes. He came to you. He would have to work hard to get whatever he wanted from you.

Rusty fidgeted with his ring finger. Muscle memory.

You crossed your arms against your chest. You had showed this man more patience than he deserved. "Do you want a hug? Do you want me to tell you everything's gonna be okay?

He glanced in your direction, just long enough for you to notice the glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"I'm not the lawyer who's gonna defend your fake alibi, I'm not the detective who's gonna scrap pieces of evidence for you. I'm not the one who's going to get you out of trouble." You bombarded him with all of these options that he had once considered, crossing them off his list one after the other. "I'm not what you need."

"Yes, you are!" He raised his voice and you lifted a brow at his outburst. He hated being cornered, he hated being on the receiving hand of a tactic he had used one too many times in court. "I need you!" He shouted, he surprised himself.

You blinked and suddenly he was in front of you. He stood, tall but not strong. The louder he yelled, the weaker he felt.

"I need you to help me." You locked eyes with him, daring him to go on. "I need you to help me forget." He did not need to speak her name for you to figure out he was talking about Carolyn.

You laughed at him, as if you were hit with a sudden case of hysteria.

Your reaction made him walk away with his tail between his legs. He sat on the opposite side of the couch.

"You think you're so brave. Huh?" You smiled at him, in complete disbelief. "You were talking shit about how you wanted to leave your wife for me. The worst part is... I believed you." He seemed surprised once again. "Then you left me for another woman who died because of you. And now..." Your smile faded and your arms fell to your sides. "You're crawling back to me because you feel lonely?"

This was a mistake. He thought, he hoped, you would be different. He had enough of people berating him. He sprung to his feet and paced around your living room, planning his next move... His next words.

You chewed on the inside of your cheek while he behaved like an animal in cage. "Rusty..." You sighed, slowly giving in without your own consent. You opened the door of the cage.

"I know you feel lonely too." Rusty clenched his jaw. He stood firm in his word. Suddenly he remembered a conversation he had, not too long ago, about taking responsibility. "And I know I'm asking for a lot." His upper lip curled, his body reacting strangely to this rare case of acknowledgement and awareness. Perhaps it could have been... Guilt.

It was your turn to be surprised. This was uncommon, unnatural. You could not quite decipher if he was genuine or not. The longer you stared at him, studying and scrutinizing him, the harder it became to figure out what was going on inside his head. However, you noticed a shift.

Rusty knew he was getting to you. You no longer had the entire control over this conversation. He reentered your house and your life. While you told him you did not want him back, your body was saying something completely different. You expected him to visit, yet you dressed up so lightly in a shirt that hugged your curves and pants he could easily rip open. You never missed an occasion to drink him in, to appreciate the countless hours he spent at the pool to swim through his thoughts. The tough version of you that opened the door with an anger-filled soul softened up faster than he had imagined.

You eyed him up and down again. "This isn't going to end well." You spoke mostly to yourself. He heard you, but did not acknowledge the bad omen.

Rusty knelt before you. Not once did he break eye contact while he crawled, bringing your words into reality. He leaned back when he reached your legs and waited. He waited for you to tell him no, knowing it would only make him crave it more. Rusty rarely took no for an answer anyway.

You reached your hand to stroke his hair. You waited, too. You waited for him to realize he was taking the wrong decision. You waited to gather enough courage, although you were not too sure what to used that courage for.

He leaned into your hand that slid down to his cheek. You reminded him that the chase of thrills and butterflies could hardly compete with someone who had the magical power of calming him down, of making the whole world disappear.

You leaned forward and reached for his glasses that you gently removed. You took a moment to admire the sight of him: the muscles of his thighs almost bursting through his jeans, his chest heaving as if his hoodie made him so hot that he was melting, his eyes begging for your permission.

He watched you set his glasses away on the couch, safe and sound. He turned his head back to you while you lifted yourself off the couch to take off your sleeping pants. Rusty helped you pull them off, he threw them as far away as he could. He decided for you that there was no turning back. He then placed his hands on your knees, ready to part your legs open.

"I'm gonna regret this." You would, but Rusty would not. You locked eyes with him again and drowned into his darkened gaze. "You better make sure it's worth it."

Rusty faced a dilemma: he was unsure whether he wanted to take his time and savour the moment or dive into it head first. The throb of his cock, confined under his clothes, decided for him.

Your body showed no resistance to his touch, your legs opened easily with the light pressure he applied. His tongue licked a long stripe on your inner thigh while he made his way to your core.

You adjusted your position, sitting more lazily on the couch while he pulled you closer to the edge of the seat. He peppered kisses on your pussy before he used his thumbs to spread it open for him. At the first taste, he was addicted. More so, he was reminded of the addiction that had him sneaking out day and night just to eat you out.

Your back arched, pressing yourself against his mouth when he sucked on your clit. You fought back your moans, but, once again, your body betrayed you.

"Missed you so much," Rusty spoke against your skin. He spat on your pussy and caught the drops that dripped down with his tongue. He made a mess, not that he had to try very hard for it. You were already wet for him, he liked to think it was just a reflex you had failed to break since the day he left. "I missed you so fucking much."

You placed a hand on his head, pulling on his short hair. You refused to believe his words, but they sounded so nice. Almost honest.

Rusty began to lap at your folds, making his nose bump against your clit. He swallowed the juices that leaked from your entrance, but he was still left craving more.

You gasped loudly when his tongue teased your hole. You pressed his face against you, as if he could get even closer than he already was.

Rusty palmed at his rock hard cock, moaning into your pussy as he did that. He touched himself over his clothes while he finally focused on your aching clit, flicking his tongue on it to make you squirm. He tried to fight against the movements of your hips, making sure his mouth never left you.

Your legs started to close around Rusty's face, which did not bother him in the slightest. You struggled to keep your eyes open, to watch him while he brought you closer to the edge. He just looked so beautiful.

The vein on his temple was bulging, almost pulsating to match his heart beat. He let go of his crotch and helped you to put your thighs on his broad shoulders, encourage you to let go, to give in.

You were not ready to satisfy him just yet. You wanted this moment to last, you wanted it to be worth the guilt and regret you would experience the moment he would walk out the door.

That only made him hungrier. He devoured you like it was the last time, he shared the mutual feeling that it could very well be. He pulled away from you just long enough to catch his breath one last time. He was determined to get what he wanted from you.

In a matter of seconds, your vision got blurry and your toes started to curl.

Rusty's moans only made the sensations greater while his tongue worked you over and had your entire body shaking for him.

You did not need to speak, to tell him to keep going, he knew what to do. He knew how to make you feel better than anyone else ever could. That remained one of his biggest problems, he was a heartless cheater but he was just so fucking good at it.

He slowed down until your thighs relaxed around him and he helped to set them down, still wide open for him to admire the mess he made between your thighs. You were dripping of your own wetness and of his spit. He could have kept going all night, but he had a more urgent need to take care of. He scrambled back on his feet and, without a word, he took off the rest of his clothes.

You did the same, not without admiring his body and especially the throbbing and leaking cock that he stroked.

He admired you too: the way your clit throbbed for him, how your forehead was covered with a layer of sweat despite just sitting there and doing nothing besides screaming while you were cumming.

He surprised you with a rough kiss, all tongue and teeth. You did not want to reciprocate, you wanted to pull away and to protect yourself from falling harder for this man. It was simply pointless. You kissed him back with the same passion that left you both gasping for air.

Rusty helped you to change positions so that you turned around and you were kneeling on the couch and you leaned on the back of the furniture. He leaned forward to kiss your shoulder and all the way down your back. He wanted to print the memory of you in his mind.

Neither of you felt brave enough to speak. You let your bodies do the talking with moans and grunts that blended into a melody while Rusty pressed the tip of his cock to your entrance. His tongue failed to prepare you for the delicious stretch of his cock.

He squeezed your ass cheeks open, trying to catch a glimpse of your pussy gripping on him. That was the prettiest thing he had ever seen. He helped you arch your back, taking in the perfect position for him to use your pussy to get off. You felt so fucking good, so tight and wet around him. How could he have waited so long to feel you again? How did he manage to wait all this time?

You bit on your lip so hard that it tasted faintly of blood when he bottomed out. He stopped moving for a few moments, letting you adjust to him.

He pressed his toned chest against your back, cooing at you. When he felt your walls relax around his length, he started moving. The small but deep thrusts made tears pool into your eyes.

You held on the back of the couch for dear life when he fucked you harder, when he let you feel every inch of him nice and deep.

Rusty grunted louder and louder. The noises echoed in your apartment, filling the silence alongside the sound of your skin slapping against his. He was getting closer than he wanted to to admit it, so he stalled again.

You felt his hands on your skin, gliding down your arms. He held your hands in his, making the cushion of the couch cave in under the pressure. You looked down at his left hand, but your eyes closed blissfully before you could notice whether he was wearing his wedding ring or not. Your skin was so hot too, you could not even feel it the metal.

You could not feel anything else than Rusty's cock that was balls deep inside of you or his lips that sucked a few marks on your shoulder.

He kissed his way to your neck, where he nibbled and licked. He was buying time and you could feel it. You could hear it too, with the whimpers that came out of his mouth. He murmured at your ear while he marked you. "I’m gonna… I’m gonna cum."

"Pull out, just, fuck," your voice sounded hoarse from the moans. "Just pull out!"

Rusty cursed under his breath, his thrusts felt more like twitches than anything. His left hand moved down to squeeze on your hip, a rough and bruising grip. "I can’t," his body pressed down on yours. You could barely stay up on your knees. "You feel too fucking good on me."

"No! No, no…" You wanted to get him to move, or even to get off him. Anything really, but your pussy clenched on him with vice-like grip. It was already too late.

Rusty held your hip and your hand tight, giving you no room to escape. He grunted at your ear while he emptied himself in you. Multiple ropes of cum coated your walls and made both yours and his eyes roll to the back of your heads. It felt so good, so wrong yet so right. He should not have done it, he should have pulled out and avoid another situation. He never learned his lessons. This was forbidden. He loved it even more.

"Rusty! That was so fucking stupid." You shouted, there was more shock than anger in your voice. Your poor attempts at squirming out of his embrace failed. Your pussy milked him to his last drop.

The room went painfully silent. No moans, no skin slapping, no couch squeaking. Nothing. There was nothing but erratic breaths and the gears turning silently in your minds. What did he do? He did what he needed to do. He did what he knew you wanted him to do. Even if you told him otherwise, even if you tried to convince yourself of the opposite. "I'm sorry."

It was crystal clear that his apology was empty. As if the lack of conviction in his voice was not enough to prove it, the slow thrusts of his hips sealed the deal.

Languid strokes that made him appreciate the warmth he had craved for so long. "I know, this was wrong." He pressed his clean shaven cheek against yours. Slowly, he picked up the pace until he properly fucked you against the couch. "I'm so fucking sorry." He punctuated each word with a thrust that made you moan louder and louder. He was not going to stop anytime soon. He fucked his cum so deep inside of you until he was ready for a second load.

Only Rusty could fuck you this good. He made sure you learned that lesson, rewarding you with orgasms the more you surrendered to the pleasure he shamelessly gave you.

*~*~*

You felt Rusty's arm slide away from your body, goosebumps spreading on your skin from the sudden lack of warmth. You tried to stay immobile, although your eyes fluttered from struggling to stay closed. You knew he would leave. He always did.

He knew he would leave. He could not stay. He could not stay and drag you down with him once more. Rusty had hurt enough people for the time being, he needed to learn to be careful. To calculate the risks. The risks were too high when they involved you.

A part of you had hoped it would be different this time. Maybe he would stay for breakfast. Maybe he would offer to shower together and go at it again. Maybe he would make another promise he would inevitably break.

Rusty surprised you with a kiss to your cheek, one that lingered and communicated more than words could convey in the moment. He stood up on his tired legs and he stepped over your body to search for his clothes.

You opened your eyes a bit, squinting to catch a glimpse of his naked body roaming around your place. He looked so beautiful, so irresistible. His large back, his muscular legs, his toned ass that he quickly covered with his boxers. You could admire him for days on end. He would never grant you so much time in his presence.

He turned around, guilt and regret stabbed him in the stomach. Unfamiliar feelings. You looked so beautiful, so tempting. The delicate features of your face, the curves of your body, your steady breathing that he'd love to fall asleep to again. He wished he could stay with you and forget about the rest of the world.

You felt his eyes on you. You felt him stare and linger on the marks he left on your body, on the other places he'd love to bruise for his own pleasure.

Before he got riled up and, most importantly, before he failed once more to think with his brain, he finished dressing up in a hurry. If he made it back home before sunrise, no one would know about his escapade.

"Wait." Your mouth spoke despite your mind yelling at you to stay quiet and to pretend to sleep a little longer.

Rusty froze in place. He refused to turn around and look at you. Unless you asked him to.

You sat up, wrapping the blanket around your body that he had seen one too many times; your body that he could not even see in the moment. You used the blanket as a shield. An armour to brace for the upcoming impact. "Is she," you cut yourself off. "Was she special?"

You watched his torso rise and fall from the several deep breaths he took before answering. "Very." He did not need one more interrogation, one more trial.

You nodded slowly. "Am I special?"

You watched him experience a myriad of emotions, just by the change in his breathing and how his body tensed up while he searched for an honest answer. This question was a trap.

"Very." He repeated in a whisper. "The most special."

You snickered. His answer felt like just as much of a trap as the question you asked. If you had been the most special to him, why did he pursue Carolyn? Why did he have this grand affair with her and not with you? Why did he risk everything for her and not for you?

As if he could hear the questions running through your mind, he spoke again. "You're the only person I've tried my hardest to protect." He referred to his children that he hurt and sacrificed, to his wife that he lied to and cheated on... To his mistress who died because of his insatiable lust.

It was only then that you finally accepted to face the truth: nobody knew who you were, in relation to Rozat Sabich. He kept you in the shadows, he locked you in a cage. He protected you in this bubble of stolen kisses and broken promises.

If nobody knew that you two shared a long and complex history, he would never have to involve you in this situation more than he already did the night before. He would not need yet another alibi to cover up the messy trail he left behind.

You held your head in your hands. You hated to see him leave, each time felt like it got closer to being the last time he would walk out of your life for good.

Rusty put on his hoodie and fixed his glasses. He was now facing you, but it was his turn to need an armour so he maintained the distance between the two of you. He stared at you, time felt like it had stopped. His lips parted open to speak, but no sound came out of his mouth.

However, you turned to look at him just in time to catch him mouth the dangerous words I love you. You smiled sadly at him with a tear falling down the same cheek he kissed. It was your way to say I love you too.

And just like that, Rusty opened the door and left without another glance in your direction. The wall between the two of you built itself back up in an instant. That way, he protected you from the world. Most importantly, he protected you from himself. All the history between the two of you would remain a secret.

You were his best kept secret.

[hyper-fixated-delusions]

Without you.

Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader blurb.

A/N: I hope you enjoy and I apologize for any mistakes! Also comments, reblogs, shares and likes are super appreciated, thank you! :)

Word count: 499.

Masterlist.

How is it that you can love someone to the point where you can't breathe?

To the point where if they leave you, your heart will never sing.

Sing the words that once made you happy, the ones that made you glad, the ones that made you remember all the good that you had.

How is it that she took everything without a word being said? How is it that she left you, left you almost dead.

If she loved you the way she said she did, she would never leave and for some reason you still loved her all that much, that's why you can't breathe.

-

You were sitting on your bed staring out of the large window in the bedroom when you heard your door open.

“You wanted to talk?” You ask cautiously, your eyes still looking out the window.

“Yes,” Wanda sighs, “I- It's just-,” she begins, but stumbles on her words.

“Come on, just say it Max. Just say what you came here to say. Just say what I know you've been dreading to tell me for some time now,” you whisper, as your eyes now focus on the witch.

“Y/N/N,” Wanda whispers softly, as tears stream down her face at the broken look you give her. “You have to know, I never wanted it to be like this,” she cries.

“I know,” you sigh as tears mark your own face as well. “I know things were never meant to play out this way, but I also know that you love him the same way that you’re supposed to love me,” you say as a sob escapes your throat.

Wanda approaches the bed slowly, before she sits besides you and pulls you into a tight hug.

“I'm sorry, my love, I am so so sorry.” Wanda cries into your shoulder. “The stone it- I don’t understand it, but what I do know is that I’m hurting you because of it, so that’s why I need to let you go, you deserve more than whatever I am giving you,” she says lowly.

“Yeah, I get that. So it is what it is,” you say shrugging, trying desperately to alleviate the ache in your chest with your nonchalant words. “But I do ask for one last thing Wands,” you begin, as Wanda looks at you with sad green eyes, “can I please hold you,” you ask softly, the witch nodding against you.

As both you and your now ex-lover slide into the bed you once shared, you holding her from behind, Wanda waits until your cries finally turn into even breaths of slumber before removing herself from your tight hold, placing a final kiss to your forehead before moving to grab a pen and paper to write you a letter. Leaving it on the dresser beside your bed.

“It's over.” Is all that it says.

-

And it's enough for you to know your heart may never sing again.

[matan4il]

Buddie 613 meta

We now know that the man who risked himself to get Buck out of the line of fire during the shooting arc is Jeshan, which means ‘clear’ (if you’re interested, you can find more name meanings for 911 characters here). So let me just giggle for a second about the fact that 911 had once again reunited Buddie with a character who can be referred to as Captain Clear Me(h)ta. Coincidence? IDK. But I have to admit, it kinda made me reflect back and feel nostalgic. When I first started watching the show, I had no intention of writing meta for 911, but after going ballistic when 309 aired, I knew I would HAVE to use the s3 hiatus to write down all my thoughts about everything Buddie related so far. That’s what I did, I wrote and shared my baby, my first round of Buddie meta. That’s where it was supposed to end, but then people asked and encouraged me to write meta for the eps in 3b as they would air, too. I figured I could try, and that’s how my Buddie weekly meta posts were born. At the time, there was no one else writing proper weekly meta (I don’t mean a summary/review of the ep, or meta posts that stand on their own, but proper analysis on Buck, Eddie and those who matter to them, organized and serialized for each ep as it aired). And now, I’ve been writing them for almost 3.5 seasons. And I feel like they’ve inspired others to do the same. TBH, I can’t actually remember seeing weekly meta posts in other fandoms (maybe they exist and I just haven’t come across them, IDK). So I got all emotional, thinking about how these posts may be love notes to Buddie and the show, but most of all they’re a love letter to the wonderful people who have been supportive and encouraging, who’ve been reblogging the posts, who’ve been commenting on them and telling me that what I do makes a difference for them. Thank you so much, these posts wouldn’t exist without you. You have a much bigger impact on the fandom than you might have realized! So if Captain Mehta is indeed a nod to the meta, it’s a loving, appreciative nod that belongs to all of you. ~~

When Chim shows up to escort Hen to work, he ends up sitting down for a talk with Denny instead, and I really enjoyed this scene, it was lovely, but it also once again emphasized the difference between the firefam kids’ relationship with their parents’ colleagues and the r/s Buck and Chris have. Chim talks to Hen’s son when he happens to come across the kid, but he only sits down for a proper conversation because Denny implies Hen and Karen are up to something intimate, and Chim shouldn’t interrupt them just yet. Consider how different that is to how Buck intentionally looks to spend time with and dedicated to Chris! And then Chim is impressed by how smart Denny is. It’s cute, but it also reveals just how little they interact that this comes as a surprise to Chim. It’s so different to the intimate familiarity of a parent, which is what we know Buck has with Chris (and that Chris has with Buck, which can even be seen in the kid’s teasing, for example regarding the snoring in 414). ~~

You might have seen that, when the promo came out, I momentarily lost my sanity and posted this. I just couldn’t get over the fact that they actually had Eddie correct the chief on the duration of Buck’s death. It was such a spouse thing to do. It was a declaration about the anguish that each single second represented, when Eddie couldn’t breathe because Buck wasn’t. It was a confession of sorts, on how Eddie felt as he desperately NEEDED his husband to live (I’m not even joking when I ascribe him this title, Eddie said with his whole chest, “THAT IS MY IDIOT HUSBAND THAT I HAD TO WATCH DIE FOR THREE MINUTES AND SEVENTEEN SECONDS AND I WILL NEVER FORGET ANY OF THOSE SECONDS, NOR LET ANYONE ELSE DO THAT”). It was a glimpse into how time must have moved differently for him as each second etched itself forever into Eddie’s mind. And yes, it’s a clear parallel to 413, when we witness time slowing down for Eddie. And I mentioned in my post that in both scenarios, Buck is just out of his reach, so close, but simply not close enough. In one case, this forced Eddie to believe he must now accept his own death. In the other, he couldn’t accept the possibility that Buck would die, so he just fought harder, and if he couldn’t save Buck with one course of action, he tried another, Eddie just had to keep going, 'coz the idea of those three minutes and seventeen seconds turning into an eternity? Unacceptable. ~~

But notice in my unhinged post from that day, I used the word ‘counting.’ Eddie counted the seconds, and this is revealed to us at a poker game where Buck is counting the cards. I already noticed that when we saw the promo, but this connection was reinforced in the ep itself when Chief Williams vocalized what Buck was doing. The thing about counting is that it’s reserved for what matters, what’s crucial. Buck is counting the cards in order to win, and he wants to win because it matters to Eddie. Buck wasn’t the one who initiated the search for a poker game where he could use his newfound skills, Eddie was the one to take that initiative. And he could bring Buck along without telling him where they’re going (I would normally scream for a whole separate paragraph just about Eddie telling Buck to dress nice and there being no need for any further explanation or prompting, but we were so well fed, I’ll have to scream about it into my fist for just one sentence) 'coz Eddie was so sure his husband would go along with whatever crazy scheme he’d come up with. And he was right, even though Buck didn’t think it would end well, he still went along with what his husband wanted. Please let me reiterate: Buck’s counting cards because Eddie is so important to him, and Eddie was counting the seconds because Buck’s his vital sign. ~~

Another thing to keep in mind about the poker game is that the only other time we’ve seen Buck playing poker was in 312. In that ep, Eddie was off to meet Christopher’s school teachers (leading to his eventual lackluster r/s with Ana), so having a free evening, Buck spends it with Maddie, Chim and Josh (and is told he unequivocally sucks at Poker). Jokes were made about setting Josh and Buck up, and it was implied whatever Buck’s sexuality was, that was not the reason why Maddie abstained from making the match. What I find interesting is seeing how far our boys have come! In that ep, they were operating separately, and it led them down the wrong paths.

In this ep, Buck and Eddie were inseparable both as a couple (even sharing the winnings from Buck’s new talent, because what don’t these two share? And I was particularly chewing glass when Chief Williams asks Buck how he wanted HIS winnings, but instead of answering her, he looks at his husband. THEY ARE SO FREAKING MARRIED), and as a family unit with Chris (which is maybe a good moment to point out that all of the romantic couples were paired off in 613, and so were Buddie! Now, one could argue that Buck and Eddie were paired off because, well... who else is left for them to hang out with? But 312 is a reminder that when the show wants to, it can push the main cast and minor characters into the same orbit, so it still didn’t HAVE to pair Buck and Eddie off here. It chose to. On top of that, by showing them with Chris as well, 911 reminded us they’re far more bonded than just two best bros hanging out together ‘coz none of their other friends are single). In short, during 312, Buck lost and Eddie was about to be lost on a detour in his romantic journey. In 613, they ARE a family, they work as one throughout the ep, not just in parts of it, and they’re both winning. ~~

Something that gets to me is that when I first shared the BTS pic of Buddie at the poker game, it was clear that Eddie was just bursting with self confidence. He looked like he would be the star of that game. But when we got the promo, we discovered that it was actually going to be Buck who would shine that night. So what makes me slightly froth at the mouth is that all of that sexy confidence we picked up on in the photo? It was real. We weren’t wrong. It just wasn’t confidence that Eddie had in himself, it’s confidence he has in Buck. All of his swagger? Is a reflection of how much he believes and enjoys seeing his husband be a star. I am gonna need 3-6 working weeks at least to recover from knowing this. ~~

Speaking of things that destroyed me forever, everything about the Buckley-Diaz family in this ep falls into that category. I mean, not only did we once again have incredibly domestic scenes, we had one that was very reminiscent of the lasagna one in 601 (Eddie with Chris at the table, Buck fussing around them only to join in once he brings along something to be consumed), reinforcing that this is THEIR NORM, we also had Eddie and Chris being so cute and supportive when it comes to Buck’s new ability (Chris calls him a superhero, Eddie goes along with it, and when Buck’s upset he didn’t get a better superpower, naming some he would have liked to have, Eddie comforts him by saying those other options sound horrible). 

And then to top it all off, we had Buck and Chris cooking together. Bobby’s been explicitly acknowledged as basically being Buck’s dad by both of them, and we know Bobby’s been teaching Buck how to cook. Now we get Buck doing the same with Chris, clearly marking them as father and son, especially since this is done with just the two of them, this special time that’s allocated just to their bond together. Eddie is not needed as a middleman. I know that this isn’t news, but every single time the show reinforces this truth, that Buck is Christopher’s other dad, that their bond is that deep, I gain 10 years, so I have to mention it. ~~

For 613, I made my weekly gifset about Buck and answers, but I’d actually like to elaborate on what you see there. In 602, at the happiness center call, we see Buck looking to Lev in search for his own answers on what his happiness looks like. When he still can’t find any, he turns to Hen, because she always has them. Along this season, that’s been his theme. He’s trying to figure out what he wants in order to be happy, which is connected to the couch theme we’ve all been screaming about since 601 (and especially after he fell asleep on Eddie’s in 612). In 613, Buck suddenly finds that he’s the guy with the answers and he likes it. But has he really got them? Buck says these words to Eddie and Chris, and in addition to that, while he utters them, he’s literally captured in the same frame together with Eddie. But it’s also essential that we heard why Chris can’t just be given the answers. It’s in order to learn, Eddie tells him. That’s exactly what Buck has to do, he has to find his answers in order to learn from the search process. He’s not just there yet, but the framing of the whole scene coupled with the ongoing couch theme is very loud. ~~

What gets me maybe most of all in a whole ep of REALLY GOOD BUDDIE CONTENT, is the way the whole thing wraps up. The storyline on Buck’s new abilities doesn’t end with any commentary on those or on his recovery process. His last scene in this ep is the one with Chris. It follows directly the one with Hen and Karen, a scene which reminds us that we’re never surprised at either woman spending solo time with and caring about Denny, even though neither is biologically related to him, because they ARE BOTH his parents. In the same way, it’s only natural that we see Buck spending alone time with Chris, without Eddie around. It is so meaningful that the last shot of Buck in this ep is not about his story line at all, and neither his abilities, nor having died for several minutes is the point. Instead, the last, and therefore most significant shot of Buck in this very Buddie domestic ep, is him smiling at their son. I feel like that says everything about his trajectory.

~~ (my weekly meta posts) (my Buddie gifs) (all of my content)

~~ My tag list will follow in the reblog, please let me know  if you wanna be added/removed here.

~~ Thank you so much for reading and for any reblog, like, comment or supportive tag! Also, HUGE thank you to @whosoldherout​. On top of real life stuff, she makes her own amazing gifs AND helps make these posts so much better. She’s the one with the real superpowers!

[eisdendrobium]

my first and last letter for you.

pairings : childe x reader summary : after getting your heart broken by childe you decides to move away so you wouldn't see him again, and so you wrote him your first and last letter. note : there'll be a bit of childe and reader's past relationship written so i highly recommend you to read/re-read the first part! ^v^ also this hasn't been proofread!

read part 1 here! : where’s my happily ever after?

ajax, how're you doing these past week? finally getting that girlfriend you've been searching for? lumine right? yeah i met her earlier today, and i could say that she's not what i thought she is you know?

i tried to hate her, and i did, i hated her for taking you away from me. you, someone who i found comfort in and you, who i foolishly fell in love with.

i hated every moment i spent seeing you with her, i hate how pathetic i feel watching you with her.

"why would you like her? someone who just entered your live, someone who you barely know?" that was what i thought back then

but i met her today, i saw how beautiful she is inside, and i hate it. how come she's so nice? how come she's so perfect? she's such an angel compared to me.

i understand why you love her ajax, i would too if i were you. i mean how could you not? i've treated her like a disease yet she's still so friendly, so nice, so caring towards me...

a part of me still hates her, a part of me still can't seem to let you go. you were my everything ajax.. you saved me that day when i was in the brink of death, you taught me what love is - what love could be.

and i thought we had something you know? the way you act, the way you talk, and the way you treat me as if i'll break if you did something wrong. You were my savior, you whom i fell in love with.

but i guess you need someone who could comfort you in your dark times too right? i suppose i was never the person to express my feelings.. never was the person who could comfort people..

but what i didn't expect is the fact that you turn cold so fast. how could you ajax? how could you leave me like that? maybe you finally had enough of my antiques? haha..

since you've already know about my feelings towards you before i had the courage to tell you myself i suppose i'll confess everything in this letter hehe :

ajax, the guy who saved my life when i was in the brink of freezing, the guy who warmed my cold heart and showed me what love is, everything we did i store inside of me dearly.

i still remember that day you knelt down and gave me those qixing flowers, that night you saved me- you bought me warm soup and clothes to warm me up, so many things..

perhaps i didn't thanked you enough.. thank you for everything ajax, thank you for saving my life, thank you for helping me survive, for teaching me how to love, for letting me love you.

yet i'm afraid i couldn't stand seeing you with lumine again, i'm afraid if i stayed here longer the ice you melt will freeze again, freezing me from the inside.

you're happy with her, she's perfect for you, and i've come to realize that i'll have to let you go... i can't share ajax, you know that right?

it's either you for me or not at all, and you love her so i wouldn't force you to love me

goodbye childe, may we meet again in brighter future.. please take care of yourself and her for me yeah?

i love you.

signed, your companion [name].

a/n : reblogs are greatly appreciated! and please feel free to comment what you think about this fic ^^

[otomiyaa]

nice.png

(literally how I named the image, couldn't think of something else)

Hi guys :') To my followers and tumblr friends, I'm really sorry if my sudden disappearance scared or upset you. It wasn't quite... planned. And today was a busy day and I needed some time to consider what I wanted to do.

Short version of the story:

My tumblr account got terminated for copyright infringement. A certain Mr. Green got me in unlucky trouble (ref 1, 2).

I won't get it back, or try to get it back. It's gone.

Needed a moment to consider 2 options: ask Mia to extend my dramatic farewell letter and stay gone, or make a new blog.

Not planning to post new writing here. I won't be using words like 'never' or 'forever' because I'm a known clown with things like this, but the intention is to no longer post fics. I will finish Tickletober on AO3 and then take a break from writing. So yes, I cancel the swiftscribbles event too, sorry!

When I opened my laptop, I could see my old blog in its final hour lmao (I found out about the loss on my phone). So that's what the snap is from on a fitting grave. It was fun while it lasted!

Long version of the story:

Losing my blog(s): My Tumblr account with main blog + sideblogs got terminated overnight, it was quite the surprise! I've either been reported or tracked by bots. The posts are a bunch of numbered URLs I can't open, but the message is clear: for including anime content, genshin impact or media from other sources (whether it's videos, screenshots, official art, gifs or even fanwork) you technically can get a strike. Upon googling the claimer I quickly found this first, and knew it was a lost cause. Although it feels shitty and unlucky, I am in no place to appeal. It's like when I used to make AMVs in the past, you never knew whether a song or even anime footage was going to give your YT account a copyright strike or even a ban, it was a gamble. I have lost YT accounts before, and now I lost the Tumblr one. With 7+ years of tickle trash content and a bunch of sideblogs. But oh well, moving on!

Starting a new blog: It was a serious consideration whether this was my ultimate chance to do what I've always said I wanted to do eventually - quit my blog. My first thought was to ask Mia to share my explanation and literal goodbye with you guys, and stick to my chaos of a Twitter account to indulge in fandom stuff. But then I thought of how happy Tumblr made me, even without the fic writing, but just.. reblogging things, getting random asks, shouting about life and of course, about tickles. I decided to make a new blog after all, but also decided the following:

The 7K+ milestone swiftscribbles event is cancelled, for which I apologize! The follower milestone, together with the motivation to write the fics, and even the asks with the requests I got, all died with my former blog.

I will see how long I can survive without posting a new fic or drabble. A loose headcanon or two might fly around sometime. And if necessary, a link to a new fic on AO3.

Tickletober? Hell yes I'll finish it, I would cringe in bed for 49 days at least if I would stop. I just won't post the fics here, but on AO3.

Reposting/reblogging my old works? Undecided at the moment but I'm tired and lazy. I don't feel too upset since most of my fics are still on AO3 at least and not completely gone.

Anyways, I'll see what happens and how long I can enjoy this nerfed version of blogging.

Surprisingly I'm not upset about losing my other blog, there were a lot of memories but it was also very cringe. I'm gonna be just as cringe here, but at least I feel cleansed.

For those who choose to follow me again, thank you, but please know that there won't be much original content coming from me, for now!:)

[eydi-andrius]

Don't Get Sad, Get Even V

warnings: mention of injuries, threats, tags were not exhausted

aemond targaryen x wife!reader

summary: You and your House Dressed Up for Revenge.

a/n: thank you for the long wait. it took time for me to write this down. i had to cut the chapters into two, and this one will be the first part. i hope to finish this fic this march. thanks for reading!

Kindly reblog your comments if you can to help me share my stories to others. i appreciate every likes but i also do want more readers to read my works.

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Epilogue

+++++++++++++

Cold, glassy eyes stare at you whenever your mind is not occupied. It bothers your sleep and you know you’re pale as a ghost as the days pass by without news about the dissolution of your marriage. 

Meanwhile, worry etched on your servants faces the more they looked at you but you dismissed them and told them you were fine. And it was truly not that bad. Your pale face walking around the hallways gave you more power and pity to the servants. While the highborn lies to your face about feeling sorry for you but were waiting for the right moment to bite unto Aemond once your marriage was done. Not that you mind. The more he loses his power to you, the better.

And the living was the least of your concern whenever you see Alys staring in the corner of your room while you work. You see her green lifeless eyes staring into your soul. 

The problem doesn't lie to you seeing her. No. It was the truth that you can't tell. 

After what happened, the days seem to go on with normalcy. And you knew, they have hidden her death more than they had hidden his assault towards you. 

You would lie if you said it didn't kill you each night knowing that they were capable of hiding his murder, his sin. 

Then there came a news that Alys was sent back to Harrenhal as she requested to give birth there. 

No one questioned it, some tried to get a reaction from you but you were occupied in making sure that once you go back to your home, everything will be set. 

Your father will step down as the lord and it will be passed down to you. A plan that was strategized before he went back home. 

However, you need to plan ahead. You know you can't be unwed for too long. You only have one moon to make sure the power will be given to you, no questions. And find another suitable suitor as a husband. 

Someone who is capable but dependent. Or else what happened with your marriage will happen again. 

You were left in your own thoughts as you handled the parchments for the businesses and merchants who wanted access on the road with lesser taxes. And you can't help the disgust that you felt when one of them was a noble who was rich enough to let his children inherit all of his riches yet wanted the poor to handle the responsibility more than them. 

He even proposes that you marry one of his children who were notorious for abusing his wives and mistresses. The disrespect to offer marriage when the finality of the dissolution was not yet revealed. And the idea that you deserve just that because they think you will be lower now that you have been married once. 

Fools. 

Then an idea popped up inside your head to make this lord suffer. You immediately took your quill and wrote down a letter, when your door burst open with your Lady Knight breathing heavily and bathed in her own sweat. 

"My lady! It's here!" She raised the parchment on her hand and you stood up. 

You stride towards her, heart beating from anxiousness.

What if the same with Alys death, they'll be able to stop your marriage from ending. You know if that happens, your death will follow suit. 

With shaky hands, you rolled open the paper and your legs wobbled from what was written there. 

"My lady!" Your knight yelled out and immediately went to your aid. 

Tears slowly roll down your eyes as you continue reading the parchment. 

"My lady, please. I know it will be fine. We'll be here no matter what the decision was." Strained smile was plastered on her face as your lady knight reassured you. Giving you comfort as she realized that the written letter must have been the opposite of what you were expecting. 

Instead of telling her, you gave it to her so she can prepare by herself. 

You watched as her eyes followed the ink and saw her eyes slowly widening. She breathed deeply and looked at you. 

A yelp came out of your mouth when she suddenly let go of the paper and hugged you tightly. 

"I'm glad, my lady! You're finally going home!" She places her head on your shoulder and you feel her tears touch your skin.

Relieved, you hugged her back and cried with her the whole time.

You did not know how long you two have cried but once you let go of each other, Rikka came in with a confused look at first when she saw the two of you but then your knight nodded at her. 

You don't even need to tell her about it, she knew and she almost flew towards you and wrapped you with her arms. 

"Oh gods! I am so glad!" She squealed with delight. She immediately let go of you and stared at your tear stricken face again. 

"I believed that was not the real face of a woman who was able to outwit her husband. Come on! We must fix you! She told you as she practically dragged you out of your office and towards your room. 

Once seated in front of the vanity, you signaled for her to stop. 

"Give me the simplest dress you can find and make sure to style my hair as plain as you can." You ordered her as an idea struck you. 

She smiled at you and went to go do her duty. 

You looked at yourself and smiled at the tear stricken face staring back at you. A lady who had conquered a dragon and won.

You were not able to ruminate about your thoughts when your door flung open and a disheveled Alicient came into your view. 

"My daughter!" A gasp left your lips when you felt her warm arms wrapped you into a hug. You were a bit surprised about it at first but hugged her back when you realized what was happening.

"So you've found out?" You asked. 

"I did. The raven was sent to the King's Hand and I was with him when he received it." She shared as she looked at your face and wiped the remaining tears. 

"Hmmm." Was your only response as she looked you in the eye and sighs. 

"It must have been tough all those years. I came here not to antagonize you further but to thank you for being the best daughter in law I would have in this lifetime. Know that even after this, you are still like a daughter of mine." A tear was able to escape her eyes and you watched as her face was etched with sadness. You can feel how sincere she was and you decided to clasped your hands with hers, reassuring her that you did not blame her for whatever happened with you and her son. 

"And you are like a mother of mine too. I am grateful to be part of your family, even for a short period of time." You said with a smile at her. 

More tears fell down on her face and you can't help the sad smile you gave her as your hold tightens. 

"I know….. this must be selfish of me to ask….especially on how the treatment towards you will change after the dissolution was announced but may I request for you to stay until the tourney ends?" By this time, she removed your hold to her hands and she instead held yours. Her eyes twinkled with hope and you know deep within you that you can't say no to that. She had taken care of you and this wasn't much of a big deal if you stay longer as per her request. 

With a nod, you agreed and she gave you the brightest of smiles you ever saw her wear. And by that time you know you did the right thing. 

At least that's what you have thought until the announcement of the dissolution of your marriage. The nobles were not even subtle when they isolated you right away. Everyone stares at you and whispers whenever you are around. It was to be expected but you took it too lightly that you forgot how annoying it could be. 

A deep sigh of relief left you when you finally arrived at your destination. You have been ignoring this place to lessen the whispers you will hear but visiting here was the only wise decision you ever had as the garden that was gifted to you and your husband was ignored by everyone on the Red Keep like a plague. 

"Please leave me be." You asked Lady Godwin when she was about to follow you at the center of the garden. 

"But my lady-" She protested but you shook your head. 

"I do want you to stay here at the entrance and leave me be. I will stay right there so you can see me even from afar." You reassured her and she frowned for a bit but then fixed herself and stood at the entrance. 

You gave her a smile, grateful, and you walked towards the flowers. You bit your lip and sighed once you were far away enough from her. Since what happened and the changes at the treatment of the court, your knight never left your side, not even for a moment.

Something you were grateful about but it slowly suffocates you as her presence adds to the tension you face everyday when you decided to stay for the Queen as she pleaded. 

A smile graced upon your lips when you came closer to the red Braavosi flower that was able to live here in the Red Keep even though it shouldn't have. It was just one flower planted in here but somehow it grew and has its own bushes now. A beautiful flower that symbolizes versatility. You're glad it was planted here. 

A rustle on your left made you step back from where you were standing. You frown when a man emerges from a turn that will lead to the center of the garden. The mysterious man was average in height compared to Aemond and he was shaking his head to remove the fallen leaves. From the way he moves his head, you were not able to recognize him but when he moved his arms on the side, his sigil revealed who he was. A flock of ravens surrounding a black shield charged with a dead weirwood, on a scarlet field; a Blackwood. 

When the man looked up, he almost stumbled backwards when he saw you staring at him. Meanwhile, even from afar, your lady knight was holding the hilt of her sword. 

"My lady!" With visible shame, he immediately bowed in front of you.

Willem Blackwood. The first person that came into your mind once you caught a glimpse of his face. They must have traveled early so they'll be able to attend and join the tourney and not just the feast.

You gave him a wry smile when he looked up again. His face was a bit red and his whole stance was screaming uncertainty and shame. 

"Apologies, my lady. I didn't mean to bother you from your stroll. I was walking around when I found myself lost in the field-". He was speaking fast trying to explain himself but you quieted his ramblings right away when you realized what must have happened. 

"I understand." 

"I'm glad you do, my lady." He replied with a look of relief washing over him. 

"No one in the Red Keep will be brave enough to visit here intentionally anyway. As this whole garden was a gift for me and my former husband by the King itself." You straightened and walked towards the closest flower. In the corner of your eye, you can see that his body went rigid. And the tension was back on him again. 

"I truly deeply apologize, my lady. If I had known, I would have been more careful walking around.-" 

"You should be. Vhagar is uncaged." You cut him off again and you noticed how he gulped when you mentioned and threatened him with the obvious dangers around that will bite him from his carelessness. 

You looked over Lady Godwin and nodded at her that everything was well. She nodded back and stood on her post. 

"So Lord Willem Blackwood, you must have arrived early to join the tourney noh?" You asked as you turned at him. 

His surprise face was apparent when you mentioned his name. Being a former wife of a prince and an heir, memorizing every important face in the realm was the simplest task you could do even while sleeping. Knowing their names, faces and houses was a power on itself.

"You knew me." He asked. A smile was plastered on his face for a second but was gone after he coughed and composed himself.

"You must be the one-eyed prince's wife. I mean — former wife." He said, certain of who you were. 

All the light was gone on your face when he mentioned your current status in King's Landing. A little more days to endure being called this way but this is getting old. 

Seeing how your face changed, he immediately spoke again and explained himself. 

"I didn't mean to offend you, my lady—". You looked him in the eye when he referred to you using your house's name. His face looks brighter now. As if something good happened to him while conversing with you. 

"Ah here! As an apology for that embarrassing display of my foolishness." He took something out of his pocket and seeing the blue petals of the flower you knew that he truly meant to apologize.

"That flower cannot thrive in our place, no matter how hard our family tries to grow one. I thought I'll bring it back home and dry it but I think your beauty deserves to hold such a precious flower." His whole demeanor changes. His timid action before was completely changed once he called you on your house's name. Your true identity. He offers the flower again when you stare at it. With no choice left, you accepted it. 

The smile that graced upon his face was something you're not familiar with. Usually, the twins or Helaena were the only ones who wore this, a pure and genuine toothed grin.

It did not take long for him to converse though, after sometime he excused himself as his family might have been looking for him now. But before he left, he confirmed if you will watch the tourney. When you said yes, he wasn't able to contain his happiness as he walked away with spring in his step.

"Your beauty truly knows no bounds, my lady." Lady Godwin teased you as you walked past her, intent on going back inside when the sun started setting down. 

"I was expecting this teasing from Rikka, not you." You said with an apathetic face. 

"Haha! Apologies, my lady. I can't help but wonder though. He seems familiar with you. Have you met him before?" 

He does, isn't he? 

However, before you can respond as you two take a turn to the castle, you've heard a familiar voice spoken to your right. 

"Smart girl." You turn towards the source of the voice and you can't help but blink from confusion as to why he was here. 

"My prince." You called him. His short silver hair was tied back as he leaned against the wall. His feet crossed at each other and his lilac eyes were looking at his ring before he looked up at you. He was wearing a black leather clothing, his sword, dark sister, strapped to his side. 

He raised his eyebrow and looked to your side. Your lip turned into a thin line as you understood what he meant. 

"Leave us be." Even though you hesitate to let your knight away from you, one look from Daemon sends shivers down your spine. He usually just ignores you as you were the wife of his nephew, to whom he did not favor the most. 

Yet, he was standing here. As if waiting for you.

When your knight did not move or follow right away, you looked at her and nodded. With a frown, she bowed and turned walking away from the two of you. You did not miss the way she looked back though. 

"First in the history of the Targaryen that a wife was able to leave her husband while still alive." He continued and you looked at him straight in the eye. You don't know what he needs from you. Since you had been betrothed to Aemond, Prince Dameon and Princess Rhaenyra barely talked to you. Not that you did not expect it, but your father has supported Viserys and Aemma, even before they were crowned so it must have been a shock when his only daughter was married to the son who called her children bastards. 

"May I know how I owe this pleasure to converse with you, Prince Daemon." You kept your face as apathetic as you can. However, you cannot help but grip your dress on the side as you felt the fear when he looked back at you. 

"Maybe you had married the wrong Targaryen." He replied and all the alarms you felt before started ringing inside your head. Until, sounds of footsteps behind him echoed throughout the hallway. You looked up from its source and immediately bowed your head when you saw Princess Rhaenyra walking towards you. 

"My love, I do believe that the lady wasn't interested in marrying a child, the same as I do when I was young." She smiled at you and you masked the fear that surfaced before she came, with a chuckle.

"I'm glad that I am able to meet you today, your grace." You told her as you placed your hands together in front of you. 

"It has been a while, isn't it? You were just a young thing when I first saw you and now, you have become a fine lady." She gave you a soft smile. Something you did not expect since she did not take your marriage well after knowing that her strongest supporter decided to marry one of the greens. Yet, she's here. Eyes full of sincerity. 

She stared at you for a while before speaking again.

"I've heard about it…… How he attacked you and how the bruises started the rallies on our doors. At first, I never believed it. I trust the Queen, Alicient, to raise her children not to hurt their wives. But then I realized that it wasn't her fault. Children grow and they decide for themselves." She paused. Eyes strayed in the garden. She gave a deep sigh before she continued. 

"You might be wondering why I approached you. I…….I felt betrayed when your marriage to my brother was announced. It took too long for me to forgive your father until I realized I never really did offer Jace's hand for marriage to your family. You are his only heir. As a father, he cares for you more than his allegiances to anyone. Something I…..I always wish my father would do for me when he announced me as his heir." A sad smile graced upon her lips as she looked back at you. You can't help but feel her sadness as you recalled how she was left to defend for herself when his father's lack of support made a fool out of his daughter. 

"I want what is best for everyone. I hope that the wall that separates us two will be forgotten. I know that you've suffered and I did not lend a hand but this is a start for something new. I offer my hand again and I will help you with your ambition this time. This is a promise between a daughter to a daughter. An heir to an heir." She squeezed your hands one last time before she bid farewell. Daemon's eyes linger for a while before he decides to follow Rhaenyra away from you.

The smile that graced your lips was gone the moment you confirmed that they were far away now to see your reaction. 

War is sure to happen once the king dies. More reason to strengthen your stronghold once the dragons decide to breathe their fire against each other. 

And this time, your house will not be a pawn or an ally. You'll take everything that you can get from them. They owe you and your father.

It took time for the plan to be put in place. And no amount of forgiveness can stop it from happening. 

Dragons have no interest in an iron throne nor politics. Yet, they depended their power too much on those beasts. Starting their own ruin.

How foolish. 

Everyone knows that swords melt when under fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your shoes loudly clack on the floor as you do your best to run as fast as you can to the seats near the arena. 

The nobles stared at you as you sat down beside your father with no grace, breathing heavily.

"Where have you been?" He calmly asked as he stared at your sweat ridden face. He gave you his handkerchief and you accepted it with a thank you.

"The twins wouldn't let me go. They keep on following me towards the arena so I have to secretly go here or carry them back towards their quarters. It was hard to win a battle against them. I feel like I was competing with our very own game of chase." You said as you carefully dabbed the soft cloth on your face. Instead of saying anything, he gave a low chuckle and shook his head.

"Children do grow so fast and they will outwit you many times. However, I told you to remove yourself from them. You are nothing but a stranger to them now. It is best to care less and move forward."

"I know." With a defeated sigh you replied and looked around. The crowd's excited chatter and howls caught your attention. They seem enthusiastic about whatever that happened in the game. Curious, you turn your question towards your father.

"What did I miss?" 

"You miss a lot……" He replied with a knowing grin plastered on his face. You frowned at that but still waited for him to continue.

"Your former husband joined the tourney today. Surprising isn't it?" He looked at the far side of the corner and in there you saw his familiar stance. His silver hair glints with the sunlight. He wore no helmet and eye patch, showing his familiar sapphire eye. He intends to intimidate more than he normally does. And you know that Aemond is a prince who was pitied by others but they choose not to cross his path for this very reason. He is calm, way too calm but you can feel the rage within. Or maybe it was because of the moons you've shared knowing each other, that's why you know by looking at him what he was feeling within. You wonder to whom this anger started though.

Aemond never participates in tourneys. He thinks of it as a waste of time. And you can't lie that you weren't surprised when your father mentioned him being part of this useless game, he used to claim.

"Who is he fighting against this round?" You tilted your head to the side and tried to find the unfortunate knight he would defeat and humiliate in front of this audience. 

Your eyes rounded with surprise as you saw Willem on the other side. You saw him gulp before he wore his helmet. His knight is talking to him, probably giving advice on how to defeat a brilliant prince with his sword. 

"Like what I've said, you missed a lot, my dear dove. This will be the last round. And I am surprised that Blackwood won. Perhaps inspiration keeps him going? Men love fighting for something other than the game" Your father asked curiously as he looked towards where Willem was standing.

As if sensing your stare, he suddenly looked behind and his eyes caught you. His former nervous stare and stance immediately changed and his demeanor much more enthusiastic. He smiled and waved at you.

In return, you gave a polite smile and nodded. You keep yourself from rolling your eyes when you feel your father's curious stare directed at you.

"Ah. I will not blame him." 

"Father!" You scolded him.

"I will also do my best to be noticed by the most beautiful lady residing in the Red Keep."

"You're just saying that because I am your daughter."

"I am saying this because I know. Do you know how many parchments I received after you announced the dissolution of your marriage?" He continued.

"We all know they want our land and power, not me." You replied with a serious voice despite the light air of teasing from your father.

"I am talking about your beauty not men's foolishness, my dear dove." You can't help the chuckle that left you when you hear your father's disappointed tone.

A sound of horn, signaling the start of the fight, stopped your little banter with your father. Booming cheers rang to the air as the last contenders' house names were announced. Especially when it was the prince's turn. The sound was deafening and even some of the nobles joined the shouts. Everyone seems so excited to finally see the elusive but known as gifted prince joining the tourney. Yet, you can't help but feel worried as to what was his reason to win this time.

The fight, if you can describe it in one word, was brutal. No, maybe the right word would be savage.

Willem had no chance with the prince's skills in the first place. It's true that he did slice his face but it was no match with Blackwood's injury. 

Aemond took his time by slicing him up. Wounding him slowly until he got the reaction he wanted and decided to break his enemy's balance by slicing his knee. Everyone saw it and was stunned for a second until the crowd roared, announcing his victory. And Willem stayed on the dusted floor of the arena as his people nursed him away and treated his wound immediately. 

With a gasp, you stood up and was ready to check on him when your name was called from below the seat. 

Your body went rigid, even the crowd stopped their shouts. All the noble's eyes directed at you. And everyone was waiting for your response. 

"Again, I ask for my former wife's favor. A parting gift after years of being married, don't you think?" With lips on a thin line, you walked slowly towards the band of flowers. You did your best to smile and not destroy what you're holding as you stepped forward and walked in front of where he was. He raised his sword and with a gritted smile, you bestowed him your favor. 

"May the gods favor you as a gift for your first victory in a tourney." You bend forward and gracefully let go of the flower and he catches it skillfully. You end the interaction with a smile and it is good that everyone seems to forget what happened as they continue to praise the one-eyed prince with his victory after the silent tension.

However, you will never forget the way his lilac and sapphire eye glints as his stare took longer than it should be. 

It was full of something, akin to an unknown promise.

But you still hope it was nothing but one last hopeless threat for the humiliation he went through.

One last farewell and you prayed that your paths will never cross again after this.

Except, when the greens decide to usurp the throne. You will be there and watch their ruin.

[munsonsreputation]

FEBRUARY'S BLANKSPACE

FIC RECS

hi everyone, as the month of february comes to an end, i think it’s only appropriate that i give you a list of works that i’ve been reading and obsessed with this month! it’s even more important that we show love to all the writers out there who forge these unique stories and even allow readers to request their very own smutty, fluffy, and/or angsty ideas that turn into amazing creations because of these talented writers.

please be sure to show these writers some love by interacting with their works: reblogging, leaving comments, and tags. all the love and kindness will mean the world to them!!!!

📌: fave | 🫀: fluff | 🪡: angst | 🕯: smut

STEVE HARRINGTON FICS

Friday by @softharrington 🫀🪡📌

first off, casper is an amazing writer. second, this story literally broke my heart then mended it back together all at once. please please give this a read, so many emotions and it’s soooo well written

Single Thread by @keeryshouse 🫀

i’ve seen a bunch of spiderman!steve ideas and fics floating around tumblr and this has to be one of my favorites. you cannot tell me that steve harrington isn’t spiderman coded as fuck!!! the friends to lovers trope woven with the scared to hurt reader will always always be my guilty pleasure. anna, the amazing writer is also planning on writing some more parts to this so go and check it out!!!

This request by @sattlersquarry 🫀

i am a SUCKER for Hopper!reader, I think it’s so sweet and to think El would have another sibling besides Will and Jonathan her step bros are really cute. Moving on, the little quirks and expressions in this imagine is so so so sweet!!

This request by @stevebabey 🫀📌

holy shit this is so fluffy…I feel like I’m in freshman year experiencing my first kiss all over again. First of all, the comparing hand size trick ALWAYS works. It will never fail. And this amazing fucking piece of work will never make me fail to blush and smile like I have a crush!!!!

Love Letters: Day Five by @upsidedownwithsteve 🫀

one bed trope will always have me in a chokehold. This fic does an amazing job at encapsulating the feeling to the nervousness but also the soften that two people share when they are obviously into each other. and of course, eddie is always a little shit, but i love the appearance that him and all the other characters make here!!!

This request by @newlips 🫀

this one is room-mates to lovers, and as someone who hates storms this is filling my giddy heart with so much warmth and comfort. while i have no one to cuddle with while it’s raining, i’d like to think that steve would totally cuddle me throughout those storming nights!!!

Glue by @gorgeousgetawaycar 🫀📌

steve picking up the snacks for movie night is such a him thing to do. in my head, i’d like to think that after baker!reader and steve start dating a little longer, he’d invite her to movie night OR EVEN BETTER…she invites them over to her place (or steve’s) and the house is filled with the sweet treats she has baking for his friends. eventually they all come to fall in love with her and her baking, and steve falls even harder for her. yeah, this is so sweet, it’s like my personal self insert, and i love it so so much!! everyone who loves baking better go read this and if you don’t like baking just pretend you do!!!!

Lay All Your Love On Me by @lovebugism 🕯📌

HOLY FUCKING SHIT, OH MY WORD, I AM SCREAMING! never in a million years did i think i’d need stancy x reader SMUT, but this….this rocked my fucking world. steve is so in love with reader and nancy, i actually cannot even. everyone better go read this and melt. thanks bug, for writing this fucking absolute masterpiece, ily!!!!!!

Scoops Ahoy by @tiredfangirlsworld 🫀

gosh, imagine if steve never worked at scoops…we would have been deprived of sailor!steve, but nevertheless we prevailed in this little imagine. first off, robin always cracks me the fuck up, her character is so funny without even trying and this writer does a great job at setting the scene of the friendship that reader and her have, along with steve in the mix. i totally agree with reader here, the sailor getup is totally a good look for steve and i wish we could’ve gotten a commercial for s3 promo!!!!

Just The Two Of Us by @imjuststeddietrashatthispoint 🫀 🪡

you would expect it to be extremely smutty and filthy, but this is smutty but soft and kind. i actually really really love this fic as it focused more on reader and steve rather than reader, steve, and the audience watching. they’re giggly and want to know how to pleasure one another, ah-ma-zing read!!!!!!!!

This request by @familyvideostevie 🫀

this is such a simple yet sweet sweet concept. it’s totally something that i think would happen in the stranger things universe. dustin and steve’s dynamic is also written SO well—those two go back and forth and despite his age, steve knows that dustin is a genius. i also feel like steve and reader hit it off and eventually date and dustin would parade around hawkins saying some shit like “yeah you see those two! i made that shit happen!”

This request by @luveline 🫀📌

goddamnit i am an absolute whore for domestic fluff (we need more of it tbh). the way that reader and steve interact and talk about the simplest things while cooking dinner is so fucking relatable. it’s the twinge of domesticity and i feel like all of us crave in a relationship. just someone to talk to while we do the most mundane things, but it’s special because we’re doing it with the one we love. i love this so much, go read it rn!!!!!

Bestfriend!Steve by @sweeteststevie 🫀 🪡

ok wow, this one really touched my heart and steve is such a sweetheart. he doesn’t try to poke and prode, but just lets reader talks and allows her to answer what she feels comfortable. i love this so so so much and the gentleness they share is so fucking sweet!!!!

Reminiscence by @caxde🫀 🪡

oh to go from exs to lovers in a snap, this would be a dream! the fact that reader and steve never stopped loving each other—i also wish for that kind of hope and love in my own life, but i’m not sure i could possibly bear it so through fics it is! i love how steve and reader remember their little “voodoo” thing while she’s patching him up. it’s so cute and another way of saying they never forgot one another!!!!

Valentine’s Day by @hey-barnes-stole-a-jeep 🫀 🪡

their confession made me so soft omg. reader is so relatable and i think we’ve got to shed the light on unexperienced!reader, there is no shame and if anything steve would totally make you feel safe and comfortable!!! he’s so gentle with reader and i would die for this man!!!

Love In The Dark I (ongoing series) by @xspeter 🪡

ahhhhh i love this take on s4 but from mayfield!sister perspective. also the nightmares things are so realistic and it almost feels at through the readers are realizing it is a dream as we read. this is currently an ongoing mini series so be on the look out for the next part! i’m so excited to read part II!!!!

Forever Winter by @new-romqntics 🫀 🪡📌

first of all, i love cleo sm!!! this is one of my comfort fluffs that i revisit time and time again. i think that recognizing self doubt and worries is something that it vulnerable yet beautiful because it can open doors and especially the heart. i love how steve doesn’t try to “fix” reader but just wants to help!!! ilovesoftsteviesm <3

EDDIE MUNSON FICS

Illicit Affairs by @lilacletter 🕯📌

ohmyfuckingod…when i read this, i kid you not…i buried my face into my pillowed and squealed!!!!! first and foremost, autumn is one of the most incredible writers and i have had the pleasure of reading her works. reading her writing is almost like seeing the events take place in my head, her attention to detail and just everything is so incredible. this is smut and you’ll definitely enjoy it #ilovedilfs <3

This request by @lucasnclair 🫀

when i tell you i am shy!reader, i mean that!!! this is totally what it feels like to be so enamored and in love with someone, so much so that you are so shy, but they know just the right way to crack you out of that shell without making you feel embarrassed. i go back to this every time and it’s soooo sweet and gentle!!!!

Cherry Wine by @cinemaquinn 🕯

everyone knows that fluffy smut is always a hit. i love the way this is is written and the fact that there is no shame in being a virgin and the way that eddie just assures reader through everything. i love this so much and it has a very very special place in my heart muah!!!!

This request by @ddejavvu 🫀📌

exterminator!eddie is not a concept i thought i needed in life, but this shit was so cute and funny. also mei/daisy’s authors note in the beginning of the imagine made me giggle so that’s a plus! also eddie just holding the fucking snake and wayne needing to rip it out of his hands made me LOL so hard. i feel like reader and eddie would’ve gotten to know each other better during the ride to the hospital and in the emergency room too. he’d probably offer a date to make up for it and from then on our they’re together and reader is just like, “yeah he might not have gotten all the snakes but he did get my heart.”

Twenty Four Hours (ongoing series) by @ghost-proofbaby 🪡📌

holy shit this slow burn eats me up every single time i read it!!! this is a modern!au and i love the way that is is depicted through the writing: everything from the photo proof and group chat messages are a really good addition to the story!!! i read hour six a few little while ago and OH MY GOD….SO SO SO GOOD!! i don’t want to spoil it so everyone go and read it and let’s enjoy the rest of the series together!!!!

In Bloom by @suncatcherss 🫀 🪡

HOLY FUCK I AM CRYING. this is a mixture of a teeny tiny angst with a whole lotta fluff. the way that reader and eddie are so smitten for each other and do not even get me started on the fact that eddie gifted her the fucking rose!!!! stop!! and then he says “i want to introduce my best girls to each other” …. SOBBING. THIS IS TOO FUCKING SWEET!!!!

All Mine by @hard-candy-writing 🕯

OLDER!EDDIE AHHHHHHHH!!!!! this fic absolutely made me melt…the writing is just incredible and their dynamic works so well. AND THE PIERCING ON HIS **** AND THE WAY HE MAKES HER CALL HER DATE AND BREAKUP WHILE HE …. YEAH, YOU READ THAT RIGHT!!! i don’t want to spoil this smutty goodness, so everyone go and read this rn!!!!!

This request by @mirkwoodmunson 🫀

i always thought eddie would be the goof to scarf down sprinkles of all things because he’s too lazy to fix himself something good…but now that i think about it, that man probably gets HELLA munchies and is a pro and cooking something fast and easy. he can’t stand not having an actual meal and this was so funny and light-hearted!!!!

Devil & Angel AU (steddie x reader) by @thyme-in-a-bubble 🕯📌

GUYS….THIS AU IS SO FUCKING FILTY AND I LOVE IT TO PEICES! ok first of all, i came across this au a few days ago and since they i’ve been HOOKED!!! i believe lea is continuing to add to this AU as she gets more ideas and asks about it, so keep an eye out for more imagines and blurbs regarding this AU!!!

Safe With Me by @singularattitudeofasafetypin 🫀

eddie’s headass defintely drives like a fucking maniac, but OMG he’s so soft for reader. this made me so warm inside and he’s just so sweet. eddie would probably get some shit from the kids because they need to get wherever the fuck they’re going QUICKLY…but i bet you reader gifted eddie one of those keychains that says “drive safe, i need you here,” and he just looks at it and doesn’t give a shit about the kids complaining because he wants to be here for you always. YEAH OK IM A FLUFF WHORE GO READ THIS!!!

The Customer’s Always Right (ongoing series) by @lovebugism 🫀🕯📌

I AM OBSESSSED AND I MEAN OBSESSED WITH THIS SERIES!!!! virgin!eddie is so soft for reader and doesn’t give a fuck about her reputation and i love this so much. i also really really really love how reader is written in a way that shows that she’s always been searching for this REAL DEEP infatuation and love that she had for eddie!! go read this rn because it’s so fucking good, GO GO GO!!!!!

This request by @roanniom 🫀🕯

EDDIE WOULD SO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS!!!! that men is such an in love menace and him hiding to surprise her is SUCH A HIM THNG TO DO!!! he definitely planned the whole thing out a few days prior and even made sure to call in to get you the day off. this man is romantic his own way!!!

Husband? by @corals-library 🫀

i have this feeling that eddie would die to have you call him your husband!! he would get such a kick out of it and love the way it makes him feel—he would call you his wife all the time, and the kids would call you both mom and dad hahaha!! yeah this is so fluffy and cute and i just know eddie talks to wayne the next day and ask him opinions of rings <3

Three Men And A Baby by @munsonsduchess 🫀📌

GUYS GUYS GUYS, I LOVE THIS!! first off, “rosie posie?!?!” THE NICKNAME EDDIE HAS FOR HIS LITTLE GIRL IS SO ADORABLE. also my guilty pleasure is when writers include other characters within the story…idk i think it’s a nice little treat to see how they interact with each other and whatnot. i love the fact that eddie can just call up hopper for help and even goes to karen!! we need to see more karen y’all!!! <3

Until I Found You by @crrddcffn 🫀📌

fuck this made me so soft…shy!reader needs more attention and i love this so fucking much. i love that reader just goes for it and calls him cute and is kinda shocked by it at first, nevertheless it all works out. they’re so adorable and i would to read more about shy!reader and eddie in the future!!!

Bets, Deals, and Favors (series tba) by @pinkrelish 🪡

I READ THIS A FEW DAYS AGO AND IT HAS ME FOAMING AT THE MOUTH FOR MORE!!!! I don’t want to say TOO much because this is a beauty that speaks and reads for itself, but just know it’s gonna get spicy and i love that harrington plays the mediator hahahaha.

This request by @forourmoons 🫀📌

EDDIE YOU FUCKING CHARMER!!!! i swear to god this man is so head over heels for his girl that he literally does not give a shit about the looks he gets. he knows reader probably hates feeling everyone’s eyes on her and he sees her start to go down and he’s just like “fuck it, here i go!” HE DOESN’T CARE BECAUSE HE’S WITH READER AND HE’D DO ANYTHING FOR HER! fuck this is so fluffy, i need this man!!

happy reading & thank you to all the writers for taking the time to share your creativity with the world, and thank you to the readers for keeping our love for writing alive!!!! 💘💘💘

[differentpostrebel]

Lost and Found: A Pirate's Promise

Chapter 42: Unforeseen Encounters 

Sanji in whole cake island was both Sad, but they gave us incredible angles

A/N: We are back at it again with another chapter! We finally made it to Whole Cake Island Arc!!! WOOOO!! Now get ready yall cause this one right here!! I am beginning to color coordinate with the chapters, i'll go back and do the previous chapters as well, but for whole cake island, thats going to be blue, and will be highlighted on the masterlist. Thank you guys for reading my fanfic, liking, sharing, reblogging, commenting! I love you all so much! And without further ado, let the adventure begin! 

Word Count:

Sanji x Reader, Sanji x Y/N, One Piece x Reader 

Sanji POV…

As the ship draws closer to Big Mom's territory, the cotton candy clouds drift lazily from the sky, dissolving in the wind. Yet, no sweetness from the air can ease the bitter knot of dread twisting in my stomach. Solitude. That’s what I feel most keenly now. I’m surrounded by her subordinates, and yet, I’ve never felt more alone. I chose this path, but it doesn’t make the weight any lighter.

Y/N’s face flashes in my mind—a vision I try to cling to, to remind myself why I’m doing this. The very thought of her being forced into the same situation I am, married off to that bastard Ichiji of all people, makes my blood boil. There’s no way I could let them find her or drag her into this nightmare. It’s better she stays far away. Better she doesn’t come here at all.

The letter I wrote her was my truth. No one else knows what’s in my heart, how deeply she’s become a part of it. My eyes are set on her. I’d sacrifice everything before letting her be pawned off in some arranged marriage, even though I’m in the same damn boat. But it’s different for me. I can handle this. I have to.

Bege was adamant about leaving Zou without her, and for that, I’m grateful. I refused to give them any clue as to where to find Y/N. Let them look, let them search—it won’t change a damn thing. Once I settle this twisted mess, I’ll find my way back to the crew. I’ll see her again. And when I do... maybe, just maybe, I’ll find the words to tell her everything that’s been locked inside.

"Now, I do hope you’ve decided not to be stubborn." The voice of one of Big Mom’s subordinates snaps me from my thoughts. His tone is smug, dripping with authority as he stands over me. "Remember, it’s not just Big Mom’s family you’ll be tied to. You’ll be swearing allegiance to Germa 66 as well."

I don’t flinch at his words, though it feels like a punch to the gut every time they bring up Germa. Those bastards. I swore to myself that I was done with them, but here I am, heading back to the hell I thought I’d escaped.

The subordinate narrows his eyes, as if something has only just dawned on him. "As for the princess, why is she not on board?" His question is laced with suspicion, as if he’s beginning to sense the gaps in the story I’ve woven for them.

"Like I said, the princess will not marry Ichiji," I snap, my voice firm as I stare down the subordinate. "Besides, she’s engaged to me."

It’s a lie—a bold one—but I wasn’t going to let them take an inch. I’d say whatever I had to, anything to keep them from dragging Y/N into this twisted mess. My stomach twists with guilt, knowing she really isn’t engaged to me. But in that moment, it’s the only card I have left to play.

The subordinate narrows his eyes at me, suspicion creeping into his expression. "Engaged to you?" He seems to weigh the words, looking for any crack in my story, any sign of hesitation. I hold his gaze, daring him to challenge it.

After a tense moment, he lets out a low, dismissive chuckle. "Doesn’t matter," he says, waving a hand as if swatting away a nuisance. "She is still set to marry Ichiji. Arrangements have already been made. Whether you claim she’s engaged to you or not won’t change a damn thing."

My fists clench at my sides, a surge of anger burning through me. These bastards think they can control everything, including her future. But I’ll be damned if I let them. They may have me in this stranglehold, but Y/N is where I draw the line. I’m not about to let them manipulate her life like they have mine.

"I told you," I grit out, my voice low but filled with resolve. "She’s not marrying that bastard. Not now, not ever."

The subordinate smirks, clearly enjoying my frustration. "We’ll see, Black Leg. We’ll see."

"You think I give a crap what that bastard wants?" I said with defiance, my frustration barely contained. "I never want to see him again. He makes me sick."

I lit a cigarette, taking a slow drag, trying to calm the anger bubbling beneath the surface. "I only came here to bring this to a close," I said, my gaze steady, focused.

"No need to get so antagonistic." The subordinate smirked, not missing a beat. "Mama is looking forward to both your arrangements. You should feel honored."

I exhaled a cloud of smoke, disgust settling in deeper. The thought of Big Mom pulling the strings on my life, dictating my future… it made my stomach churn.

"Mama’s well aware of your connection to Strawhat Luffy, but she holds you in high regard," the subordinate added smoothly. "After all, you trained at a prestigious restaurant in the East Blue. But the princess... well, it’s more than that. It’s about Ichiji. I remember watching her battle at Punk Hazard, taking down Monet. Quite the performance."

I clenched my jaw, the mention of Y/N’s fight bringing a flash of memories. She was strong, relentless, and fierce. They had been watching her, too. Of course, these bastards would want to use her.

The subordinate’s grin widened. "In fact, with Germa’s legacy behind her and her impressive abilities, they’d make a perfect match. The union of her skill and Germa’s technology? They’d be unstoppable together. Don’t you think?"

His words cut deep, filling me with rage. The idea of Y/N being paired with Ichiji, being forced into their sick plans, it was beyond unbearable. They didn’t care about her, only the power she could provide.

"You’re insane if you think I’ll let that happen," I growled through gritted teeth.

"Screw what they want!" I shouted, my frustration boiling over. "You see these hands?" I held them up, shaking with anger. "They’re made for one thing and one thing only—cooking for my crewmates. For as long as they'll have me!"

A flash of memory hit me like a punch to the gut—us, aboard the Sunny, all together, laughing, eating, enjoying each other's company. That’s why I went through hell and back—to become a better chef for them, for my family.

"I went through hell itself to become the best chef for them!" I yelled. "And I bet right now, they're starving—stomachs growling, eyes full of tears. And my beautiful fiancée, Y/N, must be craving something sweet right about now," I added with a smirk, blowing out a puff of smoke. "But punks like you? You aren't worthy of my food!"

"Vito!" The subordinate shouted, holding up something in his hand. "We've got a special photo from Whole Cake Island, lelo, just for you to see."

I didn’t bother turning around. "There’s not gonna be a wedding, jackass. What difference does a photo make?" I muttered, still seething. "And for the last time, my betrothed is Y/N."

"Just take a look," Vito insisted, inching closer.

I was ready to kick him into next week, but when my eyes landed on the picture, everything stopped. I couldn’t help it.

The girl in the photo—her face. Her soft, sweet eyes. My heart suddenly started racing.

"This is your fiancée, lelo," Vito grinned, knowing he'd hit a nerve. "The 35th daughter of the Charlotte family, Lady Charlotte Pudding."

I felt my heart pound in my chest as I stared at her. I wasn’t sure what to say, the cigarette barely hanging from my lips as I looked at the photo. This… this was the girl they wanted me to marry? My fiancée? My mind was racing, and for the first time, I didn’t have a quick retort.

Time had passed since I saw that photo of Pudding, but eventually, we docked. I walked silently, my mind still racing, trying to shake off the image.

"So, what do you think, lover boy? Quite the sight to see, lelo. Glad I showed you, lelo!" Vito’s irritating voice broke my focus, making me halt mid-step.

"It doesn’t matter what picture you show me," I said, my voice low and firm. "My heart belongs to another woman." Without missing a beat, I continued walking, trying to leave him behind.

"By the way," Vito started up again, "do you ever read the WEJ? It’s a major paper, lelo. They used to run this awesome comic strip, Sora, Warrior of the Sea—had a giant robot and everything. And the enemy? Well, it was the evil army of Germa 66."

I clenched my jaw but kept walking. He wouldn’t shut up. "People all over the world loved that comic," he continued, grinning like this was some big joke to him.

As Vito rambled on about Germa 66 and the comic, I just kept quiet, ignoring every word that spewed from his mouth. The last thing I needed was to be reminded of that cursed family, and even less of what they were planning with Big Mom.

When Vito finally led me to my room, I noticed Caesar locked up in a cage, ranting and raving as usual. "Would you stop following me? This is supposed to be my room," I said, glaring at Vito.

"It’s supposed to be my room too! Why am I locked in a cage?!" Caesar whined, throwing a tantrum.

"Serves you right for wishing ill on my princess," I shot back, settling on the sofa, trying to calm my irritation.

"I wish her nothing but hell!" Caesar barked, making my blood boil. My hand twitched, wanting to deck him across the cage bars.

"Listen, we were told to capture you, not pamper you, lelo," Vito chuckled. "But Sanji here, and what was supposed to be Princess Y/N, lelo, are the stars who will bring the Vinsmokes and the Charlotte family together as one!"

"Not happening," I shot back, crossing my arms defiantly.

Vito smirked, looking over at Caesar. "So you may be a genius, but they are worth more.”

 “I'm not getting married, and neither is Y/N. Now get the hell out of here." I lit another cigarette, my resolve firm.

"What did you just say?" a hitman named Gotti interjected, stepping forward menacingly. "Ain't nobody disrespecting my boy Vito! Now apologize or you're dead!"

"Gotti! It’s fine; he didn’t hurt me," Vito said, trying to control the situation. "He was just playing around."

"No, I was serious," I retorted, maintaining my stance with my arms crossed. "Now both of you get the hell out of my room right now!"

Gotti’s anger flared, but before he could respond, a female voice rang out from the doorway. "Gotti! What the hell are you trying to pull?"

She stepped into the room, her tone fierce and authoritative. "Please forgive me, I'm sorry, ma'am," Gotti stammered, suddenly on the defensive.

"Sorry ain’t gonna cut it. Gotti, do you realize he is one of the Vinsmoke family?" she scolded, pointing an accusing finger at me. "If you lay a finger on him, my Bege's head is going to roll! It’s bad enough my Bege couldn’t bring the princess, but you will not impose threats on a Vinsmoke!" With that, she yanked Gotti away from my line of sight, clearly not willing to let him escalate things further.

I took a moment to process her words, and as I watched her, something about her looked familiar.

The door closed, leaving me with a moment of peace as I blew out the smoke from my cigarette, the tension still thick in the air.

"Big Mom is going to kill me for sure!" Caesar whined from his cage, his voice trembling with anxiety. "None of this is fair! You're a Vinsmoke, and that princess is marrying that Vinsmoke, so you both get star treatment, and I get the giantine!"

I ignored him, my thoughts drifting back to Y/N. The weight of the situation pressed down on me, but I was determined. I wouldn't let them dictate my life, nor would I let them take Y/N away from me. The fight was just beginning.

Y/N POV…

I wiped the sweat from my brow, the sweltering heat making it hard to focus. Nami and I had switched outfits to survive this unbearable temperature. Nami opted for a white tank top and blue ruffled skirt, while I followed suit, wearing a white cropped tank with a few buttons undone and a blue mini ruffled skirt with open-toed heels. It didn’t help that we were stranded without Sanji and with nothing to eat.

"Alright, I was wrong... I'm gonna die after all," Luffy groaned dramatically, trying to catch something in the water. "It’s so hot, I might melt before I starve. I want Sanji back on this ship!" He complained, flailing about as the rest of the crew—Chopper, Brook, and Pedro—worked to catch something edible.

"Ugh, I’m hungry, it’s hot, and I’m tired," Carrot whined, lying across Nami and me in the shade. We were all feeling the exhaustion.

"How much longer will it take?" I muttered, feeling my arms turning to jelly as the sun continued to beat down on us.

"I know it’s hot, but someone please catch something while the sun’s still out," Nami pleaded weakly, echoing my fatigue.

"Go team food..." Carrot groaned from her position beside us.

Suddenly, Pedro called out. "Luffy! Pull quick!" Luffy reeled in a giant fish, causing us all to stare at the catch, momentarily hopeful—until we saw its strange, purple skin.

"Uh… why is the skin purple?" I asked, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.

"Yeah, that color might be a bad sign," Chopper said hesitantly.

"It could be poisonous," Nami suggested, eyeing the fish warily.

"If it’s a fish, then it’s food! You don’t know what you’re talking about!" Luffy insisted, delirious from hunger, as he began cutting into the fish’s skin.

Chopper rushed to Sanji’s locker, pulling out a cookbook, flipping through it frantically. "Let me see if Sanji has something on this type of fish."

A few moments later, Chopper returned, his eyes wide with alarm. "The skin is poisonous! You can eat the fish, but not the skin!"

We all turned to look at Luffy, who was chewing happily on the purple flesh. "The skin’s so good," Luffy said with a grin, offering me some. "Here, Y/N, you should try some too!"

"Hard pass, Captain," I said, shaking my head firmly.

"Wait, what? Poisonous? Oh no," Luffy groaned, but then he quickly shook his head. "I feel great. Maybe it’s not poisonous after all."

"Sanji’s notes say once you peel the skin, the rest of the fish is safe to eat," Chopper read from the book, sounding relieved.

"Alright, peel the skin, and I’ll cook it up!" Luffy announced, ready to spring into action. But Nami quickly smacked him on the head, reminding him that one kitchen fire was enough.

"You sit here and don’t do anything crazy!" Nami said sternly. "Y/N and I will cook the fish."

I peeled off the skin while Nami followed Sanji’s recipe to the letter, the kitchen filling with the mouthwatering aroma of the fish cooking. "That smells amazing, Nami," I complimented as we plated the food.

Minutes later, we brought out the plates, handing them out to the crew. Everyone dug in with tears in their eyes, relieved to have a decent meal at last.

"It’s so good!" Carrot cried, her energy coming back instantly.

"Chopper, eat something before you pass out," Nami urged, handing him a plate.

But despite the momentary relief, Chopper looked panicked. "Luffy’s doing really bad. I’m afraid he’s going to die!"

"I already used up all our antidotes," Chopper continued, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Oh no," I gasped, feeling the gravity of the situation settle in. "We need to find an island, Nami!"

"Unfortunately for your captain, we won’t be able to get to land for medicine," Pekoms said as he removed his bandages, his tone grim. "We’re about to hit Big Mom’s territory."

Our jaws dropped in shock.

"Black Leg Sanji has probably reached Whole Cake Island by now," Pekoms continued. "No matter what, don’t lower your guard."

Pedro moved to keep watch, and the rest of us tensed up. "At the first island we dock at, we’ll find an antidote for Luffy," Pekoms reassured.

Just then, I noticed something unusual. "Why is it snowing?" I asked, squinting at the sky.

"That’s not snow—it’s cotton candy rain," Nami said, her voice filled with disbelief. Cotton candy began falling gently from the sky, landing in my hand.

"We’ve entered Mama’s territory," Pekoms stated darkly.

"I see something!" Pedro called out. "It’s a ship, coming right for us."

"It’s one of Mama’s tart ships!" Pekoms warned us. "You guys, hide!"

As we scrambled to hide, Chopper worked to slow the effects of the poison spreading through Luffy’s body. "This is bad," he whispered.

"Do you see anything?" I asked in a hushed voice, squinting at the ship.

"Is that a transponder snail?" Nami asked as we peered out cautiously.

"It’s not Big Mom’s ship," she said, sounding confused as we stepped out from our hiding spots. The ship had an eerie presence.

"They call Germa 66 the warmongers," Nami explained, making me tense up. My heart skipped a beat.

"Isn’t that…?" I started to say, turning to Brook, who instinctively moved to shield me in case it was Ichiji.

Suddenly, we spotted someone on the ship with a familiar, curly eyebrow.

"Sanji!!!" Chopper cried, running toward the figure.

"Sanji?" I whispered, hope blooming in my chest. Could it really be him?

I grabbed my sword but quickly dropped it, my heart racing. I leapt forward, using all the momentum I had, and landed gracefully in front of the figure.

"Sanji!" I threw myself into him, wrapping my legs around his waist, hugging him with all my strength. My arms tightened around his neck as I buried my face into his shoulder. "Sanji, is it really you?" I sniffled, planting soft kisses along his neck.

"I have so much to tell you! Oh my goodness!" I said, holding onto him, relief and joy washing over me. But then, I clenched my fist and smacked the back of his head. "Why the hell would you say we were engaged?! We never even had that conversation!" I scolded, still clinging to him.

He tensed at first, his grip on me slightly different than what I remembered. But I brushed it off, my emotions clouding my judgment. "It’s okay, we can talk about that later," I said, loosening my grip.

But then, his hands tightened around me, the pressure becoming uncomfortable.

"Sanji… you’re kind of hurting me a bit," I said, squirming in his hold. Something felt wrong.

"Sanji… you’re kind of hurting me a bit," I said again, my voice firmer this time, but he didn’t release his grip. Instead, a dark laugh escaped his lips, sending a shiver down my spine. Something was definitely wrong.

"You can let me go now!" I demanded, but his grip only tightened. My patience snapped, and with a clenched right fist, I swung, punching him square in the face. His hold loosened just enough for me to leap backward, putting distance between us. As I caught my breath, my eyes locked on him—something was off. He wasn’t Sanji.

Before I could retreat back to the ship, he stood in front of me again, removing his hood with a smirk. My heart dropped.

"You're not Sanji," I whispered, my blades starting to hum with a white hue as I clenched my fists, electricity crackling through my right arm.

"Y/N!" Brook called from the distance, his voice filled with worry.

"Stay back, all of you!" I shouted to the crew, not taking my eyes off the imposter.

"Stop calling me Sanji!" he snapped. "You got the wrong guy. My name is Yonji," he said, his eyes scanning me from head to toe with a disgusting grin. "I gotta admit though, you're even better in person." His gaze shifted into heart-shaped eyes as he ogled me.

Disgust flooded through me as Yonji suddenly lunged forward, grabbing me by the left arm, yanking me closer. I struggled, trying to wrench myself free from his iron grip.

"Oh no, Y/N!" Nami gasped, watching in horror.

Yonji's grip tightened further as he sneered, "I don’t care if you’re my brother’s fiancée—you should’ve been mine from the start."

My heart raced, not out of fear but from pure anger. "I’m not anyone’s fiancée!" I yelled, and in one quick move, I sent an electrical current surging through my right hand, shocking him hard enough to make him release me. I leaped away, landing back on the ship just in time.

"Y/N, are you okay?" Carrot asked, rushing to my side.

"I’m fine, Carrot. Thank you," I said, catching my breath and standing back up. I turned toward Yonji, who had retreated to his ship, his eyes still filled with those disgusting heart shapes. His grin only widened.

"A feisty woman," he chuckled. "You’re so hot."

I clenched my jaw, anger boiling inside me. Just as I thought I was safe, Yonji extended his arm from his ship, grabbing me again, this time with even more force.

"Y/N!" Chopper cried as I struggled to break free. His grip was suffocating.

"Let me go!" I shouted, kicking my legs in vain as he pulled me closer.

"Why?" Yonji sneered, tightening his hold. "You liked me better when you thought I was Sanji. Why don’t you give me kiss, huh?"

"Wait, come back! Sanji!" Chopper yelled, his voice frantic.

"Ugh, I’m Yonji!" he growled, his annoyance flaring.

I had enough. Just as Yonji was about to pull me in closer, I lifted my right leg and landed a swift, powerful kick on his arm, forcing him to release me. I plummeted toward the water, but before I hit, I clenched my left hand and used the momentum to leap back into the air, landing safely on the ship once more.

I gasped for air, my heart pounding from the close call. "That was close..." I muttered, sheathing my blade back into its thigh holster.

"Oh no! Luffy!" Chopper suddenly cried out. "He’s developing a rash—he can’t fight it anymore!"

"Stay with us, Luffy!" Nami pleaded, kneeling beside him.

"Don’t give up, Captain!" I added, rushing over as I spotted my sword on the ground. I picked it up quickly, making my way back to Luffy.

"You must have some antidote!" Chopper yelled toward Yonji, his voice thick with desperation.

Yonji slid his glasses on, grinning arrogantly. "Sorry, guys, I’m not into the whole saving lives thing. But if you want that medicine, why don’t you come and take it from us? I mean, you are pirates, right?" His grin widened as he toyed with us.

Nami, fuming, clenched her fists. "He only has Sanji’s bad parts, none of the good ones! He’s just a playboy jerk!"

"That’s it," I muttered, fury burning through me. I clenched my left hand and, without hesitation, leaped into the air once more, my sword gripped tightly in my right hand. I was done with his games.

"Y/N, be careful!" Brook called out, his voice echoing behind me.

"Princess, can’t get enough of me, I see," Yonji teased, smirking as he moved to intercept me.

But I was ready. Pressing the red gem embedded in my sword, I expected the familiar blaze of red flames, but instead, a mix of red electricity and a vibrant blue hue surged from the blade. What is this? I thought, momentarily stunned. My sword had never done that before. The energy crackled around me, sharper, more powerful.

Just as Yonji reached out to grab me again, a female voice cut through the tension. "Yonji... Stop being so stingy, will you?" Before I could react, Yonji was sent flying into the air, crashing into the water below with a loud splash.

The sheer force of the kick had me blinking in shock. "That kick’s strength... it looked similar to mine," I muttered as I made my way back to our ship. I pressed the red gemstone on my sword once more, deactivating the energy, and placed the sword behind me.

"What is going on?" Nami asked, her voice filled with confusion.

Suddenly, the female who kicked Yonji out of the way gracefully landed on our ship. "Do forgive him. He’s rather heartless... a creep too, but never mind my little brother. I’ll set this straight." She flashed a charming smile, completely unbothered by Yonji’s embarrassing defeat.

"Creep is an understatement," I muttered under my breath, still glaring in the direction Yonji had been launched from.

"Little brother?" Nami echoed, her eyes widening as she looked at the mysterious woman who had just arrived.

"Are you related to Sanji?" Chopper asked, his curiosity piqued. "She’s got curly eyebrows too!" he exclaimed, connecting the dots.

"She’s lovely!" Brook said, hearts practically radiating from his eyes.

I couldn’t help but slap my forehead and shake my head at his antics. "Reiju!" Yonji yelled, now flying out of the water and into the air.

"He flies?" Chopper gasped, his eyes sparkling with amazement.

"Damn it! What were you thinking, humiliating me like that—and in front of the princess?!" Yonji was clearly furious, more bothered by his embarrassment than anything else.

"Baffoon! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Reiju scolded him, hands on her hips, clearly not taking his tantrum seriously.

"I wonder how he’s floating," Brook mused, observing Yonji's ability to stay airborne.

"Maybe it’s the same thing that King gave you, Y/N?" Nami suggested.

"Impossible," I responded, shaking my head. "I trained for two years to wield the power I have. It’s definitely not the same."

"Maybe it’s a Devil Fruit power?" Chopper guessed.

"It’s not like Sanji’s Skywalk or CP9’s technique either," Nami noted, trying to piece it together.

"Well, whatever it is, I just want him away from me," I muttered, turning my attention back to Luffy, who was still struggling.

"That’s because they didn’t acquire that skill through training," Pekoms chimed in, stepping forward. "It’s technology. They’re powerful, but the strength of Germa 66 is science-based. That’s why Big Mom wants them—she wants their technology."

"Does that mean I can fly with super shoes too?" Chopper asked, his excitement bubbling over.

"I don’t think that’s how it works, Chopper," I chuckled, despite the tension.

"Sanji’s family is amazing… I wonder why he never told us," Nami mused, her gaze lingering on Yonji and Reiju.

"Vinsmoke… the leaders of Germa 66," Brook said, his tone more somber now. "Pekoms, that name rings a bell. If I recall, Vinsmoke is the name of a royal family."

"Wait, like Vivi or Neptune’s family?" Chopper asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"So… they’re really famous?" I added, glancing up at Yonji, still floating above us with a smug grin on his face.

"That’s right. Their name is synonymous with evil. In fact, they were portrayed as villains in a comic strip," Pekoms explained, his voice carrying a note of warning.

I stood up from my position and sighed, running my hand through my hair, feeling Zoro’s bandana still securing it tightly. "Great… so my fiancée is not only an assassin, but he’s also evil."

The weight of everything felt like it was pressing down on me. How had I ended up in this mess?

Reiju laughed lightly, her composed demeanor masking any surprise at Brook’s bizarre request. “I’m impressed, you're quite the historian,” she remarked.

Brook, blushing despite his skeletal appearance, chuckled nervously. "Well, I have been alive for a long time... and dead as well," he said, taking off his hat and bowing. "You see, it’s not just a story. Even now, we are royalty. Germa is a land without soil. Although we own no territory, we are still given the right to join the Reverie, all the same," Reiju explained, her voice proud yet calm.

"I see," Brook said, still bowing. "May I see your royal panties, most honored lady?" he asked, this time falling to his knees in front of her.

Without missing a beat, Nami delivered a swift kick to the back of Brook's head. "Stop it!" she yelled, hands on her hips in frustration.

I shook my head at Brook’s antics but couldn't help smiling.

Reiju turned her attention to me. "As for you, Princess," she said with a warm smile, "It appears my brother is quite fond of you."

I rolled my eyes. "Which one?" I asked sarcastically, pointing at Yonji, who was still hovering nearby. "Because this guy over here seems to be rather fond of me too."

Reiju laughed again, this time a bit more warmly. "No, no, not Yonji. I’m talking about Ichiji. He hasn’t stopped talking about you since the moment he decided he wanted to marry you."

I crossed my arms, feeling defiant. "Yeah, well, the feeling isn’t mutual. I’m not interested in marriage—any marriage, for that matter," I said firmly.

Reiju’s smile didn’t falter. "The terms are already set, Princess. You will marry Ichiji."

I blinked, my mind racing. "What does he even want with me?" I asked, frustration creeping into my voice. "Out of all the women in the world, why me?"

Reiju’s eyes softened. "He never said. All he did was tell our father to arrange the marriage. And since Sanji’s wedding was already set, yours was arranged on the spot."

"Is that why my wanted poster suddenly says ‘Vinsmoke’?" I asked, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks.

"Yes," she nodded, confirming my suspicions. "He wanted to ensure no one else would try to claim you. He's... quite a jealous man."

"Great," I muttered, my stomach churning. "And what about the ‘only alive’ part?" I pressed, interrogating her further.

Reiju tilted her head slightly. "He added that because, after watching you fight, he knew he wanted you by his side... alive."

I froze. "Wait... what do you mean, watched me fight? The only time my fight was broadcast was—"

The realization hit me hard, and I took a step back, my eyes widening. "No... It couldn’t be."

Reiju’s calm gaze held mine, and I could tell she wasn’t lying. Ichiji had been watching me, possibly for longer than I realized.

"Now if you don’t mind, I’ll be taking that from him," she said, making her way toward Luffy.

"Taking what?" Nami asked, confused.

Reiju knelt down in front of Luffy. "I’m going to guess he ate the skin of an Armor Fish from the Poison Sea," she said.

Chopper’s eyes widened. "Yeah, how’d you know?" he asked, bewildered.

"This poison has a rather unique set of components. He’s a glutton for eating it. Not even a giant could survive this," Reiju said matter-of-factly.

Chopper panicked, tears forming in his eyes. "What?! There’s nothing you can do?! I’ve failed! I’m the worst doctor in the world!"

Reiju, however, remained calm. "But this is good. You’re lucky, it’s the best kind of poison. Down the hatch," she said before locking lips with Luffy and beginning to extract the poison.

"Luffy is getting a smoochy!" Brook exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and excitement.

"Ahh, that’s so gross," Nami groaned, turning her head away.

"That’s so scandalous," Pekoms said, blushing.

I blinked rapidly, feeling like I was intruding on something personal. "I feel like I’m interrupting something," I muttered, covering my eyes but peeking every few seconds out of curiosity.

Chopper, still panicking, yelled, "Whoa! If you suck out that poison, you’ll die for sure!"

"Oh, I’m so jealous!" Brook wailed dramatically. "If only I could trade places with him, but alas... my lips are long gone! Yohoho!"

As Reiju continued to extract the poison, we all watched in shock as the rashes began to transfer from Luffy’s body to Reiju’s.

"What?!" we all yelled in unison.

Chopper examined Luffy. "There’s no more rash! It’s all gone!" he exclaimed.

Reiju stood up, unphased by the poison she had just absorbed. "I’ve never felt better. After all, I’m ‘Poison Pink,’" she said calmly, giving us all a faint smile.

Luffy finally came to, coughing a bit as he regained consciousness. "Whoa, what happened?!" he asked, looking around.

Carrot and Chopper began crying in relief.

"Wait, did I fall asleep while eating that giant fish? That skin part was really good. Do we have any more?!" Luffy asked, completely oblivious to how close he had come to dying.

Nami and I were both in tears, frustration and relief mixing together. "No!" we yelled in unison.

"You don’t remember? Not even the part where you almost died?!" Nami shouted, her voice rising.

Luffy blinked, then turned to Reiju, mistaking her for Sanji because of her curly eyebrow. "Sanji!" he said, grinning.

Chopper sighed. "That’s a woman, Luffy."

Luffy looked at her again. "Actually... you’re right," he admitted, scratching his head, confused but still Luffy.

“Luffy… she’s the person who just saved your life,” Brook pointed at Reiju with a skeletal finger.

Luffy, with his typical grin, turned to her. "Huh, thanks, lady!" he said, his carefree tone easing the tension for a moment.

I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. It felt like I was drowning in the weight of everything happening around me. But Luffy’s casualness, as usual, brought a strange comfort.

"I never knew Sanji had a big sister!" Luffy exclaimed, his grin growing wider.

"Yes, that’s right," Reiju nodded. "Sanji is a Vinsmoke like us."

My body tensed again, and Luffy caught it, his sharp eyes flicking to me, but he didn’t say anything. I tried to focus on what Reiju was saying.

"He was separated from us when he was young. Our father’s been searching for him for a while. When Sanji’s wanted poster began circulating two years ago, my father made a call to the government to prioritize catching him. But, well… they ended up catching a man named Duval by mistake,” Reiju said with a slight smirk.

“Sanji was not a fan of that whole mess,” Brook chimed in, causing me to stifle a laugh. The memory of Duval’s ridiculous face and the chaos that followed flashed in my mind. Even in the middle of all this madness, the absurdity of that situation was hard to forget.

“When your crew made a surprise comeback, the World Government shared the news with us,” Reiju continued. “My father then replaced Sanji’s wanted poster with ‘Only Alive’ and raised his bounty to make sure he’d come back to us.”

Nami crossed her arms, nodding. "So that’s why we knew something was off with his bounty, but we couldn’t figure out the reason."

Luffy’s focus sharpened. "Okay, so where is Sanji right now?" he asked, the easygoing air disappearing for a moment as concern for his crewmate replaced it.

Reiju sighed. "I can’t say for sure. He could be with Big Mom or with our father. We thought we might catch him along the way, but it seems we were too late."

She turned toward me, her eyes softening, but her words carried a weight I wasn’t ready to deal with. “At least I got to see the woman who’s going to be marrying my other brother,” she said, her gaze lingering on me.

I clenched my fists, every fiber of my being resisting that statement. But Reiju smiled knowingly. "He’ll be thrilled when I tell him you’ve arrived."

The thought of being married off to Ichiji—someone I’d never even met—made my stomach churn. My future, my choices, were being ripped out from under me, and no matter how much I wanted to fight it, the Vinsmoke family wasn’t about to give me a choice.

I shot Reiju a look of defiance. “I’m not marrying him, or anyone for that matter,” I said coldly.

Reiju’s expression didn’t change, as if she expected that response. "We’ll see," she said calmly, almost too calmly.

"But we will see Sanji at the tea party along with Ichiji’s fiancée, that’s the important part," Reiju said, her voice steady as she looked at me. The weight of her words pressed on my chest, reminding me of the looming wedding, the plans that were being made without my consent. I tried to stay calm, but my mind was spinning.

"It won’t be long now," Reiju added, her gaze shifting to Luffy. "And I even got to meet you. You took care of Sanji, Strawhat, for that, I am grateful."

Reiju was about to leave when Luffy shot up from where he sat, fire in his eyes. "Sanji’s sister!" he called out. "Thanks for saving my life for real, but still, we are taking Sanji back and stopping Y/N’s wedding. They’re my crewmates and friends!"

I couldn’t help but feel the strength behind his words. He was standing up for me, for Sanji, for all of us. Luffy’s loyalty, that unshakable determination, reminded me that I wasn’t alone in this. No matter how daunting things seemed, we would fight this together.

Reiju turned back around, her eyes scanning us—each one of us standing with defiance on our faces. We were ready to fight for what mattered most.

"I won’t give up on them," Luffy declared with conviction, his voice like a solid anchor pulling us all together.

Before I could dwell on those feelings, Yonji’s loud voice cut through the tension. "Hey, you! You’re Pekoms from the Big Mom Pirates. Just what the hell are you doing hanging out with the Strawhats?"

Pekoms stood firm, his expression unyielding. "I have my reasons, and that’s all I gotta say. Things might be different after these wedding ceremonies, but for now, you’re just some random guy."

Reiju glanced at him and nodded. "Can’t argue with that," she said, then leaped into the air, landing gracefully beside Yonji. We watched, a mix of apprehension and curiosity swirling among us.

"Raise the anchor! Let’s move!" Yonji commanded, his voice booming. He turned his gaze from his subordinates back to me, and for a heartbeat, our eyes locked. I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of discomfort under his intense stare, like he was weighing something in his mind.

As Reiju and Yonji headed off in another direction, I felt a rush of determination. We couldn’t let them dictate our fate.

"Okay, we better get moving," Nami said, breaking the tension. As we began to set sail, I sank into my thoughts, finally sitting down and closing my eyes for a moment.

Chopper began to examine Luffy, who was looking worse for wear, and the relentless ringing of the transponder snail filled the air.

"Geez, shut up!" Luffy and I exclaimed in unison, irritation bubbling up. It felt good to share the moment of frustration, a reminder that we were still on the same side.

"It’s a warning signal; it won’t stop even if you pick it up," Pekoms explained, his tone calm and collected.

"Well, that’s annoying," I huffed, crossing my arms.

"Poison made me hungry," Luffy grumbled, the usual sparkle in his eyes dimmed but not extinguished.

"We are still short on food supplies," Nami reminded us, her expression serious.

Pekoms continued, "You’re on one of Mama’s 34 islands. Whole Cake is in the center, and each island has a minister that runs the show. It’s Totoland."

Pedro piped up then. "Another ship is heading toward us."

"If they find you, it’ll be a whole pain in the ass," Pekoms warned, urgency in his voice. Without hesitation, we all dashed back to our hiding spot, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Once we docked, we stayed hidden until Pekoms finally gave us the signal that it was safe.

"Where are Luffy and Chopper?" Pedro asked, scanning the area with concern.

I couldn’t help but smile at the situation. "We should have expected this, except I’m not with them this time," I said, a playful glint in my eyes.

"They bought my cover story, but we better not stay long," Pekoms urged us, urgency lacing his voice. "So do what you gotta do, then scram! We are in a rush anyway."

He handed out disguises, and as I slipped mine on, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension.

Nami and Carrot stepped out first. Nami looked stunning in a white and red overall short dress, the pink bow at her waist adding a touch of charm. Carrot twirled into view in a playful green short dress that suited her lively spirit perfectly.

And then it was my turn. I stepped out, and my heart sank as I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection. I was wearing a white short dress with sleeves that fell off my shoulders, and the sweetheart neckline accentuated my chest. Rhinestones adorned the neckline, glistening in the light, while the ties at the back created the illusion of an hourglass figure. The bottom flared out gracefully, and my silver heels clicked softly against the floor. My hair was half up, half down, with a few strands framing my face.

Overall, I looked like I was heading to a wedding reception.

"Now why the hell am I wearing a white dress?!" I exclaimed, a mix of disbelief and frustration flooding my voice. The last thing I needed was to draw more attention to myself, especially dressed like this.

Nami chuckled, clearly amused by my predicament. "You look great! Just go with it," she said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Easy for you to say!" I shot back, though I couldn’t help but smirk.

"You look gorgeous, Y/N!" Carrot said, her eyes lighting up as she took in my ensemble.

"Thank you, Carrot," I replied, smiling at her enthusiasm, even though I felt a bit out of place. The dress was beautiful, but I wasn’t used to wearing something so formal, and the feeling of it clinging to me was a constant reminder of the situation we were in.

Suddenly, a loud voice echoed from behind. "There’s our young bride!" Brook called out, his usual cheerfulness somehow both amusing and alarming.

"Brook, what are you...?" I started to ask, but he didn’t let me finish.

"Ohh, I knew this day would come!" he exclaimed, looking as though he was about to break into a song at any moment.

"Brook, I’m not—" I protested, trying to cut through his joyful delusions.

"I told you, you’d make a blushing bride!" he continued, tears flowing from his eye sockets, each drop a testament to his excitement and unwavering optimism.

"Brook, I’m not getting married!" I insisted, my voice rising in exasperation. I could feel my cheeks heat up, and I desperately wanted to hide.

"Could have fooled me! You still look fantastic, yohooo!" he replied, spinning around as if to emphasize my supposed wedding attire.

I shook my head, laughing despite my embarrassment. "Thanks, I guess?" I said, trying to take it all in stride. The situation was bizarre, yet Brook's antics somehow made it easier to breathe amidst the chaos we were facing.

Pekoms then coughed, bringing us all back to reality. "It’s going to take a whole day to get to Whole Cake Island, so be sure to get all you need, especially food."

"Oki dokie!" Carrot yelled, her enthusiasm infectious as she bounced on her heels.

I went to grab my sword, trying to figure out how I could carry it along with my thigh halter and blades. "Hey, Nami, do you have a bag big enough to hold my essentials?" I asked, hoping she had something suitable.

She nodded and made her way to find it. When she returned, she handed me a small but discreet bag. I placed the thigh halter and blades inside, then focused on my sword. "Hmm, what if I pressed..." I mused, pressing all three buttons on the hilt. To my surprise, the sword began to shrink. "Whoa! I didn’t know it could do that!" I exclaimed, marveling at the magical functionality as I placed it into the bag.

I also took off Zoro’s bandana, placing it inside the bag as well.

"How did you fit that giant sword in there?!" Nami asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I know that moving the hilt to the right creates a shield, but I didn’t know pressing all three gems would make it shrink. King really thought of everything," I said, smiling as I grabbed the strap and placed it over my shoulder.

Carrot was watching everyone in the town, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It’s a land where every race can live without discrimination," Pekoms explained, his tone proud.

He went on to tell us the rules about eating chocolate since you could eat anything in Chocolat town. Suddenly, Brook piped up, "So… are the panties made of chocolate as well?"

"Of course they are!" Pekoms replied, barely able to contain his laughter.

Brook began to fantasize, his eyes glazing over with ridiculous thoughts until Nami sent a punch right to his head. "Just get the food and go!" Pekoms ordered, shaking his head.

"Alright, we’re ready!" I said, feeling the adrenaline start to pump through my veins.

"Oh my! Somebody ate the whole café!" yelled a voice from afar.

"There they are!" Nami exclaimed, pointing in the direction where Luffy’s unmistakable energy was.

We began to run toward Luffy, and I could hear Carrot urging, "Come on, guys, we gotta go faster!"

"We are trying too!" we all shouted in unison, pushing ourselves to keep up with the energy of the moment.

We caught up to Pedro and Brook, but we halted when we saw something unusual coming down from above.

"What the heck?" Nami exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Is that a carpet singing?" I said, squinting up at the bizarre sight.

"Not the owner of the café," Brook added, his curiosity piqued. We watched as the café owner covered for both Luffy and Chopper.

"What did she save them for?" Carrot wondered aloud.

"Maybe she’s just really nice," Nami suggested, though I felt a nagging hesitation about Luffy and Chopper’s savior.

"No one's that nice," I said, crossing my arms, my instincts warning me.

"We sure got lucky," Pedro chimed in, lighting his cigarette with a spark of electricity from his fingers.

"You gotta teach me that trick, Pedro," I said in awe.

He chuckled, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "You got it."

"Captain Pedro?!" yelled someone from behind us. We all turned, surprised.

"It really is you! What a surprise! It’s been a while," the familiar voice exclaimed.

Pedro quickly shushed the mink. "I'm sightseeing; don’t tell anyone," he said as we moved forward.

"Is something wrong, Pedro?" I asked, noticing a hint of tension as we made our way toward Luffy, Chopper, and the café owner's chocolate building.

We all sat down at a table while Luffy and Chopper continued to eat the walls, the sight both hilarious and alarming. As I settled into my chair, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the café owner.

"Can you cool it for a second?" Nami said, her brows furrowed as she eyed Luffy and Chopper. "You were stuffed a second ago; where’d all that food go?"

"You gotta try this, Y/N! I know you're going to love it!" Luffy exclaimed, handing me a piece of chocolate. He passed one to Brook and Nami as well.

I looked at the piece and politely declined. "Sorry, Luffy, I’m not a sweets kind of person, but I’m sure it’s really delicious."

"Oh well, more for me!" he shrugged, diving back into the feast.

Brook and Nami took bites of theirs and simultaneously shouted, "It's so good!"

Time passed, and Luffy turned to Pudding, the café owner. "Thanks for saving me back there!"

"Oh no, don’t thank me; I should be the one thanking you," she replied in a sweet voice that made my skin crawl.

"This girl is acting," I thought, crossing my arms defensively.

"How is this woman real? She’s too sweet!" Brook exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with admiration.

"I don’t mean to be rude, but we need to get going," Nami interjected, trying to steer the conversation.

Pudding then offered us tea, but I decided to stand and take a walk around.

"Where are you going?" Nami asked, her tone concerned.

I turned to her, smiling reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'll be right back," I said as I headed out the door.

Once outside, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. "I just know this ‘Pudding’ isn’t being truthful," I murmured to myself. "She’s hiding something, and I’m going to find out."

I took in the sights around me—the whole city was made of chocolate. "Best be careful; don’t want to dirty my outfit," I thought, holding the straps of my bag tightly, which contained my blades and sword, ensuring they stayed secure as I navigated through the sweet chaos of the city.

To my right, I noticed a jewelry store and chuckled, shaking my head. "Chocolate jewels? Now this I gotta see." I made my way inside, intrigued by the assortment on display.

"Now isn’t this creative," I thought, admiring the craftsmanship. My eyes landed on the rings, sparkling under the shop lights.

"Find something of interest?" the shop owner asked, his voice eager.

"At the moment, I'm just looking, but I will definitely let you know if I find something," I replied, about to walk away when he called me back.

"Miss! Would you please come for a moment? I must show you something!" he insisted, guiding me back to the rings.

"This ring is one of our finest collections—the rarest of rare," the owner proclaimed, presenting a stunning gold band adorned with diamonds and a captivating red ruby at its center.

"My, it's quite pretty," I said, genuinely impressed.

"Yes, it is... Would you like to try it on?" the owner offered, a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

I laughed, shaking my head. "As long as it’s not made of chocolate, I'll try it."

He slipped the ring onto my ring finger. "A perfect fit!" he declared, clasping his hands together in delight.

"So it appears," I muttered, returning the ring back. "Thank you for your time, but I must be on my way."

The owner tried to stop me once more, but I was already out the door, eager to continue my exploration.

As I strolled through the streets, taking in everything around me, I suddenly lost my footing. Just as I was about to trip into a chocolate fountain, a strong arm pulled me back, spinning me around until I landed against a hard chest.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concern etched across his face.

"Yes, I’m fine... thank y..." I started, taking in his features. He wore a white long-sleeve dress shirt, the fabric a sleek v-neck that revealed a hint of his chest, paired with dress pants. His vibrant red hair caught the light, and his glasses had a red tint that matched perfectly.

"Wow, this guy must really like red," I thought, taking a step back to create some distance.

"You gotta be careful; a pretty girl like you would have been drenched in chocolate," he said, his compliment making me smile and blush slightly.

"You're right; we wouldn’t want that now, would we?" I replied, laughing. The man chuckled as well.

"Well, I gotta get back to the café. Thank you for saving me," I said just as I was about to turn when he grabbed my wrist, halting me.

"Wait?!" he said, his grip rather strong. "Why don’t I walk you to the café? That way you don’t trip on any more chocolate," he suggested, chuckling.

I pulled my wrist back and replied, "If you want." We continued to stroll through Chocolat town in comfortable silence. I noticed some of the shopkeepers trembling in fear, which made me wonder why.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, and I turned to look at him, noticing more of his features—his nose was delicate, his chin chiseled, and his arms looked buff without making his dress shirt tight.

I nodded with a smile. "Everything is just fine," I assured him, feeling a small blush creep onto my cheeks. I noticed that he also blushed slightly, the color deepening in his cheeks as he glanced away for a moment.

"Well, this is it," I said as we approached the café. "Oh, I forgot one thing!" I exclaimed, making my way down the steps. I turned back to him and said, "Thank you for walking with me," as I placed a gentle peck on his cheek.

As I made my way back inside, I didn’t hear him say softly, "No problem, fiancee"

[xnchxntmxnt]

okay I've finally figured out the prompt situation 😅

congrats on 800 followers and here's to many more to come!!

for the event, could I get a drabble of diluc with the prompts …you realize that you long to see them again and “i’ve been afraid of changing because I’ve built my life around you" (landslide by fleetwood mac) ? diluc's pov if it's not too much to ask for?

congrats again 👍 you are so cool

ok jack. jack remember ily thank you for the notes (this broke my heart)

Coming Home

Character: Diluc Ragnvindr

Warnings: reverse hurt/comfort, a lot of diluc backstory that may not be 100% accurate but I'm p sure I got it

Notes: ok so. The “moment” hit already and he’s home yada yada yada im not following the prompt what else is new /hj I TRIED ok. not proofread I'm sorry

gn reader

reblogs > likes

send an ask to join my taglist

800 event (please join)

It was a long walk home. 

The time without you was terrifying. He insisted he needed time away, time to think—to be angry, to grieve, to process it all—without the fear of lashing out on you. 

His father passed due to the Fatui’s traps and Delusions and went on a rampage through the country. He couldn’t hold still, he couldn’t think, and you didn’t deserve to be around him and deal with the results of something that wasn’t your problem. 

Despite how much he still believed all that, he knew he couldn’t run forever. 

He hesitated for a long moment but decided to ring the doorbell. He rocked back and forth on his heels, waiting anxiously for the door to open. When it opened, he gave a small, awkward wave to Adelinde.

Her mouth opened slightly as she struggled to put the words together to speak. “Master Diluc—“

He shook his head. “Please, just….can I come in?”

She put on her best face, taking a moment to steady herself. “Of course. The winery will always have a place for you.”

He followed her a few feet in the doorway when he heard another voice from the top of the stairs. 

“Adelinde? Who is it?” you asked, followed by a quiet gasp. 

Diluc, using every ounce of strength he could muster in his mind, raised his head to look at you. He didn’t deserve to see you—he didn’t deserve you—but he had to know you were okay. 

The next thing he knew, you ran down the stairs to him and jumped into his arms. He tried to cover his groan of pain with a cough—he had more injuries than he thought, initially—but wrapped his arms tightly around you. You were here, in his arms again. It was everything he’d wished he could be selfish and have for years before he had you, and everything he’d dreamed about in the time he spent away. 

“Diluc,” you said in a hushed voice, pulling away enough to look at him. 

That look said everything. He knew he’d broken your trust, he knew you were upset. If you’d left on a rampage for several weeks to a foreign country and just left a note and occasionally sent letters home, he would be angry too. It wasn’t fair to you, and he knew that. 

“Go get a shower, darling. You smell like the woods.”

He smiled. Genuinely, actually smiled for the first time in ages. You always managed to pick him up whenever anything was wrong, usually with an ill-timed joke or comforting words. Usually both. He nodded and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. “Thank you,” he muttered, not entirely sure how much he was thanking you for. 

Later that evening, after a shower, a proper meal, and Adelinde insisting on helping bandage him up, he made his way to the bedroom you shared before he left. In the time he was still in Mondstadt, he didn’t have the heart to go through his father’s things in the master bedroom. 

He knocked quietly and entered, unsure if you were asleep. He knew it was late when he arrived home and even later now that he’d settled in. It was nice to wear the soft, clean clothes Adelinde prepared for him after nearly wrapping him head to toe in bandages. 

You were reading, simply lounging in bed. He stood by the door, tense and unsure of what was going to happen from here. He was home, you seemed happy to see him, but he knew you had to be upset. It was completely justified, he knew that it wasn’t fair for him to up and leave like that. 

“I-”

“Don’t,” you said softly, closing the book and setting it on the nightstand next to you. Your voice wasn’t cold or harsh by any means—you were calm. And when you looked at him, he only saw his beautiful lover that had always stood by him, no matter if he was in an argument with his immature brother or was injured fighting off hillychurls. Maybe this wouldn’t be much different. 

You held your arms out for him and he hesitated. Would you really want to hold him, after everything he did? Everything you didn’t even know he did? 

But your eyes silently pleaded with him, so he laid next to you. Immediately, he felt your arms gingerly around him, brushing over the bandages and minimal amount of bare skin between them. He melted into you, having kept himself from that kind of love for so long—he didn't realize how much he missed you until he was there with you again. 

Silently, the tears poured from his eyes. His breath shook and he buried his face in your shoulder. As gently as possible, he felt your hands brush through his slightly-damp hair, brushing pieces out of his face and running over his head soothingly. 

“It’s alright,” you mutter, kissing the top of his head. 

“It’s not,” he tries to argue, realizing very quickly how quickly the exhaustion was hitting him. “I’m–I’m so sorry—”

You hush him gently, tilting his head to look at you. “Diluc, we don’t have to talk tonight. You’re home, you’re safe. That’s all that matters to me—but you’re exhausted. I can see it in your eyes. We can talk tomorrow. For now, sleep. It’s late.”

He took a deep, shaky breath and nodded. “I love you,” he muttered. 

It took a long time for his mind to shut down. He couldn’t stop thinking—there was so much he felt like he had to explain. So much had happened, he’d missed so much since he was home. But he was home now, and he guessed that was the important part. After what felt like ages, he let himself relax against you and eventually fell asleep, enjoying the feeling of you running your hands through his hair. In a world where he now didn’t have anyone, and he didn’t know who he could or couldn’t trust, he knew he had you, at least in this moment. 

~~

Well, I’ve been afraid of changing

‘Cause I built my life around you

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[darklydeliciousdesires]

Immortal Beloved - Chapter Two.

Well, here we go with the next instalment, guys. I won't lie, I'm a bit disheartened that chapter one did not do as well as the prologue. I just hope that's because people are busy and haven't gotten around to it yet, rather than 'oh, this sucks, not reading it any longer.' Sadly because of events not too long ago, that's exactly where my worried little mind always goes :( Huge thanks to all of you who have interacted, though. Maybe I can encourage some of you who don't already to leave a comment, or reblog it? It would mean the world to your hardworking author.

Previous chapters - Prologue One

Tag list - In the comments

Words - 3,700

Warnings - Adult themes + vampire content throughout. Minors DNI!

“Holy shit.” Patting his pocket quickly, he was mildly dismayed to find himself without the silver letter opener he had stashed in there, the only thing made of the metal he could find that would work as a weapon against the shadow walker stood before him.  

“Do you search for this?” There within her handkerchief covered grasp was the very tool he’d been told to arm himself with, the vampire tilting her head back. “You know what I am now, for you to be carrying the very item that could destroy me within your pockets.”  

Looking at her unflinchingly, the blue of his eyes burned cold through the amber of his eyelashes, taking a drag on his cigarette. “I do.”  

Puzzlement tugged at her grin. “But why? I pose no threat to you, John. I told you this.”  

The caution in him continued to amp, but swirling around it came a feeling of great juxtapose. His first encounter with her had been truly terrifying, appearing before him more beast than woman. As she stood mere inches from him now, there was a gentleness to her quite palpable, the feeling of a storm stilled, the raging rain and howling winds broken by glittering beams of sunshine. He kept the words of Polly and Tommy firmly in mind, though. 

“How’d you know my name?” 

“Your walls are thin, and vampire hearing is quite the thing.” Smiling, she watched as he mirrored it for a flicker of a second, his face swiftly altering, blankness stilling his features. She read him like a book, though. “Your aunt, she is incorrect.”  

“Yeah? What about?”  

“When she spoke of us being evil incarnate. I for one am not.”  

His soft snort was muffled by the blast furnace once again roaring, but she still heard it. He could have snorted in disbelief three streets away from her and the sound would still reach her ancient ears. “You tore four men to pieces last night. That counts as evil in my book.” 

“Then you are evil too, John Shelby. For the weapons you wield, the intent behind the bullets you direct at your enemies, or the razorblades within your cap intended to blind and maim. I could say we are the same.” She had him there, he had to concede. “I saved your life, there was a purpose to my slaying of the Rasmussen men. That, and I happened to be quite famished.”  

He sighed, flicking his cigarette away, returning the toothpick to his mouth. “Look, love. What the fuck do you want, eh?”  

She cocked her head, smiling, reaching for his cheek. “For you to be calm, John. All this coolness towards me is unneeded, I swear to you. I would also like for you to be a gentleman, escort me down to the public house and buy me a glass of wine. I am partial to a nice, dry red.” She held the letter opener forth, gesturing to it with a nod. “A show of faith. Take it. I trust you; I would like for you to trust me as well.” 

They shared a weighted silence, pulled in by one another’s gaze, the vampire speaking once again as her eyes toured him. “Gods, you are so strikingly handsome.” 

She watched as the confidence he carried himself within seemed to slip a little, his cheeks colouring a tad as he looked away for a moment, a tiny slither of shy disbelief fluttering through him.  

He looked back at her with a sniff, his shoulders bobbing lightly. “I ain’t bad.” There within the sharply dressed gangster, the man with the feared surname that preceded him, was the tiniest smidgen of boyish bashfulness. Oh, how she adored it.  

“So,” she began, eyes glittering at him through the gloom of the evening, “that drink?” 

The stroke of her fingernails against his cheek soothed him in a way he couldn’t explain, feeling himself pulled into the glacial vortex that was her eyes as he returned the letter opener to his pocket. “Alright.” He suddenly remembered Arthur’s reaction, coupled with the warnings of Tommy and Polly. “We can’t go in The Garrison, though.” 

“This is of little matter to me,” the vampire began, adjusting the black fur of her collar. “I much prefer The Brasshouse.” 

“You mean the place on Broad Street? Bit far, ain’t it?” 

She smiled, taking his arm. “Not too far at all. Now, hang on tight. We shall arrive in a jiffy.” Suddenly, he felt as if he’d been shot out of a canon, the air whirling past him at great acceleration, his feet finding the floor below after a few seconds. Looking up, he saw the doors of The Brasshouse to his left.  

“How... the fuck did you do that?”  

Her smile flashed a set of pearly white teeth. “You bared witness to the stealth that I move with. The Bentley Motor Company has nothing on me.” She took his arm again, his warmth delicious against her perpetually cool body. “Let us head inside, and perhaps I shall tell you more about myself. I sense you have many questions.” 

She absolutely wasn’t wrong.  

As he entered the cosy surroundings of the pub, with its long, polished oak bar, bare brick walls and tiled floor, he wondered whether he’d completely taken leave of his senses. There he was, escorting a vampire towards the bar, intent on purchasing her the dry red she had made it known she was partial to, against the grave warnings of his family. He was nothing if not a risk taker, though, a man who lived life in the moment, caution thrown to the wind.  

Imagine the stories he could tell his grandchildren; about the time he’d courted a vampire.  

Was it even courting, though? Perhaps such a notion was getting ahead of himself, John realising that for all the thrill seeking within his nature, he should still perhaps not throw his caution to the aforementioned wind entirely. After all, he still had no idea over her intentions towards him. 

“Large whiskey, Irish, and a dry red for the lady.” John instructed the barman, who nodded before bustling away to prepare their drinks.  

All around him, the eyes of the patrons were drawn to his companion, how much she stood out compared to the other female persons there present. Short hair styled in finger waves was all the rage, but the vampire couldn’t have been further from that, with her dark curls tumbling almost to her waist. The stares did not abate once they’d taken their seat in a booth, John noticing one man at the bar practically salivating over her. 

“Oi, mush. This ain’t a museum and she's not on display,” he barked, his frown deepening. “Put your fucking eyes back in your head.” 

The man scoffed, leaning back against the bar in a casual, unbothered manner. “And who are you to tell me what to do, eh lad?” 

“John Shelby.” 

At the mere mention of his famed surname, the man’s face dropped, picking up his drink and moving with his cohorts across the pub, John muttering beneath his breath. 

“That was very gallant of you, but I do not mind being stared at so much. I know that I am somewhat of a curious sight to behold,” she began, running her fingernail around the rim of her glass. “I do not look like other women.” 

His eyes roamed over her, pupils inking into the blue. “No, you don’t.”  

“And you enjoy that,” she asserted, her pretty lips curling, looking at him through the flirtatious flutter of her long eyelashes as she sipped her wine.  

On impulse, he reached forward, wiping the drip of Cabernet from her lip, bringing his thumb to his own mouth and sucking it momentarily. It made her shiver within. “I do,” he finally confirmed, his eyes not leaving hers for a second. Oh, how she loved a man who had the confidence to stare so unblinkingly at her. “Do I get to know your name?”  

“Brynhild.” 

He was taken aback a little. “That’s a strange name,” he began, eyes still fixed firmly on hers, so much so that she shuffled slightly in her seat. He was much too handsome for his own good. “No surname?”  

“It is a very old name. As for surname, I do, but it is not like a surname that is known today. My people used patronymics, and what that means is to combine the father’s name as the prefix, and then either son or dottir as the suffix. I am the daughter of Leif, so therefore my name is Brynhild Leifsdottir.” 

He was fascinated, if not a little confused, closing the gap between them as he leaned across the table. “I think I’m just going to call you Bryn.” 

Her laugh at his dryly delivered assertion tinkled through the air. “That is fine with me. I like that. Nobody has ever shortened it before.” 

“Who were your people? You sound foreign but I can’t place your accent. I’m a fucking clod with nationalities, geography an’ all that.”  

“No, no,” she assured, her hand pressing to his forearm for a moment. “You are correct, for even though my accent has softened, I am not English. I am Norse, or Norwegian. My people were Vikings.”  

His eyes all but fell out of his head. “What, as in the fellas who came over and terrorised a load of monks up north all them years ago?” 

“You say that you are, to use your term, a fucking clod with nationalities and geography, yet you know this correctly, John. Not as much of a clod as you think, hmm? You know your history, also.” 

He shrugged. “Me sister is a right bookworm, she rattled something off about it once and I remembered.” He paused, momentarily wetting his lips with a flick of his tongue. Again, she shivered internally. “I know it’s bloody rude, to ask a lady her age, but...” 

“One thousand and seventy-two. If I am to count my human years, then I am one thousand, one hundred and two years old.” She reached for his mouth, placing two fingers beneath his chin to close it after it had dropped open.  

“Fucking... hell.”  

“And you are?” 

He suddenly felt a little inferior to his companion, that tiny little show of bashfulness making an appearance once more. “Um, twenty-eight.”  

“Ahh, then if you are to discount my vampire years, we would not be so different. I had just turned thirty years of age when I was made what I now am.” His face remained a picture of wide-eyed incredulity. “Does my ancientness bother you?” 

“No, not at all. I’m just... bloody hell. The things you must have seen and learned in your time. Fuck.” He laughed softly, shaking his head in wonder. “You're fascinating, Bryn.” Their chemistry already mingled in the air like magical alchemy. 

She beamed, and he felt his pulse quicken. “You are very complimentary. What else do you wish to learn about me?” 

He sipped his whiskey, returning the tumbler to the table with a soft clunk. “Whatever you want to tell me, love.” He winked, taking her hand and laying a soft kiss to her cool fingers. It took all she had not to reach across the small space and plant her lips to his.  

Everything. She wanted to tell him everything as the blue of his eyes pulled her further to him, her usual aloofness banished to a place she could not reach to pull it back. Not that she wanted to. Bryn scarcely encountered humans who were quite a confident in themselves as John, especially in the face of all that she was. She knew he’d been afraid of her the night before, but that no longer seemed to linger within the body of the well-groomed, handsome young man. 

He was unfazed, he did not cower to her. She was the most powerful apex predator on earth, yet he treated her like a lady. It had been many years since she had experienced that. He’d watched her decapitate a man with her bare hands, he knew of her savagery, yet it dented neither his chivalry nor his flirtation as they fell into long conversation together.  

“To answer your question, yes, I can eat and drink, but they have no nourishing effect upon me. I could drink every last drop of alcohol within this public house also, and it would not affect my equilibrium. I do so merely for the pleasure when it takes me, and to blend in. A woman at a dinner party pushing her meal around with a glass that never empties draws attention, the type I do not always wish to receive. All the food in the world could vanish and I would not be concerned, for truly I only need the blood of humans to survive. Animal blood works too, but not as well. We weaken without our life’s source.”  

John listened keenly as she talked, remaining mostly silent as the evening passed by, his eyes darting to the large clock in the corner every so often, willing it to tick backwards. He’d been there with her for four hours, and he wished for nothing more than another four to follow. “What else about being a vampire make you different from humans?” 

She was only too happy to share that, but there were some secrets she would keep back. Even when in the company of a man who she viewed with as keen interest as she did John, she never gave everything up at once. “My speed, which you have witnessed. My strength is boundless, too. I could – and have – uproot a tree by pushing it, for example. I could also hold a car up one handed and throw a grown man across the room with a mere shove of my hand into his chest.”  

His eyes sparkled. “You’ve done that, ain’t ya?” 

Leaning close, she licked her top lip momentarily, her grin broadening. “Too many times to count.” She paused, cocking her head slightly. “You know exactly what I am and yet, you do not fear me.” 

His shrug was light, finishing his drink. “There’s no point. If you wanted me dead, I’d be gone within a blink, I suppose. It was like being scared when I went to France. If I thought about it too much, then I wouldn’t have been able to do what I was there for and defend me country.” His eyes seemed to dull a little, John clearing his throat before offering a candidness he seldom ever uttered. “It did scare me, though. If I let it.”  

The war hadn’t affected him quite like it had Tommy, John’s perpetual cheer and effervescence shining through the shadows left behind by the harrowing darkness of war. Only very, very occasionally did the Flanders blues bother him. 

She placed her hand atop his, John moving his thumb out from under hers, stroking the soft skin just below her first knuckle. “Anybody who claims not to have felt fear in battle is a liar. I remember it well, thought it was so very long ago.” 

“Some kind of vampire war?” he asked curiously, Bryn shaking her head. 

“No, John. When I was human. I was what is known as a shieldmaiden. I fought side by side upon the battlefield with my Viking brethren. I became extremely adept in burying my axe in the heads of many an Englishman.” 

He looked very impressed at that revelation. “So, what you’re telling me is that you’ve spent your entire existence basically being a fucking killing machine?” 

Her lips pinched as she tried not to find his words as entertaining as she did. Oh, he was such a lovable rouge. Not many would brush off that kind of information, let alone turn it into a joke. “I suppose I have, yes. I tend to be a little more sedate in my penchant for slaughter at my age, though. With age comes a gentleness not seen in younger of my kind. We ah, find a little of our humanity again, you could say.” He fixed her with a comic look of disbelief, raising his eyebrows aloft. “Except for last night, that is.” 

“Decapitation ain’t really sedate or gentle, love.” he hummed, laughing when she finally began to, dropping her gaze for a few moments, beginning to swirl a curl around her finger. “Got ya there, ain’t I?” 

This man, oh, this charming, playful man. He made her feel like a girl again, not an ancient creature of the night, not a barbaric shieldmaiden. Just Brynhild. Just Bryn. “Yes, John. Yes, you do.”  

On they continued to chatter, until last orders were called, John in no hurry to leave as he bought another round of drinks.  

“How much, gaffer, to keep this place open just for the lovely lady and I?”  

The landlord looked a little apprehensive, until he saw the size of the roll of banknotes produced, John beginning to peel them off. He raised his eyebrows questioningly, thumbing away a couple more.  

“That’ll be sufficient, sir. Got to keep it quiet, though, lights off. I’ll fetch some candles.” When it was just John, Bryn and the man who facilitated their elongated stay within the cosy surroundings of The Brasshouse, he finally broached the question that had been at the back of his mind the entire night. 

He kept his tones hushed, moving to her side so that they could share conversation that would not reach earshot of the landlord, sat at the other end of the pub next to the gramophone. “So, why did you do it, then? Take out the Rasmussen fellas, that is.” 

She nodded knowingly, lacing her fingers together before her. “I knew that you would bring the conversation back to that eventually. I suppose it is only fair that I reveal my intentions, especially after the lovely evening you have treated me to.” She was not short of a bob or two, but John had not allowed her to put her hand into her purse once.  

Drawing herself up a little, Bryn began. “I will start by revealing that I initially sought out your family for the purposes of alliance only, but then I witnessed you and felt my cunt do whatever the cunt version of a backflip is, so I will be completely honest there. I have interest in an alliance, and in addition to that, I now have interest in you.” She paused a moment while John’s mirth displayed itself in a long snort before he laughed hard. When women were unexpectedly crass, it never ceased to entertain him. 

“There is an old saying, John. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and gods, the Rasmussen’s are my enemies of the highest order. What they are, they are not merely a criminal enterprise. They are vampire hunters, their lineage spanning longer than mine. From one generation to the next, they have stalked me through the shadows for centuries, after what it is within me that fuels them. You must have noticed by now that they are much stronger than your average person, yes?” 

John nodded, allowing her to continue. “This is because they drink of our blood. In doing so, it will give a human some of the attributes of the vampire they have drank of. Sharper senses, speed, strength and stamina. You can imagine, can you not, the attributes they would gain if they managed to seize me. They would become unstoppable.” 

He looked thoughtful, absorbing her words. “S’cuse me if this sounds like I’m being a thick headed Brummie twat, but what advantage does an alliance with us give you? You’re ancient and powerful. We might be gangsters but still, we’re fucking feeble compared to you.”  

The admission of his lesser strength to her made something unpleasant prickle his insides, but John was no fool even in the face of such inner concession. He could not deny that while he himself sat very high upon the ladder of intimidation, Bryn was perched right upon the top rung. 

“Daylight, John. You have the daylight, whereas I do not. My home, all of my homes, in fact, have been well fortified against break in. This does not mean it cannot still happen, though.” She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering, her fangs snapping out within her closed mouth as the pain danced in her memories. Making them recede, she continued.  

“When residing at my home in London, I am guarded during the daytime by men under the employment of one Alfie Solomons. I believe you are acquainted with him. I offer an exchange basis. I pay most handsomely for such services.”  

He still looked a tad confused. “I think I’m missing something here. Why can’t you just go kill ‘em all? Ain’t like you’re not strong enough to do that.”  

“It matters not how strong I am. The Rasmussen family is great in number, as I am sure you have deduced by now. Their dwellings are well fortified against vampire attack especially, for they know the marks they have had upon their heads by others of my kind. This has not changed throughout history. They have always bred plentifully to remain in good numbers and thus further their cause. I cannot risk happening again what their ancestors put me through.”  

He almost didn’t want to ask, watching the pain swirl in her eyes, the way her nose crinkled slightly, the tightness in her jaw. “What did they do to you, Bryn?” 

Reaching for her wine, she gulped the rest back, wishing alcohol still had a soothing effect on her. “Took me prisoner for over a hundred years.” 

John might not have known about vampires for a long period of time at all, but what he did, he knew that perhaps it stung her pride greater than he could ever imagine to confess such weakness. As he covered her hand with his, he knew on an instinctual level that this rare and radiant woman was one he wanted to pledge his protection to.  

Whether his family would agree was a different matter altogether. 

[kiryoutann]

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Emergency meeting, they said.

The aristocrats filled the familiar large hall, where the meeting was about to begin. Some had curious expressions, but not a few had irritated faces after being forced to abandon whatever business they were doing before the knights sent letters to come to the main palace immediately.

“Is His Highness in his right mind now?” One sitting near Duke Maxim joked.

Another nodded in agreement. "Let's hope so. I left my woman for this.” He said, the smell of cigars and alcohol following his breath.

The sound of the large door opening. All eyes were drawn to Prince Childe, who entered with an expression that stood out in stark contrast to yesterday's. Brilliant blue eyes scanned the royals as if they were looking for someone. Either he found them or he was waiting for something, Childe walked towards his seat.

"Good afternoon everyone!"

The nobles' jaws hung open. Just now, had he really just greeted them? Rather than an emergency conference, he was now acting as if this was nothing more than a tea party that noble ladies usually host.

“"Please accept my apologies for the inconvenient times. But I think today is the right day for something dramatic." He continued, adding to the confusion in the room.

In his chair, Childe sat up straight. Unlike the previous days when he had served as his spokesperson, Dmitri stood silently next to him. The prince curled his lips into a smile which he gave everyone. He rested his elbows on the table before linking his fingers with one another.

"I have answers for two things that are still in question: the King's death investigation and the attack on the Princess."

The smile grew wider when his ears caught the mutterings of the nobles. His hands tightened from the excitement. He let them say whatever they wanted, as compensation for their inability to do so in the next few hours.

“That's why I brought that person here myself.”

More shocking than Childe smiling was the woman who had just entered the room. There are no whispers between the sounds of your approaching footsteps, perhaps because the people trailing you are no less interesting. In his seat, Duke Maxim swallowed hard. Why the hell is that confidant here?

Several pairs of eyes looked at you as if you were a ghost—an undead they didn't think would survive. You replied with a smile on your face.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen."

Compared to Childe's, your greeting sounded calmer. But, why now did Maxim feel the urge to get up from his chair and make excuses to leave the meeting? The uneasiness in his stomach was inexplicable. What is he afraid of? It's impossible for you to know everything, right? There’s no way.

“It's nice to see familiar faces. If the situation was different, perhaps I would have invited all of you to a tea party.”

You're always good at small talk. Being too adept at wrapping yourself up makes it seem like you're nothing more than a stupid woman who happens to be lucky to have a princely husband from a great kingdom. You've always liked that way though, leading your prey into a trap with a smile before actually catching them.

A glance you give to Childe. “Your Highness, may I?” You sound as if you're requesting approval.

On the features of his handsome face, a smile was carved perfectly; one that makes some stir in uneasiness. Unlike you, most of the time every time Childe smiles is a sign that something bad is about to happen.

“Go ahead, Love. Tell me what I don't know." He says.

You nodded, "Thank you, Your Highness."

“In these few days, I have spent all my time unconscious after an assassination attempt was made on the royal family.” You began. “It appears to have been well planned. Someone deliberately set off something on the other side of the building to attack the members of the royal family as they were rushing towards the safe room.”

That smile you put on said one thing but friendliness. "In order to reveal the truth of this crime, let me name people who will aid me." You raise your free hand.

The index finger was pointed in an impolite manner, as if you had forgotten that they were titled nobles. However, no one dared open their mouths to protest—not when Childe sat in his chair with a proud smile as he rested his chin on his hand as if he were watching opera. Maxim anxiously watched you point out one by one the people who happened to be part of his group. No... something like this couldn't be a coincidence. Has someone betrayed him?

“The gentlemen I have chosen, please stand before me.” The order was given by you.

Cold sweat started pouring from their temples. No matter how hard they tried to hide it, fear was too obvious on their faces. Of the many people you appointed, no one dared to come forward.

“Your Highness! This is slander! I did nothing!"

The shout of one of them echoed throughout the room. Childe ignored him, but was clearly amused. These people reminded him of a frightened mouse in a trap. You try hard to hold back a smile that breaks into a chuckle.

“Lord Lebedev, nobody is accusing you of anything. Did I not say that I would select people who would assist me in revealing the truth?"

If he was pale earlier, your words just now have drained the blood from his face. Too defensive without provocation. It was enough to get opinions and assumptions circulating in the room. Without you having to catch them, they will walk right into your trap. You won't have to say much and they will confess in the end.

"I'll repeat it once more. Please stand before me.”

Doubts. They are filled of doubts as they take steps to approach you. After they are all lined up in a row, you count them all out with your eyes. Ten people, only the mastermind remained sitting in fear in his chair. The best bait deserves the biggest surprise.

"There are a lot of you." You make a remark as you join your hands in front. “I was wondering, with this many people, can you make sure that no one is a traitor?”

Instantly, air seemed to be blocked from entering his lungs. Maxim felt a chill on his back, as if winter had suddenly come and touched him. In contrast to what he was feeling, his sweat was dripping like a man in flames. Unconsciously he locked his jaw. Is that true? That someone has betrayed? He glanced at each of his accomplices, trying to figure out who might have done that.

The pressure in the atmosphere of the room increases.

"For me to know exactly who was in this, I know it can't be called a coincidence." you smile. "One of you has turned traitor and told me everything."

Those nobles before you can no longer hide their fear. They started glancing at each other, staring for a long time as if communicating telepathically. It turns out they don't trust each other so much that one word from you can make them look ready to pick and bestow one of them as a sacrifice.

You bring your hands together. “"How about we play a guessing game to ease the tension? Whoever can guess the traitor is will have their sentence reduced.” Your voice is enthusiastic, blind to their anxiety.

In his seat, Childe widened a smile. You're crazy, very crazy. It was something that made his chest fill with warmth and his heart beat with enthusiasm. He clenched his fists to exercise control. He's going to let you have the fun this time—at least while they're still alive, before they're left alone in the room with him.

From despair, one of them pushed another. "Him! It must be him!”

"Are you crazy?!" The other one replied.

“Lieutenant Kozlov did say that he was thinking of turning himself in to His Highness in case the plan failed! It must be him!”

Your brows furrow, feigning curiosity. "He said that when..?"

“After that meeting! After we discussed the plan!”

Silence fell as soon as the echo of the answer disappeared. At the same time, the nobleman realized what he had just said. Another one has fallen into your trap, and you're still holding yourself back from celebrating.

“Ah, a confession.” You said softly.

“N-no, Your Highness! It is not my intention-!"

"You have the tenacity to find the 'traitor'. But, I'm afraid you won't be granted amnesty because, to be entirely honest, there were no traitors from the start.” You watch their eyes widen as their jaws droop, threatening to fall. "I have to say, though, that you all make for an excellent bunch considering you all have the same objectives and viewpoints. Perhaps that is what made you equally foolish, and why you chose to seek the 'traitor' rather than be one to protect the royal family. For a moment, I thought you really wanted no leniency at all.”

“Your Highness! Please!”

"It must have taken someone slightly wiser than all of you to come up with such a plan." You walk up to the older man. "This might be your last chance to be forgiven. Tell me, who is that person?"

The man rubbed his sweaty hands. He blinked a few times, took a few breaths. But despite his best attempts, the tension in his shoulders and the shaking in his lips persisted. Knowing that the scenario had changed to whether they still had tomorrow, the other nobles behind him sneakily peered at each other.

"It's.. it's.." His Adam's apple bobbed and swallowed hard. “It's..”

The sound of something falling to the floor. You turned to find another noble in front of you kneeling shouting a name.

“It's Duke Maxim! Your Highness! Duke Maxim planned all of that!”

"It’s a lie! A slander!”

A new voice made the whole room turn to the handsome man who now stood up from his seat. The star in this story has broken his silence. Behind the lashes, his eyes were wide open. How could he say it was slander when he was sweating like that?

“Duke,” You turned your body towards him. “Do you have anything to say?”

Maxim clenched his fists tightly, trying to calm himself down. He knew his brain wouldn't work under anger. “That is baseless slander, Your Highness.” He repeated, this time in a quieter voice.

“Is that so?” You swept your eyes across the anxious nobles before you. "If that's the case, then why do they say you're the mastermind?"

Maxim clenched his jaw. “I.. I don't know either. As a duke… isn't it logical to have someone frame me like this?” His voice trails off at the end, trying to pass himself off as an ill-fated man. "Someone wants to ruin me, Your Highness!"

"Perhaps you mean Liyue?"

When you said that, the arguments for self-defense came to an end.

"That day, you spent the most time with the King. Before we drink tea together, you have already given him wine. Was it from Zhilchik?" You maintain eye contact with Maxim until you realize he is glaring at you with intense resentment. "After a split second of drinking the tea, the late king coughed up blood. All my life I have been trained to remember the events I saw, but surely you would have doubts about that."

You turned to the confidant of the late king, Vlad. “Sir Vlad, please explain as best you can.”

Vlad—with a polite nod at you—walked over to stand beside you. He glanced at Maxim who was still standing by his chair. Whereas the black-haired man was in constant fear spreading within him. As if it wasn't enough with just you, Vlad is here to add to his destruction.

"Although my memory isn't as sharp as Her Highness', I do recall an irritating voice that kept urging the maids to throw the tea away—as if that were more urgent than the King dying on the floor."

A chill ran down Maxim's back. His breaths began to be short, labored as if someone had cut off his breathing. The clenched fists were getting sweaty.

“That's because I—!”

“But, Sir Vlad, Duke Maxim might have been trying to prevent anyone else from getting poisoned.”

Maxim could not believe his ears. Why did you suddenly come to his aid? He's staring at you trying to scan your face for something in it. Nothing. Just a confused expression. Or maybe you've always been this naive? Always this stupid? Whatever it was, this was a golden opportunity for him and he couldn't waste it.

"That's right! I ordered the maid to throw away the tea immediately for fear of poisoning you, Your Highness! You are an important key to Snezhnaya's glory!” He shouted out loud to make sure Childe heard this too.

Your lips curved into a smile before opening to say, "But Duke, didn't you say you asked someone to check the composition of the tea?"

In that second, his heart seemed to have stopped beating. Checkmate. He foolishly stepped into your trap. The 'clean' nobles around him started whispering, muttering about the day he said that researchers found Silence poison in the tea. But, with his new statement now, there are only two plausible possibilities: either he lied or he took the sample before the King drank it.

Everything is a dead end for him. Lying to the royal family is a capital offense, killing the royal family is an act of betrayal. Maxim unfortunately combines the two.

“Ah, how dare you lie to me.”

Childe's voice made Maxim immediately turn to look at him with undisguised fear. Blue eyes like the deepest ocean trenches, threatening to take him in and never to the surface. The Prince was still resting his chin on his hand, but the look he gave him was enough to tell that it wasn't difficult for him to stand up and come over to help him find his end.

“Y-Your Highness! This—this is all a trap! Someone is setting me up! I have served the royal family for a long time! Why would I do all that?!”

Maxim seems nothing more than a drunken babbler. His mouth must be running faster than his brain. He looked pathetic—different from the him you sawin your vision. His accomplices were no better than him either.

“Only you know the reason, Duke. Care to tell us, where did the courage you have come from that you dared to kill nearly two royalty?” You continue. "But then again, all your denial will be useless because the knights have searched your residence."

The door was pushed open revealing several knights entering with a vial on a purple cushion. If Maxim's eyes had previously widened, now his surprise makes you believe his eyeballs will pop out of his lids. Those heavy footsteps filled the conference room before they stopped right in front of you and knelt down respectfully. You shifted giving everyone a chance to see what they found.

A smile of victory you gave to Maxim. "'Silence', right?" you ask.

Maxim let out a laugh—one you're sure didn't come out of his sane side. "This is crazy!" He threw his hands in the air. “This is really crazy! Someone is setting me up! Princess (Y/N) might be setting me up, Your Highness! This was all planned by Liyue!”

This man really wants hell. He wanted hell and all the torments in it by saying that. You don't mind hearing it, after all it's out of desperation and nothing about it is true. But, it was always different with Childe; the gaze in his blue eyes was sharp, perhaps sharper than the knights' swords put together.

"What did you say?" Childe's voice came out dangerously.

“She must have planned this all to set me up!” Maxim repeated louder trying to convince everyone.

You don't take his word for it. “You also said that the late king coughed up blood after drinking the tea. To be fair, how about we put that to a test?” Maxim paled from your words.

“F-forgive the interruption, Your Highness! But, what do you mean by that?” One of the noblemen inquired.

From Childe's signal to the knights, the door opened again—this time with the arrival of someone being dragged inside. Like a scarecrow, he had a cloth covering his face. He knelt on the cold marble floor in shabby clothes stained with dried blood. The nobles shuddered at his presence.

“W-who is this?!”

Dmitri was the one to reply, “This is the assassin that shot Her Highness that day.” He said before continuing which left the room full of shock, “This man is scheduled to be executed today.”

Childe glanced at the maid who had arrived with hot tea. "Do it." He gave orders.

The maid nodded rushing over to the knight carrying the poison. He placed the teacup in the middle of the table, giving them all a chance to watch as a drop of liquid from the small vial made its way into the tea. Maxim’s eyes followed where the tea tray was taken—to the kneeling man.

“No.. no! NO!”

"Gentlemen, let us prove the Duke's words." Your voice comes out cold.

A knight removed the sack covering the man's face, then drank tea through his lips. He walked backwards after making sure he took one gulp. The pressure in the room grew heavier as Maxim froze in cold sweat.

One two..

Two minutes passed.

Two minutes passed without anything happening to the man. He was still on his knees, motionless as if he had accepted his fate. The nobles furrowed their brows, whispering in disbelief of the 'proof' you stated would be carried out.

The sound of coughing echoed throughout the room.

The man fell to the side coughing. Gasps filled the air as red liquid stained the marble floor. Vlad closed his eyes tightly—it felt like déjà vu. You stared straight ahead without looking at the man's condition, already knowing what awaited him after taking a sip of the tea laced with deadly poison.

“Oh my God!”

“It’s true! He's really coughing!”

The sound of his cough gradually weakened. You take a deep breath, clenching your trembling fists. Hold it in, (Y/N), it will all be over soon.

When the room was silent, the footsteps of a knight rushed to the man's body. He put two fingers on his neck to check for a pulse and answered everyone's question with a shake. The man was gone—he had received his death sentence by drinking the same poison that was in his arrows that day.

As you breathe in, your eyelids tightly close. Your head fills with an upwelling of mixed emotions. “Now you see,” you spoke up as Maxim's eyes bore down on you with rage and hatred. "It took him a while to start coughing. The poison ‘Silence’ isn’t one that kills instantly—that makes it the perfect one if you want to kill without raising suspicion.”

It was beyond you how he had plans to kill someone just to blame it on someone else—making a war after. If you didn't get the vision at that time, what will happen to you and Shiva now? Are you going to live in slander for killing someone?

You begged all Gods to grant that damn Duke a horrible death.

You took the little vial to show him. “Not only did you stop there but, you also intended to harm His Highness with this small dose of Silence Poison.” Purple color resplendent in it. “You did that in the hope that you could be the one to save him with the antidote you stocked up after burning all of it.”

One of the knights held up another vial of green liquid. Ekaterina shows documents regarding the fire incident in the village of Klirinsk. For a land fire to occur in this cold country..isn't that strange?

“It is what gives you the impression that you will get away with this, but you won't. Perhaps God helped you hide that wine bottle throughout the past few weeks; however, Duke, it is now over. You are all alone. You must now reap what you sowed. Don't expect God's presence after all the sins you have committed. Accept everything; your efforts were worthwhile while they lasted, but now you have shown that you are nothing more than a pretty face.”

The words left your lips. After taking a deep breath, you turned your heels to leave the room. But, you remember something.

“Ah,” You stopped in your tracks. “Don't you know? Your wife came to me the day before the incident. She said something bad would happen if His Highness didn't make a new agreement with you.”

Maxim's eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of their lids. His teeth were gritted together. The surge of emotion caused the veins in his temples to bulge. The room was filled with cursing from him as the knights held his hands behind his back.

His day has been ruined—all because of you. A Duke is dragged out against his will, his hands shackled in shackles. Maxim still has a lot to say. As the guards led him through the dark and smelly prison halls, he kept biting his cheek trying to convince himself that this was all a dream. It was only when he was thrown into one of the cells that he realized that this was real.

His mind had one thing playing over the long hours in that stone-walled room.

Will he get a forgiveness?

The question was repeated over and over in his head as Maxim sat in the cold end of the prison cell. His nose wrinkled couldn’t stand the stench of a dead rat not far from him. The moonlight came in through the small window bounded by strong iron. There was no way for him to escape from here. The only good thing he could be thankful for was that his body was still in one piece. He had expected Childe to meet him personally, finish him off or even tear him to pieces but, no. Could it be that he was just acting back then?

Maxim wasn't even put in an underground cell. This means that he will be granted forgiveness, right?

As if coming to answer his question, one of the prison guards approached his cell to open the padlock. Maxim stood up from his seat, dusting off his expensive clothes from the dust of the prison's stone floor. His face didn't fit to be in this place much longer.

"His Highness ordered me to take you to him."

A surprised expression painted on his face. "His Highness said that?" Maxim asked, answered with a short nod.

So it's true, Childe is forgiving him.

On his way into the room, Maxim tried to hold back a smile. It's too early to celebrate, he thought. Even though Childe would grant him mercy, he knew he still had work to do to regain his trust; after all, he was the same person who killed his father and was about to kill him. Maybe people are wrong about Childe—he's not heartless, he has a big heart to forgive people like him—

Maxim's thoughts stopped when he arrived at the vast dark room. In the middle, Childe was walking around with a sword in hand.

“Ah, you’re here.”

The 'greeting' came out of Childe's lips casually. Under the dim light, he could see a grin plastered on his face. He swung his sword playfully, waving his hand telling Maxim to join in immediately.

"Give it to him." Childe gave the order and the knight pushed a sword at Maxim. “Do you want a shield? Actually, you know what, just give him one.”

With a puzzled expression, Maxim accepted the sword and shield. He took a step closer to Childe after making sure he gave him permission. After getting close enough, he then asked: “Y-Your Highness, I don't understand the meaning of this.” He said, unsure of his words.

Childe paused. "What's not clear? You’re going to fight me. Is that understood?” He spun his sword once more.

Wait, what?

Just now he said that he was going to fight him? Maxim swallowed hard. His sword and shield now felt not good enough. No one had ever won against Childe—Tartaglia—no matter how much battle experience they had. Maxim was no exception.

Being so generous, Childe allowed him time to process everything, using it to fix his chest harness. A waiter brought him a glass of whiskey which he downed. He rolled up his sleeves. Maxim was still standing like a fool; not ready yet and will never be ready.

"Hey, what's with the cold feet, huh? Aren't you the same man who killed my father and nearly harmed my wife?"

Tired of waiting any longer, Childe let out an annoyed sigh. “Come on! Raise,”—he swung his sword requiring Maxim to do the same while taking a step back in evasion—“your sword!”

A grin climbed up his face. "That's more like it!" Childe kept taking steps forward, deliberately missing the aim of his sword—finding pleasure in Maxim's frightened expression. His eyes widened, sweat dripping from his temples. He wondered what shade of red his blood was.

“Your Highnesses! Please, please! Please stop!”

Maxim's plea came in before it left his ears—like the cries of cattle being slaughtered. His sword made a sound as it cut through the air, barely hitting Maxim's eye by a few inches. Childe continued to take steps forward. Finding no solution, Maxim started swinging the attacks that he dodged. Childe found an opening and cut in.

Red drips on the floor.

Maxim's chest rose and fell in ragged breaths. His jaw locked as he tried to hold back the pain of the open wound on his cheek. Those treacherously sparkling blue eyes stared at him like a predator. He would not stop until Maxim begged not for his life, but for his death.

"That's all you got? Come on, aren't you devoted to the royal family? Let this be atonement for your sins before I send you to your death!”

Maxim used his own sword to deflect Childe's blow. He must survive.

Childe took a step forward. "You should be grateful, that I'm still kind enough to let you breathe a little longer." He drew his sword to launch a new attack.

The sound of swords hitting the floor echoed through the room. Maxim fell to his knees, bleeding from a fresh shallow wound in his neck. His back was rising and falling with breaths he couldn't catch anymore. Fear overcame his ability to fight even though he had been doing it for his whole life. He clenched his fists tightly.

“Your—Your Highness..” He tried. “Your Highness, forgive me!”

Childe pushed back his sweaty hair. He watched the man in front of him tremble. Not long after, something flowed between Maxim’s legs and spread around him. "Ha." Childe let out a mocking scoff. “Did you just wet yourself?” He swung his sword around without a care. "So, she's right. You're nothing but a pretty face. I don't want to hear her say that again, though. So let's end this quickly."

The sword clinked after he threw it aside. Childe grabbed Maxim by the collar roughly. The stir in that gaze belonged neither to Childe nor to Ajax; it belongs to Tartaglia.

“Get up, man. The fight’s not over yet.”

Maxim had cursed himself. How had he forgotten that there were worse punishments than death? He watched as Childe clenched his hand into a fist before landing it on his aquiline nose. The Duke staggered backwards, trying to steady his legs only to receive a new blow to his jaw. The pain was radiating, giving him a headache. Another punch to his injured cheek opened the wound even wider.

There is only one punishment that is more horrible than the death sentence—when Tartaglia takes the time to become the executioner himself.

Perhaps he was disgusted by the blood splattered on his clothes. Childe unbuttoned his shirt and gave it to the maid standing guard at the side of the room. From his double vision, Maxim saw him twisting something around his fingers—his wedding ring.

Was that what made him so angry? That he touched you and nearly killed you?

Childe gives the ring to Dmitri. “Damn, I was so excited that I forgot to take it off. Make sure it's not broken. She'll kill me if it does." He said that with a warm smile—one he didn't expect from him.

Another hit. Maxim fell to the cold floor, adding to his agony. He wanted to die now.

“Ple.. phleashe..”

His lips were too swollen to speak. He might have bitten his tongue from his efforts to endure the pain. His hands felt numb. It hid him from the moonlight and served as a constant reminder that he was his worst nightmare.

Childe continued his suffering until dawn when he returned to you.

Like a skilled thief, he tiptoed slowly trying to make as little noise as possible. Your back is facing him while you sleep wrapped in a comfortable blanket. Childe wanted to sneak up to hug you, let himself lie down covered in the blood of the man who had just breathed his last from all the blows. He regarded it as a momentary example of evidence that those who dared to harmed people he loved would always suffer the consequences of their actions. Nonetheless, he is aware that you hate blood. He refrained from kissing you and immediately rushed to wash himself.

After making sure he was clean, Childe crawled on the bed wrapping his strong arms around your waist. You move in your sleep, opening your eyes slowly and smiling at him.

"Did I wake you up?" he asked, no guilt in his voice.

You chuckle. "I know you did it on purpose." You say and he joins in your laughter, cupping your face to plant a peck on the lips.

Childe pulled away to give another one to your forehead. You put your hands on his only to frown while furrowing your brows then. He gulped when you started scanning his fingers looking for something.

"Where's your ring?"

The lack of lighting doesn't blind you to the grimaces and nervous giggles that come out of him. “I told Dmitri to clean it for me. H-He’ll finish the day after tomorrow. Don't worry, Love—”

“Did you break it?”

A dramatic gasp from him. “No way! I would never do that on purpose! You know that! You know me, right?" Childe pursed his lips looking at you like a puppy who's just been scolded.

You didn't buy it, though.

"If I find out you were lying to me, you are welcome to sleep in your room again tomorrow."

“No! Ah, why are you being so mean to me?” Childe hastily buried his face into your collarbone. “F-fine! I accidentally broke it. There, I said it! Shouldn't you be giving me a prize for my honesty?" He looked up with hopeful eyes.

You squint. "I'll.. think about it." Your smile widens when you hear him whining again, hugging you tighter begging for forgiveness.

AbbyBianx, ness

@thelovelydiviner @r0ttenhearts @tsunotaro-san @yguchild @a-random-bored-person @ajaxstar @dandelimoonus @deemayaz @sxztus @meiraloves2dmen @bananazzzen @sugarxbxby123 @httpmitsuya @kaiyoschaos @ganyuzuri @enviouspeanut @justreadings @nat1203 @creamiepudding @childes0nlywife @hieraethx @r0se-r4men  @cyn9 @bluelovesleep @sucrosia @undecidingfate @funicidals @geozhong @chipzho @yevenly @hanilessa @gojoandelsalovechilde @angeliquen @imthestatebum

If I wrote your username wrong, please let me know TT_TT For those who can’t be tagged, please make sure the setting for "Allow this blog to appear in search results” is turned on.

Check out more of my post: WRITING COMMISSION

[bokutosmochi]

SHE LOOKS JUST LIKE A DREAM (THE PRETTIEST GIRL I'VE EVER SEEN)

gojo satoru x gn!reader

what's it? fluff allergen warning/s? n/a sugar level? 0.5k regulars? @tokyometronetwork​ @tahonet​ @hanayanetwork​

bon appetit!

gojo satoru is the student who receives mountains upon mountains of chocolates, flowers, and handwritten letters amongst other things during valentine's day. he gets asked out left and right, and whenever there's a school event and classes are suspended, your classmates ask to take a photo with him because of how much they're crushing on him. from anonymous confessions, to loud declarations of love, it's all something he's experienced countless times. he knows how to respond to compliments, whether it be a polite thank you - which happens very rarely - or something more extravagant - more of his style - because it's the norm for him. when you've done something over and over again, it's only natural you'll get good at responding to it, right?

but despite how many people are lined up on gojo's doorstep, to be happy with even just a single night spent with him, to say "gojo could break my heart and i'd thank him!" he still chooses you. he remains loyal, sweet, and wholeheartedly devoted to you.

he spoils you, shows you his everlasting love for you, treat you well, hell he'd even share the chocolates he got with you no matter how appetizing it looks.

he never fails in making you feel worth it. given his popularity, especially with the girls, one would think that perhaps, there were going to be days you look down on yourself, think you aren't enough for him when there were plenty of other fish in the sea waiting for you to mess up so they can grab their chance to be with him, but it's not like that at all. that's because he always reminds you that you mean a whole lot to him. that he wouldn't be the best version of himself if you weren't by his side because you're the one who brings out the best in him in the first place, that he works on himself day in and day out because you deserve the best and that's exactly what he's going to give you. he'd be damned if he doesn't do otherwise.

god, and the way he reminds you that you're beautiful in your own way is heavenly. the best part is that it's not even over-the-top. it's really just the way he looks at you with glossy eyes, a far way look on them as if he's just seen an angel. when you tell him about it, he'd simply tell you that he did. it's cheesy as hell, but it's him so how could you ever complain?

he's so in love with you and everything that you are, everything that makes you, you. he accepts your flaws, knowing it is part of who you are as a person and if you're willing to work on those, he'd be there supporting you every step of the way, oh-so patient and nurturing and with a few teasing quips here and there because it wouldn't be gojo if there weren't any of those. he finds solace, peace in your presence even if the both of you are desperately cramming for an examination. he know it's gonna be okay because you're there and truthfully, he doesn't know what he'd do if he ever lost you.

it's a good thing he's the strongest because he doesn't plan on finding out.

i get: reblog

you get: a belt chain with a gojo satoru charm

[lostfirefly]

Life Must Have It's Mysteries (Ch.11)

Welcome to the final! This story may not have gone smoothly, but I'm still glad I took these two on a new journey. Thank you for the likes, comments, reblogs! This part again contains riddles that gave me a headache yesterday :) Sorry, there will still be a short chapter 12, which will be an epilogue to the whole story. It was created somewhere in the middle of Ch. 4. And I didn’t want to overload the current chapter.

English is not my native language, errors may occur. As always, feel free to share your thoughts :) Masterlist is here.

Description: Riddles on the wall! Will our heroes find what they are looking for? Let's find out! Let's go!

Warnings: Fun, fluff, arguing, adventure, inappropriate jokes, swearing (as always). Shitty shit again:)

Words: 3816

Taglist: @gingernut1314, @operationroots, @hey-august, @rorywritesjunk, @yujo-nishimura (I hope you still like it!)

The title is taken from “Life Must Have It's Mysteries” by Hans Zimmer (OST Inferno).

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Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10

✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

“What? Wasn't it supposed to be at Baroque Works?!”

“I don’t know.” Catherine jumped up from Buggy’s lap. “By all indications, it should have been. But maybe it was hidden? Or they were simply deceived by that recording. So that no one would find the treasure.” 

“So what should we do now?” Buggy stood up from the floor.

“Well, these are riddles.” She pointed at the wall. “This is a cryptex. We probably need to guess them, and just type the answers on this thing and that’s it. It's simple!”

“Simple? Are you fucking kidding me?” He rolled his eyes. “Have we ever had something simple? Are you sure you are not wrong?”

“Have I ever made a mistake?” Catherine spread her hands questioningly. 

Buggy crossed his arms. “Should I remind you of the hall where you screamed like a seagull, and we were almost crushed by the wall? Or a cage with those stupid checkers or whatever it was?”

“Hey! I pulled you out of the water while you were sinking like a fucking cruiser. Listen to me at least once in your life!” Catherine rolled her eyes.

“I listen to you all the time. I just... I just don't want you to get stuck in some cage again. The second time you may not be lucky.” 

“But Buggy, I’m sure we’re on the right path! We can't give up right now!” She clasped her hands. 

“Trust me baby, I want to find treasure just as much as you do.” He came closer to her. “But it’s one thing to look for gold somewhere on an island, and another thing among your fucking Egyptian things.” 

“Stop whining! You.. You told so many stories about treasure hunts. How you found the gold. And all I wanted is to share this spirit of adventure with you, idiot. How can you not understand this?” Catherine lowered her eyes to the floor and became sad.

Buggy changed his face when he heard the last line and put his hand on her head. “I told you that you got involved with an idiot. Fine. We can fight later, right? Just be careful, ok? I'm worried about you. Tell me what we will do, my Egyptian girl.”

“I will read the riddles, and you will spin the wheels on the cryptext so that you get the answer. If there are fewer letters than wheels, then look, turn them until this eye symbol is on the edges.” Catherine noticed the worry in his eyes. “Don't worry, you're doing great.” She kissed Buggy on the cheek and handed the cryptex into his hands.

Catherine stood against the wall and rubbed her hands. “Well, Egyptian gods, who will win? Are you ready, my love?”

“Yes.” Buggy plopped down on the ground.

"So.. Let's see. 

From chaos, he rose,  Two twins he composed.  Two beginnings in him flows, The two parts he controls.“

Catherine looked at Buggy, then at the wall, then back at him. She scratched her head and began to walk from side to side, muttering a riddle under her breath. 

“Two parts. Two parts. They always talk about two parts.” Catherine looked again at the slab with the riddle. She took a couple of steps away from her and bowed her head.

“Cotton candy?” Buggy watched her carefully.

“Quiet!” She waved her hand at him. “Two beginnings… Two beginnings. Oh! I know! It's Atum!”

“Are you sure?” He looked at her attentively.

“Yes!” Catherine scratched her nose. “Atum was considered the patron saint of Upper and Lower Egypt. And he also gave birth to twins from his mouth. And he combines the masculine and feminine principles. That’s why they always talk about the number two. Spin the rings, Buggy! Atum!”

“Ok!” Buggy shrugged and began to twist the letters in the right order. “Is something going to happen? I don’t know. Maybe mummies will crawl out of the walls. Be careful that some dead pharaoh doesn’t crawl out of the sarcophagus and drag you away with him.” He chuckled and continued spinning the rings.

“Aren’t you gonna protect me? I can't believe you'd just hand me over to the pharaoh so easily.” Catherine shook her head. “Does it work? The cryptex should probably click.”

“Nothing clicks in this fucking thing. Maybe it's broken?” Buggy was clearly starting to get angry and started shaking the cryptex.

“Wait, I'll take a look.” Catherine walked up to him, put her hand on his head and looked over his shoulder. “Atum is spelled with an A, Buggy. Not with an O.”

He blushed and changed the letters. They heard… nothing.

“So, what is next?” Buggy asked and looked around. “Nothing clicked. Nothing is moving. There is no treasure in sight. Are we sure we're doing everything right?”

“We must do it right.” Catherine gently tapped his head with her fingers. “Let's try again. You're great!” She ruffled his hair, watched as he blushed even more, and returned to the wall. “So. Who do we have next? Oh! Him! Let’s see. 

He grew from the body of the goddess of the fields, Defend two kingdoms and people with shields. The dawn that dispels the darkness, The flower that night closes.” 

Catherine walked away a little, crossed her arms and looked at the drawing. “The flower that night closes. Which flower closes at night?” She looked at Buggy.

“Are you serious?” He stared at her. “Do you think I know?” 

“Well, I don't know. Maybe before you steal another bouquet for me, you talk to the sellers and they suddenly told you interesting stories. A flower that closes at night. Rose? Peonies? No.” Catherine hit her nose with her finger. “Lotus! The lotus closes at night. Do you know what god was associated with the lotus?” She turned half a turn to Buggy and looked at his questioning gaze. “You don't know what god was associated with the lotus. This is Nefertum. Spin the rings.” Catherine ran up behind him. “Here… N.E... Yeah. U.M. You’re great, my love!” She couldn’t resist and kissed him on the head.

Buggy spun the rings and… they heard nothing. They both looked around again.

“Nothing.” Catherine whispered. “Something must happen. What the fuck? Some kind of nonsense.”

“Cathie-pie,” Buggy cleared his throat. “I may not be the smartest person in the world, but there are several riddles on the wall. Exactly as many as there are rings on this fucking cryptex. Maybe this makes some sense?”

“Wait! Shit!” Catherine grabbed her head. “Of course! Do you see? I told you that you are smart! We guess the gods, take the first letters of their names and, apparently, we should get some kind of word.” Catherine took out a notepad and pen and threw it into his hands. “Write down the letters. N and A.” She rubbed her hands. “I'm starting to like it. Oka-ay! The next one.

Flood is strong in this season, Water of darkness, ocean of chaos,  Gathered the council of gods, And support the solar boat.” 

Catherine clapped her hand and started jumping. “Oh! I know, I know! It’s Nun! Write down the letter N, my love. Do you remember I told you about Nun?” 

“Were you naked at that moment?” Buggy giggled. 

“What? No!” 

“Maybe you were half naked?” He tilted his head and smiled. 

“No! Why do I always have to be naked?” Catherine glanced at him questionably. 

“Because at such moments, I listen to you carefully.” Buggy chuckled. 

“Asshole! You never listen to me. And if you do… God, I’m even ashamed to say at what moments you listen to me.” She blushed. “What do we have?” 

Buggy shrugged, opened the notebook and made a note. “So, we have N, A and one more N. Not bad. Who’s next?”

“Let me check.” Catherine shook her butt. “This one! Listen! 

Mistress of two lands,  In Lower Egypt she stands. Life and power bringing, Stability, health, and joy giving.”

Catherine snapped her fingers. “Take a bite, Egyptian gods! Buggy, write the letter W. This is Wadjet! She was more protective of the power of the pharaoh.” Catherine threw her arms over her head in joy and started waving them.

“Ok, my dancing queen. Now we have N, N again, W and A. I like it!” He clicked his tongue. 

“You’re doing great!” Catherine glanced at him over the shoulder and winked. 

“Are you mocking me? What am I doing? I just sit and write down fucking letters.” 

“Do not say that! You're helping me a lot. Don't forget, you are responsible for the power, and now it's my turn to shine.” Catherine adjusted an imaginary crown on her head. “That's it, clown! Do not bother me! Listen!

She’s the sun’s daughter, Who taking all of her water. She’s mother of the stars, Lion-head of all rainfalls.” 

Catherine scratched her head. “The mother of stars. Lion-head of all rainfalls. Yes, the Egyptians were sometimes a little difficult with rhymes. Oh! I know! I know! Buggy, write down the letter T. It’s Tefnut. She was a lioness-headed goddess of the water.” 

Catherine ran up to Buggy and buried her face in the notebook. She ran her fingers over his notes for a long time.

“Oh my God, you write like a five-year-old kid!” Catherine tilted her head, then looked back at the wall and back at the sheets. “Wait! All these gods that you wrote down were somehow connected with water, and also somehow connected with Lower and Upper Egypt. The first pharaoh, whose palette I showed you, united these two parts of the country. It was believed that the homeland Wadjet was the Nile delta and was worshiped in Lower Egypt, Nefertum's lotus resembled the Nile delta. Tefnut is the goddess of water. Atum was the father of Tefnut and was worshiped by both parts of Egypt. Nun is the embodiment of the water element.” 

Catherine began to rush between the wall and the notepad. “I don't understand. I don't understand.” She sat down on the open sarcophagus and buried her head in her feet. “I don't understand.”

Buggy stood up and walked towards her. “Cathie-pie…” He put his hand on her head.

“I don't understand!” She muttered.

“Well, if you don’t understand, then no one will understand. Especially me.” Buggy began to stroke her back.

“I don't understand. Wait!” Catherine straightened her back. “It's wobbly!”

“What?” He glanced at her, removing his hand.

“The sarcophagus is shaking. See?” She jerked her hips several times while sitting on the edge.

“Do not do such movements, please.” Buggy swallowed.

“What movements?” Catherine looked at him blankly. “Oh, my God! Are you serious?! You're disgusting, clown!”

“What? I didn’t do it on purpose!” He reddened. 

“God, I just can't believe you're thinking about such things right now!” She blushed and jumped off the sarcophagus.

“But I.. But I..” 

“But I, but I.” She started imitating him. “I don’t even want to think about how you used to go on such trips. I can only hope that if you went with Cabaji, and he moved his hips wrong, you at least hired girls for… well, you know. Help me move this crap!”

“Do you realize what you are saying?” Buggy rested his hands against the wall of the sarcophagus. “First of all, it’s not my fault that you’re beautiful and sexy. Blame nature for making you this way!” 

“Oh, thank you! I immediately felt better.” Catherine narrowed her eyes. “You should be ashamed, Buggy! We are among the gods! Show some respect!” 

Catherine rested her hands on the wall of the sarcophagus and the two of them began to move it. “A little more. A little more. There!” She dusted off her palms. “See, pervert. You're strong! Scepter?! How did it end up under the sarcophagus?!”

“Don't know.” Buggy looked into it. “Maybe it fell?”

“Fell and rolled?” Catherine said mockingly. 

“What’s your idea? The spirit of the pharaoh came and stole the scepter?” Buggy whistled.

“I’m sure that as always, in a fit of anger, you grabbed it and threw it away and didn’t understand what you did.” Catherine waved a hand at Buggy. She grabbed the notepad and started looking at the letters. She felt him place his chin on her shoulder, reached out her hand and scratched his head. “I’m sorry, I didn't want to grumble.” 

“Yes, in our relationship, I should be the one to grumble.” Buggy said quietly. “What do we have?”

“Look!” Catherine pointed to the floor with a notepad. “There are letters under the sarcophagus. And there are many of them. There is a letter on each slab and they are repeated. See? There are three with T, there are five with E. Something is encrypted here. Letters.. Letters. Wait!” Catherine opened her notebook. “Try to collect Nun on the cryptex.”

“Are you sure?” Buggy turned it over in his hands, looking carefully. 

“No, but let's try.”

“Ok." Buggy shrugged and spun three rings. “So what? What's next? Nothing happens.”

“It'll probably be tickled when we find the right word. These things always click. Try Nut.” Catherine put her hand on his back.

He blushed, but spun the rings. Nothing.

“Wait. We have. N, N, T, E, A, W.” Catherine traced the letters with her fingers.” Nau… net. Try Naunet.”

“But we don’t have U. Or did I write someone down again?” Buggy said with a sad voice. 

“No, no!” Catherine softened her voice and stroked his head. “You did everything right. The goddess Wadjet was at one time written through U. Try it.” 

“But we didn’t figure out one letter. Are you sure this’s this Nau...whatever her name is.” He mumbled.

“Yes, I'm more than sure. She is the embodiment of the water element and the ocean. That's where the water comes from. And that’s why all the symbols here are related to water. Try!” Catherine started jumping with impatience.

Buggy shrugged and began to spin the rings. They both stared at the cryptex. One letter, two.

“...net..” They heard a click. “It worked!!” His eyes bulged. “It worked!”

Catherine, apparently not expecting success herself, stared at him.

“What's next, cotton candy?” Buggy asked.

Catherine was silent for a long time. She looked at the ceiling and at the scepter. “This fucking Amset is here for a reason. God, I'm starting to get tired of him.” She scratched her head. “Look! There's a symbol in the center. It's the eye of King Narmer. Wait, wait!” Catherine took out a notebook. “I remember something like that.” She began flipping through the pages. 

Catherine raised her head, looked at Buggy, broke into a wide smile and shoved the notebook into his hands.

“Cotton candy? Cotton candy! What are you doing?” Buggy watched her every step.

“Quiet!” Catherine stepped on one slab, looking at the ceiling. 

“The king's eyes peeking out through a hole, when you put the puzzle whole.” She stepped on another slab, and continued looking at the stars. “The goddess of water will open the way...” She stepped on another slab. “Stay on the road, don't go away.” Another slab. “The spear will help you find the trease.” Another slab. “Under the stars it found peace.” 

Catherine smiled widely. “It's here!”

“What did you do?” Buggy came closer to her, trying to figure out what just happened.

“I simply stepped on the letters that were close to the bright stars in the constellation Amset.” Catherine jumped on the slab a couple of times. “It's here!” She jumped again and the slab below her lowered. “Oh, shit!” She quickly jumped off and ran up to him.

They both slowly walked to the place where she had just stood and looked there.

“Look!” Catherine pointed with her finger. “We need to go down there.” There's some kind of round slab there. Well, my love! Now is your time to shine!” She giggled and patted him on the back. “We should probably spin that thing.”

“Well, shall we go then?” Buggy winked at her and quickly jumped down. “Come on, come to me.”

“Coming!” Catherine, groaning, swung her legs down and caught herself on the floor. “Fuck, I'm like a cow. Will you catch me?”

“I'm holding you!” Buggy put his hands on her waist and helped her down.

They quickly approached the round slab and examined it .

“So what now?” Buggy scratched his head. 

“Turn it!” Catherine showed a circle with her finger.

“Which way?”

“Wait!” She took out her notebook again. “Look. Do you see these hieroglyphs and drawings? These are their letters, and usually it was read in the direction in which the birds are looking. If they look to the left, then from left to right. And there are small numbers on the wall. Previously, these numbers were used to understand in what order to assemble the sarcophagus. And you see? Here are the gods that we deciphered, they look to the right, then to the left. Apparently, you need to spin it in the order in which the names appear. Look! Nefertum comes first. He was considered one of the main gods. He's looking to the right!”

“Ok.” Buggy rubbed his hands, rested them on the stone ring and began to twist. “Fucking heavy. Why are these things always heavy?”

Catherine came closer to him and put her hand on his back. “You’re doing great! You’re so strong!” She saw him blush.

Buggy twisted the ring, following it, until he heard a click.

“So! There is one!” Catherine glanced at the paper. “The next one was Atum. He is also looking to the right. Turn it to the right! Then we will have Wadjet. She is looking to the left. But if you need some rest..”

“No, I’m fine!” Buggy took the ring and twisted it first to the right until it clicked, then to the left. “I will demand compensation, cotton candy!” Out of breath, he rested his head on the stone. “This is some heavy shit!”

“I promise you, if we find something, you can do whatever you want with me.” Catherine laughed, but noticed the sparkle in his eyes and how he instantly perked up. “Oh, I shouldn’t have said that.” She blushed. “You’re unbelievable, clown! Spin the stone! Right, then to the left and to the left again.”

Buggy giggled, rubbed his hands, winked at her, and began to spin the stone, first to the right, then to the left, and again to the left. They heard a slight rumble and looked around. Catherine felt him grab her hand.

“So, it seems like nothing falls or closes, that’s already good.” She looked around. “It clicked! And look, the center of the stone went down!”

They slowly looked inside.

“Look! There are three serifs inside. Exactly the same as those on the scepter!” Catherine grabbed the scepter and took it apart into three parts. “Put this part here.” She pointed with her finger at the inscription on the stone. “This part there. And this one here." Catherine watched as Buggy put everything in place. And they heard the click again. "The center of the stone! Try to move it." 

Buggy shook his hands and, placing them on the stone, began to move it. "Fuck, it's so-o heavy!!”

“I think thinking about the upcoming sex gives you strength, pervert.” Catherine rolled her eyes. 

“Fuck you! I won't even deny it!” Buggy moved the stone a little more. “Cotton candy, look!” He patted her on the shoulder, and she stared at where he was pointing. “I promise you a great night tonight!” Buggy put both hands into the stone and pulled out a large, the eighty-eight cut shaped diamond. “It's heavy!” He smiled widely. “We did it!” He looked at Catherine's stunned face. “Cotton candy! Hello-o-o!” He snapped his fingers, holding the diamond tightly. 

“I can’t believe it!” Catherine whispered, grabbed her heart and plopped down on her buttocks. “All these gods and mysteries. You and me.”

“You and me.” He nodded, breaking into a smile. 

“Found it?” 

“Found.”  He nodded again and picked her up from the floor. “Honey, I know you're shocked by your first big find in your life, but I think we need to get out of here.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Catherine was still in slight shock as she took out her notebook. She froze for a second, her face creased into a smile and threw herself on his neck. “We found it! We really found it!! Fuck me! We did it!” She began to shake him from side to side, constantly squeling and kicking her legs.

“Yeah, baby!” He kissed the top of her head. “High five!”

She extended her palm and slapped him back. “I won’t just give you a high five today!”

“You dirty little girl, Cathie-pie. Ok! Let’s get out first! I’m afraid something might start falling on us again.” He looked around. 

“Yes, yes! Sorry!” She tried her best to calm down. “Ha. You won't believe it! There is direct access to the surface from here. This is apparently some kind of treasury for special artifacts. Most of the tombs were looted. But I read that Narmer hid a couple of expensive things that he supposedly received from the gods.”

“Are you saying that, theoretically, we have found some kind of gift from fucking God?” Buggy raised the diamond to his eye level and squinted. 

“Who knows! The main thing is that we found it!!” She grabbed her head. “Okay, I need to calm down.” She looked at the notebook again. “So... My love, we go to the left.”

⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭

Catherine rushed around Buggy, tried to do a cartwheel, but could barely lift her legs and plopped down in the middle. 

“Ouch! I’m not an acrobat!” She fell on her back and laughed loudly. “Can't believe it! I found my second treasure in life!” 

“Why is the second treasure?” Buggy put the bag with the diamond on the ground and stretched his back. “Maybe you forgot in joy, but the first time the cave collapsed, cotton candy!” 

Catherine looked at him with satisfaction and broke into a smile. “You're such a fool.” She jumped up from the ground and rushed at Buggy, hugging him with her arms and legs. Out of surprise, he fell to the ground. She found herself on top of him and felt he immediately put his hands under her buttocks.

“Because my first treasure is you. Love!” Smack. “Love!” Smack. “Love, love, love you!” Smack. Smack. Smack. She started kissing him. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” A tiny voice was heard above their heads. “Do you do this at all the pyramids? Don't you know how to restrain yourself anywhere?!” 

They both slowly looked up. 

Catherine narrowed her eyes and put her hand to her forehead to see the silhouette. “The deer guide!”

[whatacaitastrophe]

Everything Has Changed - Chapter 12

Previous Chapter

Chapter Song Inspiration: "Electric Touch" - Taylor Swift ft. Fall Out Boy

Chapter Warnings: More idiots talking about their feelings.

Spotify Playlist: Here

Author Notes: thank you all so much for reading, reblogging, liking, and commenting on this fic (and the first one)! if you are interested in supporting me in other ways, I have a Ko-Fi link <3

i also have a discord server! it was created to coincide with my twitch channel but you do NOT need to follow/subscribe/watch my twitch streams to come hang out with us <3 we talk a lot about bg3 and share memes and fics.

Chapter 12: Bring Me Back to Life

The tower was quiet when Fallon and Tara returned, and Fallon was immediately suspicious. The tower was large, and Fallon hadn’t been given the full tour yet, of course, but it felt odd to her that they were greeted with silence. “Is this place always this quiet, or did Gale and Astarion go somewhere?” She asked Tara as the tressym jumped down to the floor from Fallon’s shoulder and began to guide Fallon up the staircase and through the tower.

“It’s always rather quiet, I’m afraid– comes with the territory of the tower being as large as it is. Then again, Mr. Dekarios didn’t host many guests before he got picked up by the nautiloid, or even before he ended up with an explosive in his chest. He often went to the homes of colleagues for social calls and she preferred it when Mr. Dekarios went to her. As you know, everything was on her terms.”

Fallon nodded in understanding, her blood boiling only slightly at the mention of Mystra. She was not stupid enough to believe she could ever take on a goddess and win, but that didn’t keep Fallon from imagining how satisfying breaking Mystra’s nose would be. As they ascended the stairs in the tower, the quiet halls began becoming less so, and music began to fill her ears. Not just any music, either, some of her favorite tunes that Fallon often found herself humming idly. The smells of food being prepared hit her senses next, and Fallon smiled to herself as she slowly began to realize at least part of what was going on here. When she and Tara reached the fourth floor landing, Fallon automatically began walking towards the music and the smells coming from where she could only assume the kitchen was located. However, Tara quickly cut off her path, nearly causing Fallon to trip over the tressym as she stumbled to get out of the way.

“Apologies, miss Fallon, you’ll want to follow me this way if you would like to freshen up before dinner.” The tressym’s words were a suggestion, but her tone suggested otherwise, and Fallon took the hint: she should go put on that dress they just purchased. Tara led her towards a half-open door, and when she used her body to push it open, Fallon gasped. The music hadn’t been coming from the kitchen. It was coming from the bathroom, where a full, steaming tub piled with bubbles, a glass of wine (champagne from the look of the bubbles floating in the glass), and a path lined with black dahlia petals waited for her. Next to the glass of champagne, which sat on a small table next to the bath, there were two more folded pieces of parchment. 

Fallon looked at Tara in awe. “They planned…all of this?” 

While it wasn’t possible for the tressym to smile, exactly, the sentiment reached her eyes all the same as she nodded. “I’ve been instructed to tell you that when you’re ready, take the stairs to the next level of the tower and follow the path laid out for you. Enjoy your evening, miss Fallon.” With that, Tara exited the room and Fallon followed behind her only to close the door. She reached into her bag and pulled out the carefully wrapped package containing her dress and she opened it. The material glimmered as it cascaded to the floor, and Fallon grinned as she draped it over the wooden dressing divider in the room. Then she turned her attention back to the table with the champagne and the letters, scooping up the one from Astarion first, this time. 

“ Hello, Darling,

You’ve probably figured out by now that the sorcerer and I are up to something quite grand and romantic (if I do say so myself), but it is very important to me that you understand I expect nothing from you in return. Not your forgiveness, sex, or anything else I might stand to gain by orchestrating this plan with Gale. The idea may have come about because we’ve done things that require atonement, but you deserve every last piece of the gesture we planned for you, just because you’re you: the first person I’ve ever truly cared for aside from myself in two centuries. 

Even if this evening comes without expectation of receiving something in return, I do hope it reminds you of how much I love you, and how deeply sorry I am for hurting you. You are my sun, my moon, and my stars. You always have been, even before the day you agreed to give me your heart, and I regret any and every moment where I’ve ever made you feel like you’re less than that. 

Forever yours,

Astarion” 

Tears welled in the corners of Fallon’s eyes as she read Astarions love note, and Fallon folded the parchment again and brought it to her lips, marking the parchment with a gentle kiss before pressing it against her heart. There was something different about seeing how the vampire felt about her, written in ink. Hearing him say he loved her was nice, but writing it was so much more permanent. Writing it down puts it out in the world for anyone to find. Centuries from now, scholars could find this note in a pile of rubble, and even they would know how much Astarion loved her without having met either of them. Fallon set the note back on the table and stripped out of her clothes and settled into the bath they’d prepared for her before reaching for the note from Gale. Only, it wasn’t a note at all. It was a sonnet. 

“In realms of time where moments intertwine,

A love profound, transcendent and divine.

Our souls entwined, an ancient, sacred dance,

Across the ages, seeking sweet romance.

Through lifetimes woven, tapestries unfold,

In each existence, love's tale is retold.

A flame that flickers, undeterred by years,

Igniting hearts, dispelling all their fears.

With every breath, a whispered promise made,

In every life, our souls are not betrayed.

Through cycles endless, destinies align,

A love enduring, steadfast and benign.

In every heartbeat, echoes from the past,

Our souls entangled, destiny held fast.

Through lifetimes bound, in love, we shall remain,

Our souls converging, time and time again.”

Gale did not need to add any additional context by way of a note for Fallon to understand the poem’s meaning: He loved her, and he would always love her. Then, now, and in every lifetime to come. Though both men had made it very clear that they expected nothing in return for this incredibly romantic gesture they’d planned for Fallon, it did not change the fact that their words and actions made her fold like a house of cards. Fallon was as much under their spell as they were under hers, and she wanted nothing more than to run upstairs and kiss them both again and again until she could no longer breathe. 

Still, Fallon took her time. She enjoyed her relaxing bath as she read their love notes over and over again. She hummed along to the music playing from the phonograph as she got ready for dinner and slipped into her new dress. Tara told Fallon to “make them crawl,” and as she took in her own reflection in the mirror before exiting the room to go upstairs, it occurred to Fallon that they just might. There was truly only one word Fallon could use to describe it: 

Sinful. 

The glimmering black dress was form fitting. The off the shoulder, sweetheart neckline that left little to the imagination by way of covering her cleavage as it pressed her breasts together, and the mermaid skirt had slit so that cut so high on the right side that Fallon had to forego undergarments in order to make the dress work. The laces of the gold sandals she wore snaked all the way up her calves, wrapping them in delicate leaves of ivy as though she were a gift from nature herself. For once, her dark hair cascaded down her back in gentle waves, instead of piled back on the top of her head in its usual ponytail, shiny and soft from being freshly washed. 

The dress was probably more formal than the evening likely required, but it would be worth it to see the looks on Gale and Astarion’s faces when she entered the room. 

Fallon followed Tara’s instructions and took the stairs to the next floor, her mouth dropping open in awe as she realized the “path” the tressym told her to follow was also a path of black dahlia petals, like the ones in the bathroom, but there were more . Her path led her to the dining room, the smell of freshly cooked food wafting from within, and as she rounded the corner, Fallon stopped in her tracks. 

Astarion and Gale were sitting across from each other at the far end of the long table. Though it wasn’t the sight of the beautiful room or even the fact that they’d left the spot at the head of the table for her that made her stop. It was the two men waiting for her: both as well-dressed as she was, and Fallon’s heart rate doubled in her chest at how good they both looked. Well-dressed men were a weakness of Fallon’s, and when she added in the fact that it was Gale and Astarion dressed in their finest, it took all of her strength not to demand they skip dinner entirely and just take her on the table. 

Fallon was not the only person in the room that was awestruck. Upon her entrance, both Gale and Astarion stood and took her in, their eyes shamelessly roving over her body as they took in the dress she’d picked especially for them. 

While Gale looked at Fallon like he couldn’t believe she was real, whereas Astarion (with the way his eyes lingered on her exposed leg) looked at his lover like he too was considering skipping the meal laid out on the table before them in favor of another between Fallon’s legs. It was a smoldering look that sent a shot of arousal through Fallon‘s body, and she didn’t miss the smirk on Astarion’s face as he noticed the change in her scent from across the room. It officially didn’t matter how hard-to-get Fallon attempted to play this evening. Astarion already knew he and Gale had won. 

That didn’t mean Fallon couldn’t try to drag it out, though. 

Or try to. 

“I must say, when Astarion presented me with my attire for this evening, I was worried we’d be a mite overdressed. I see now that his guess that you would pick a dress as beautiful and decadent as the one this dress is apparently replacing, was entirely correct.” Gale complimented in awe. 

Astarion strode across the room to Fallon and took her hand, raising it to his lips to kiss the back of it softly. “You look incredible, darling,” He offered her his arm. “Will you allow me to escort you to your seat?”

Fallon nodded, grinning at her vampire as her sorcerer pulled out her chair for her. As she took her seat, Fallon observed the spread of food laid out before them. “Did the two of you cook all of this?” 

“Most of it–we, ah, may have had some help on the prep work from my mother. She did quite a bit earlier today before we arrived for the sake of time,” Gale admitted. “The dishes are a bit heavy, and very warm, so it might be easier to pass me your plate.”

While Fallon obviously knew by now that Gale and Astarion had gone to great lengths to make this evening happen, the fact that Gale even went as far as to ask Morena for help…they really were trying. Fallon offered Gale her plate. “A little bit of everything, please.” 

As Gale filled her plate, she turned her attention to Astarion. “You’re a good sport for sitting here while the two of us enjoy a meal that does nothing for you.” Not that she ever thought Astarion would skip out on an evening like this, but he was a good sport all the same. 

“It’s quite alright, darling, I’ll eat later,” He shot her a roguish wink that made her heart stutter in her chest. “How was your afternoon?” 

Fallon took her plate from Gale, thanking him before she picked up her fork and dug into the contents. From the look of it, Gale  had prepared the Quipper fish recipe he once mentioned to her, down to what Fallon could only assume was his mother’s hundur sauce recipe. “My afternoon was lovely, thanks to the two of you,” Fallon replied as she took a bite of food. She hummed with a soft noise of approval. “This is amazing, by the way, my compliments to the chef. You weren’t kidding about the sauce. It does indeed have a kick.” 

Gale beamed at her and finally began eating his own food, as though he was waiting to hear what Fallon thought before he even touched his own plate. “What did you think of the bookshop?” 

“It was great! Their selection was much bigger than I thought it would be, given the physical size of the shop. I’d hate to see their storeroom. Thank you for the books, I’m excited to read them. I’m excited to have time to read them. Astarion, I’ll share them with you if you promise not to hog them all.” Fallon teased, sticking her tongue out at the vampire. 

“Lucky for you, romance novels aren’t my cup of tea, so they’re all yours. Unless, of course, you feel like reading them aloud.” His tone was suggestive, and Fallon felt her face flush. 

“Maybe if you ask nicely.” Fallon proposed, and Astarion only smirked at her in return.

Conversation flowed easily between the three of them through the rest of the meal as Astarion and Gale recounted to Fallon how exactly they’d managed to pull the entire evening off in three days, without even being in the city. Though Gale and Astarion had done much of the planning, and all of the ideas were theirs, nearly all of the prep work was done by Morena and Tara. She was going to have to buy Mrs. Dekarios flowers, at the least, for all of her help in making this happen, though probably not black dahlias, because she got the sense that nearly every black dahlia in Waterdeep had contributed their petals to the paths she had followed to arrive at this table Tara, on the other hand, was a conundrum. What did someone buy for a tressym as a gift, she wondered? Catnip? Mice? Fallon would have to ask Gale. 

When there was a natural break in conversation after her third glass of champagne, Fallon decided it was time to bring up the subject at hand. She wasn’t drunk, not even close, but the champagne provided her with just the right amount of liquid courage she needed. 

“I suppose we should talk about everything, shouldn’t we?” She started, and the energy of the room immediately shifted. Not in a bad way, just becoming somewhat heavier, now that the time for small talk was over.

“Ladies first.” Astarion gestured to Fallon with a hopeful look in his eyes. It made sense that beyond being chivalrous, Astarion and Gale would want her to speak first, because they’ve been waiting for her verdict on the situation for almost four whole days at this point. 

“Obviously I’ve had a lot of time to think over the last couple of days, and the first thing that I want you both to know is that I’ve forgiven you, and that I was ready to forgive you well before I knew about your plans for this evening. Though I must thank you, again, for the lovely day and so far lovely evening you’ve given me. It feels very nice to know how loved I am,” She smiled warmly at Astarion and Gale, and she watched as relief visibly washed over their faces. “The second thing I’d like to discuss is what I told Astarion earlier this week. I wasn’t lying when I said I’ve thought about…this. Us. The three of us.  It’s still something I want, and would be interested in exploring. But there are…I hate using the term ‘conditions’ because that isn’t what they are, but I’m not really sure what other term to use. Stipulations, maybe.”

“I’m sure we’ll be able to make sense of it, dearest, and if we can’t, we’ll be sure to ask questions.” Gale promised her, and Astarion nodded. 

Fallon chewed on her lip as she pondered the best way to say what she needed to say, because even though she knew what she wanted and where her heart was, parts of what she needed to say weren’t going to be easy. “As far as the…dynamics? Of what the three of us in a polyamourous relationship would look like, I want to be able to spend time with the both of you, together and alone. I’d like to be able to be affectionate with you both, without anyone getting territorial or jealous. I also want the two of you to feel comfortable spending time together without me, to get to know each other in this new way better, without worrying about how it will make me feel. I am telling you that I am okay with it. In fact, if this is to work, I’m going to have to insist on it. Given the events that led to this conversation to begin with, I’m going to assume that is also something the two of you want?”

Fallon looked back and forth between Gale and Astarion, waiting for either of them to deny her assumptions. They only exchanged meaningful looks with each other before both looking at her and nodding silently. “Excellent, then we’re all on the same page in that regard. What I need to say next, I’m going to say to the both of you, because I don’t want there to be any secrets between the three of us. I want for us all to be in the loop, so we can confide in each other as we see fit,”

Fallon took a deep breath as she prepared herself to say the hard part of what she needed to say, and silently threw a prayer up to the gods that it wouldn’t ruin everything as she turned her attention to Gale. “I care for you, deeply, and I want to be with you again, and I would like for the three of us to experience things together, sexually. That being said, most of the things that will occur between you and I when Astarion is with us, will not extend to when we’re alone. Not right now,” 

She paused as she searched Gale’s face for any signs of disappointment or anger or regret, but instead she was met with a look of sad understanding. Fallon’s heart rate picked up, and she averted her gaze from Gale’s to stare at her plate instead. “Caring for you like I did before, trusting you with the final piece of my heart that allows me to feel safe being physically intimate with you, just the two of us…it fucking terrifies me, Gale, and I’m– I’m just not there yet. I’m not saying I won’t ever be, because I think I will eventually. Just not yet,” She could feel her throat constrict and tears welled in her eyes as her body and mind prepared to be emotionally naked in front of Gale, and to be rejected for it. After all, if she expected the worst, it would probably hurt less. 

“If knowing there are limitations, that our physical relationship will be different than mine and Astarion’s, or the one I imagine you will grow to have with Astarion, is a deal-breaker for you–” The words were barely out of Fallon’s mouth before the tears in her eyes slid down her cheeks and onto her empty plate, and she heard the sound of a chair scraping against the hardwood floor, and the man who’d been sitting in it was dropping to his knees at Fallon’s side. 

Gale reached forward and gently took Fallon’s chin in his hand with his fingers and turned her head so she was looking at him. He looked devastated. “Hearing that you think these boundaries would cause me to not want to be with you at all breaks my heart, because I know it is from how little  you still think of yourself, and I know that a lot, if not all, of the blame for you still feeling this way could, and perhaps rightly should, be placed on me and how I mistreated you,” Another tear slid down Fallon’s cheek, and Gale gently wiped it away with his thumb. “Please hear me– I am literally on my knees begging you to hear me, Fallon– when I tell you that could tell me that you never wished to have sex with me again and it would not change the fact that I want to be with you, in any way you decide to grace me with. I truly mean it. That I am being granted even a fraction of your heart and body, after everything we’ve been through, that I have put you through, is not a gift I take for granted, or fail to cherish. Do you understand me?” 

Fallon stared at Gale in silence for a moment as she searched his eyes for any deceit or ulterior motives, but there was none to be found. Fallon took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay,” She exhaled and cupped Gale’s face in her hands. “Okay.” 

Gale breathed a sigh of relief and turned his face inward in her hands, closed his eyes and kissed the palm of her hand tenderly. When he looked at Fallon again, he took her hands in his, tenderly kissing her knuckles as he moved to get off the floor. The whole time she spoke to Gale, Fallon had not forgotten that Astarion was still in the room, and the way he handled the moment that just occurred made Fallon love him even more. Staying silent while Gale and Fallon talked was the most supportive thing Astarion could have done in that moment, and that he already knew that fact was what made Fallon certain this arrangement was going to work. 

Fallon rewarded Astarion’s patience by rising from her chair and taking the three required steps to enter his space and before she could say anything, Astarion was already on his feet and closing the gap between them, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “I’m so sorry, my love, I’m so sorry.” He apologized into her hair as he kissed her temple. Fallon shook her head. “You already know you’re forgiven.” She muttered against his neck, shaking her head. Fallon pulled back just far enough to look up at Astarion, only waiting a brief moment before capturing his lips with hers and kissing him deeply. Gods, she’d missed this. She’d missed him . She needed him. Hells, she needed them both. Fallon released herself from their kiss, but not Astarion’s arms as she extended one arm outward to Gale beckoning him over to join their hug wordlessly. 

Gale did not hesitate, and Astarion took it upon himself to open his arms to let the sorcerer in, wrapping his arms around both Gale and Fallon as the three of them held each other. “This is going to work.” Fallon smiled as she angled her head to look at both Astarion and Gale, and the two of them nodded, smiling back at her as the tension dissolved from the room. Astarion let go of Fallon and Gale, taking a few steps back, interlacing his fingers with Fallon’s. When he opened his mouth, a new kind of tension sizzled in the air as he looked between Fallon and Gale: the kind left arousal pooling between Fallon’s thighs. “I know you said all was forgiven, darling, but we’re not quite done atoning. There is…one more thing that we had planned, just in case everything else went smoothly.” Astarion’s eyes had gone dark with desire as they scanned her body once more, undressing her with his eyes. 

Gale took her other hand, and he and Astarion began walking backwards out of the dining room as they guided Fallon through the tower. “While I can assure you that we didn’t expect anything, you can’t blame us for hoping. I mean…look at you. We’d be fools not to hope.” A charming grin spread on his face, and it was one Fallon had seen many times just before Gale seduced her within an inch of her life. When they stopped outside of another closed door, Fallon’s heart did a backflip as she imagined what was on the other side. She looked from Gale to Astarion, the expressions on their faces mirrored each other. They were going to absolutely ruin her, and Fallon decided right then and there that if this was how she died, then it would be a hell of a way to go. A devilish grin of her own bloomed on Fallon’s face. 

“Lead on, gentlemen.” She crooned, nodding her head towards the door, and it took all of her strength to not look too overeager at the thought of what awaited her on the other side.  

Chapter List

[tanjir0se]

you mentioned a fic in one of your reblogs!! an entertainment district au with giyuu and shinobu,

and i wanna read it so so so bad- could you lmk the name and where to find it?

Hello!!! Thank you for your interest! _(:3 」∠)_

I actually never published the fic! I think it’s my first KNY fic ever, it was kind of me coping with not knowing what happened to the kids after s3ep11 Never Give Up so honestly I kinda dropped it like it was hot once that season ended!

It was part of a larger speculative fic where I basically just made up a backstory for Giyuu (I didn’t know anything yet). In it, as a child he had a brother and sister growing up, Goichi (older) and Kanoko (younger), who were killed by a demon when they were 13 and 5 respectively. Throughout the fic he’s been receiving letters from Tanjiro thanking him for his support and has struggled to find a way to respond.

(If you’d like I can post another installment later on, but I didn’t want to make the post too too long lol)

Here is the scene where he discovers the boys in the ruins of the Entertainment District!

✨✨✨

“Tomioka? Are you in there?” Shinobu’s voice, uncharacteristically serious. Giyu bolted upright and attempted to shove his unruly sleep-worn hair back into its ponytail at his neck.

“Yes.” He said. She didn’t hesitate in sliding the door open and taking a step inside. As soon as he saw her, his heart leapt into his throat.

Her hair was down, though she was in the midst of tying it up into a hurried and messy version of her usual butterfly-framed bun. Under one of her arms she was cradling her wooden elixir kit, and her sword belt was hanging loosely on her hips, as if she’d thrown it on in a hurry. “I’m going to Yoshiwara with the Kakushi.” She said.

He waited, not breathing, remembering Tanjiro’s letter. Undercover in an Oiran house…Yoshiwara. Giyu grabbed his sword and held it with a white-knuckled grip, never taking his eyes off Shinobu.

“Uzui and Tanjiro.” She continued, confirming his worst nightmare. “All four of them…”

Giyu felt his head spin and wished he could sit down. It was as if the floor had dropped out from beneath him and he was in free fall. Throat clenched, he stared at her with his mouth open, trying to spit out the only question he could even think to ask. “Are they—?” His mind conjured horrific images that continued to stun and disorient him. Tanjiro’s sun-bright light snuffed out and smoking.

He stared at her for so long that his eyes began to water. Stunned and terrified into silence, the instant between his ask and her answer felt like years.

“I don’t know.” She admitted. “The city has been destroyed. The four of them are still missing.”

Missing. Giyu repeated the word in his mind and tried to find his feet beneath him. Better than dead, he supposed. Stiffly, he nodded and placed his sword into his belt, then turned toward the door where Shinobu had already turned back, heading out of the mansion. At the last moment he turned back, seized both of Tanjiro’s letters as well as his unsent reply, folded them into his pocket, then followed Shinobu’s lead toward the battleground.

She brought him up to speed on their journey to Yoshiwara, the both of them sprinting faster than seemed possible. The demon presiding in the city was a twelve Kizuki, or rather two. Two in one? It didn’t matter, and Giyu barely listened to the specifics. He still hadn’t been able to get the image of Tanjiro’s corpse out of his mind. He even found himself praying the nightmarish visions would remain just that: merely a nightmare.

She’d learned of the situation from Uzui’s crow, sent by one of his wives. It had detailed as much of the battle as the sender and the crow itself knew: upper level demon, poisoned blood art, massive explosion. Missing. That word again, squeezing Giyu’s chest with every heartbeat. Missing. Missing. Missing.

Though he didn’t share Urokodaki’s nose, Giyu could smell the smoke thick in the air as they approached. Dawn was breaking, but the closer they got to the town the darker the sky became until the new morning sun was choked completely out by thick red smoke. Embers still danced in the air and fire crackled and nipped at what few structures remained. Shinobu and Giyu slowed to a stop.

Kakushi and citizens alike were shouting and running and trying to sort through the rubble for survivors—and bodies. A trio of women at what was left of the city’s gate were apparently leading the effort, though they were all clearly injured themselves. One of the least injured, a woman in purple, limped to greet them, leaning heavily on a broken piece of wood as a crutch.

“Lady Kocho.” She said tightly. Her voice was hoarse and pained. “Master Tomioka. Thank you for coming so quickly.” Giyu moved beside her and helped her stand.

“Hinatsuru,” Shinibu breathed. “Tell me what happened.”

“M-most all of the citizens were already evacuated. Lord Tengen and Tanjiro beheaded the poison demon. They were too fast to see, but Zenitsu must’ve beheaded the belt demon too. The demons’ dying attack was an explosion of poisoned blood. The buildings collapsed, we couldn’t find them in the rubble.”

Giyu helped her to the ground, as she was clearly losing the stamina to continue standing. Shinobu opened her tincture box and began mixing substances. “Who all has been poisoned?”

“Makio and I were hit by one of the poisoned slashes during the blast.” She nodded at a woman in red lying on the dirty ground, her head being supported by a woman in blue. “Lord Tengen and Inosuke, the boar-headed child, definitely, though Inosuke seems to either be immune or highly resistant. It’s very likely that Zenitsu has been poisoned as well. And T-Tanjiro—”

Giyu leaned forward in frightened, aching, horrified anticipation. The tears at the edges of the Hinatsuru’s eyes were not a good sign. “Lady Shinobu. Tanjiro was gravely injured before the blast even came. Stabbed through the throat by the poisoned blade. He and Lord Tengen were very close to the blast, and Tanjiro couldn’t even move before it went off. Of course I have hope, but—”

Her voice, thick and pained, cut off. Shinobu was already drawing a pink liquid up into a syringe and flicking the air bubbles to the top. Giyu looked up at her helplessly and continued to watch her even as he spoke to Hinatsuru.

“Where did you last see them?” he asked quickly.

“The town plaza, near where the trolley station used to be.” Shinobu poured off several vials of her new antidote and handed them to Giyu with a small syringe kit. The action was wordless but Giyu understood and gently allowed Shinobu to take over his place holding Hinatsuru up. He stood and clutched the antidote vials tightly in his fist, looking toward the area where the smoke was the thickest. Without a word, he leapt onto the rooftops and sprinted into the fire.

The smoke became thicker and thicker until Giyu couldn’t see far enough ahead of him to continue at such a speed, but a broken down and burnt out trolley car signaled that he was getting close. He slowed to a jog and searched, heart pounding in his throat. Without Urokodaki’s sense of smell or Uzui’s keen hearing, he could rely only on instinct to locate the four missing slayers.

The air around him was scorching, so hot on his face and hands he would’ve thought his own haori was aflame too. Still, he managed to cup a hand around his mouth and call out into the hell around him.

“Tanjiro!” He yelled it at the top of his voice, but the call still felt pitifully small against the walls of flame and ash and broken buildings. “Uzui!” His voice faded into the crackling fire around him. The silence was oppressive. His eyes burned from the smoke and the heat. Giyu glanced down at what once was the street below his feet and swallowed when he noted that he was leaving bloody footprints in the ash, having walked through several large pools of it.

“Tanjiro!” he screamed again. This time, he got a reply, though not from the person he was calling.

“Put me down!” someone was saying. He knew the voice, even weak and choked in pain. “You’re worse off than me, dammit!” The protests were interrupted and contradicted by a string of wet and painful-sounding coughs. “And you’re not even asleep!” Giyu stopped and turned toward the sound.

“Inosuke?” he called. The boar didn’t respond, but a strange yellow shape was materializing out of the smoke. Giyu almost gasped at what he saw.

Zenitsu, the yellow boy who always seemed to be shaking in fear, was staggering beneath the boar’s weight on his shoulders, carrying the injured boy from the fire and the rubble. Blood dripped from the end of his haori-turned-kimono and smeared his legs, which nearly buckled with every step as he picked his way over rubble and embers. Blood covered his shoulders and arms and matted down his hair, though none of that was his.

Knowing what he knew of Inosuke, which, granted, was very little, Giyu figured he must be gravely injured to allow himself to be carried, even if he was protesting the whole way. His boar mask was still on, though his head was hanging limply against Zenitsu’s back. Blood poured from the half-open maw of the boar’s face, ran in rivers down Inosuke’s pale arm and dripped off of his limp fingers.

Giyu jogged toward them, prompting Zenitsu to look up from his focus on his own feet. The moment the kid’s bright honey-brown eyes hit him, they filled with tears.

“Master Tomioka!” He cried in relief. “Thank god you’re here!” He finally allowed his legs to buckle, but Giyu caught them both before they could hit the ground. Zenitsu bowed his head and allowed Giyu to pull Inosuke off of him. Inosuke coughed and he could feel the boy’s eyes on him behind the boar mask.

“Not this guy again.” he complained weakly, voice marred by the blood in his throat.

Giyu ignored the jibe and pulled out two antidote vials. “Were either of you poisoned?” Zenitsu’s hands shook as he held them in front of him anxiously, eyes flicking fast between Giyu and his injured friend.

“I’m okay!” he practically shouted. “But Inosuke got stabbed through the chest with the poison blade.”

“I’m the lord of the mountains.” Inosuke insisted, his voice fired and tight. “A little poison won’t stop me!”

“Maybe.” Giyu conceded evenly. “But a stab wound to the chest might.”

Inosuke scoffed, though the sentiment was lost in the rush of blood that followed it. Zenitsu whimpered beside him but did not shy away, instead removing the belt from his makeshift kimono and practically shoving it into Giyu’s hands.

“Here! Use this!” By the time he said it, Giyu was already pressing it tightly into Inosuke’s wound with one hand and drawing up the antidote with the other. Even if he was immune to the poison, better safe than sorry.

“Don’t worry about us.” Inosuke’s voice was uncharacteristically serious as he raised a hand to press the fabric into the wound himself. “Tanjiro was much closer to the boom. You help him.”

Giyu couldn’t help stop the surprised and frightened look that he could feel on his face. “Where is he?”

“Close. I can feel it.” That wasn’t really much help. Zenitsu gripped Inosuke’s arm tightly for a moment, his round eyes conflicted and frightened. They seemed to have some kind of silent communication, because after a moment, Inosuke nodded tightly and Zenitsu turned those eyes to Giyu.

“I can help you find them.” He said. “I’ll be able to hear them under the rubble.” Giyu didn’t miss the reluctant way his hand lingered in Inosuke’s arm before he stood, wavering on his bloodied and bare feet. He nodded at him and followed as the kid closed his eyes and cocked his head to the side, listening silently.

Wordlessly, Zenitsu took off walking, eyes still closed, and Giyu followed. The air still burned around them and somehow there was even more blood on the ground than a few blocks over. Even Giyu could smell it in the air, wincing each time Zenitsu walked over a pool of it, swallowing the acid in the back of his throat at the smell of it wafting in the superheated air. Again, he pictured Tanjiro bleeding, broken, and worst of all still. And what of Nezuko? Could that box of hers survive such a raging fire? Broken wood and twisted metal was everywhere. It was very easy to imagine her being torn to shreds by the flames and poison. If he looked down the wrong alley would he find bits and pieces of her scattered everywhere?

A pink ribbon in a pool of blood. His tiny, pale, yellow-ribboned sister drowning in red.

So lost in thought, Giyu almost didn’t realize when Zenitsu suddenly spoke. “Heartbeats!” He said abruptly. He turned his head to the side, positioned his body aligned toward a nearly pile of debris. “Two heartbeats. One is slow. The other is quiet.”

Zenitsu began running and Giyu followed. “No, there’s three. One is wrong. Not human—“ he gasped “That’s Nezuko! They’re here!” He opened his eyes again and stopped in his tracks. They were standing in front of the ruins of what once was a large building of individual apartments.

Giyu’s own heartbeat felt loud and frantic in his ear as he fell to his knees and began to dig. Zenitsu followed suit. They both tore into the pile, throwing beams and metal and debris over their shoulder, slicing their palms open on broken glass and ignoring the pain. The deeper they dug the louder Zenitsu’s ragged and frightened breathing became, as if echoing the rise in volume of the heartbeats they were digging towards.

Giyu paused only slightly to wipe his bloody hands onto his uniform, and in the brief moment that he wasn’t digging, the wooden slab below him suddenly twitched on its own. Giyu paused, and Zenitsu stopped to watch as well.

The slab suddenly went flying. If Giyu hadn’t moved out of the way it would have hit him square in the head and probably knocked him off his feet, and indeed it did just barely catch the end of his ponytail, slicing it cleanly short. In the small space left opened by the wooden slab being pushed away, Giyu and Zenitsu both gasped when they saw who—or rather what—was responsible for pushing it.

A pale, pink-clawed and blood-stained hand reached up at them from the darkness. Writhing, clawing, it scraped and scrabbled around on the debris around it until one of them remembered how to speak.

“Nezuko!” Zenitsu shouted. He leapt forward and grabbed her hand tightly in both of his. While he held onto her hand, Giyu set his jaw and peered into the space it had come from, reaching in and ripping out debris with abandon until a pair of glowing pink eyes could be seen peering back up at him from below.

“Nezuko,” he called down to her and was surprised at how tight and desperate his voice sounded, but didn’t care. “Can you help us get Uzui and Tanjiro out?”

He saw her nod—those bright magenta eyes bobbing up and down—and heard her soft grunt of agreement. With her pushing from below and the two of them ripping debris off the top, within a few moments they were able to unearth enough of the bottom layer to finally get a view of Uzui and Tanjiro. Once they were close enough, Nezuko climbed through the passage of debris, aided by Zenitsu’s grip on her arm, and climbed up to join them as they laid eyes on the missing slayers.

At first, all they could see was Uzui; it appeared the Hashira had used his body to shield Tanjiro from the falling debris. Uzui was so soaked in blood that his blue-white hair had turned the same color as Tanjiro’s. Any flesh that wasn’t bloody had purpled and rotted, surely a side effect of the poison coursing through his system. He turned his head slightly to the side, and Giyu could have cried in relief to see Uzui’s bright purple eyes slide tiredly upwards and land on them.

“Uzui!” He shouted, because there wasn’t much else he could say. “Can you move?”

Uzui turned his head away from them and looked down. It was only then that Giyu even noticed that Tanjiro was lying beneath him. He couldn’t see much of him other than a limp hand—had he always been this small?—a slack mouth, flowing with blood and purpling into the hollow of his throat, and a pair of half-open red eyes, gazing into nothing. Beside him, even distracted by trying to ensure the smoke around them was thick enough to shield Nezuko from the rising sun, Zenitsu gasped in horror.

“Kamado.” Giyu heard Uzui murmur. “It’s time to go. Our rescue party is here. Flashy entrance, no less.” His voice sounded as if every word was a battle to push out of his throat. Tanjiro didn’t respond, and Uzui turned his head back upwards, toward Giyu and the others.

“Yes.” He said. Giyu watched with a tight throat as Uzui wrapped his left arm around Tanjiro’s waist and reached up with his right to pull them both upwards. Giyu reached down to grab Uzui’s hand but Uzui grunted and practically threw Tanjiro forward so they could pull him out first. Giyu’s hand found purchase on the back of Tanjiro’s haori. Zenitsu’s made it onto the top of Tanjiro’s arm, and Nezuko’s hand found its way to her brother’s wrist. The three of them managed to pull Tanjiro from the rubble.

Giyu passed Tanjiro to Zenitsu and Nezuko, deliberately keeping his eyes focused on Uzui rather than the broken and bloody body that now lay sprawled across their laps. He reached into the hole again and locked his hand into Uzui’s, a task made considerably more difficult by the hot blood all over Uzui’s hand. He pulled with everything he had, lifting Uzui with him, and Uzui threw his other arm across the debris to help leverage himself out of the hole. All three of them gasped to see that his arm stopped abruptly and grotesquely at the wrist, his hand having been severed clearly through. Once Uzui was safely out of the rubble, everyone turned their attention back to Tanjiro.

If it weren’t for the frankly frightening rattle of his breaths in the back of his throat, Giyu would have thought Tanjiro was already dead. His once golden skin was sickly pale, his haori and uniform and hair and skin was soaked through with blood, more blood than felt possible. Zenitsu held tightly onto his friend, tears beading up and rolling from his eyes. Nezuko gripped her brother’s hand. Without her muzzle, her tightly clenched teeth and horrified wince was as plain on her face as daylight.

Giyu stared in shock. He saw Goichi, covered in blood, ocean eyes looking up to nothing. He had thought Inosuke’s wound was horrific. Tanjiro’s chin had been skewered straight through into his mouth like a fishhook. Blood ran both from his mouth and his throat and pooled on Zenitsu’s lap. There was a deep laceration in his left shoulder, so deep that Giyu was almost surprised Tanjiro’s left arm was still attached to his body. He could see exposed ribs through the margins of the wound. Somehow, it had stopped bleeding. Whether that was Tanjiro’s doing or the edges had simply managed to clot already was anyone’s guess.

“Tanjiro…” Zenitsu whispered brokenly. Giyu felt himself shaking but kept his jaw clenched tight. There was nothing they could do to stop the bleeding; most all of it came from inside his mouth. Knowing Tanjiro, he’d probably pushed himself too far in a rage and torn himself apart. There was little to be done about that. But from his ripped-out throat, purple toxin was beginning to spread, and if nothing else, they could fix that.

He wordlessly pulled the vial set from his breast pocket and retrieved two more syringes with antidote. They clinked together quietly, his hands shaking. He tried to offer one to Uzui, whose ragged breathing over his shoulder was becoming increasingly labored, but he pushed his hand away and nodded toward Tanjiro.

“I’m fine. The boy first.” He insisted. Giyu simply nodded.

He was so focused on Tanjiro that he barely heard the Kakushi shouting from the distance, drawing nearer to their location. Giyu tried to keep his eyes on the vein he was injecting the antidote into, but found them wandering to Tanjiro’s face, slack and sallow. They looked nothing alike but all Giyu could see was his own brother, surrounded by red. He felt the blood weighing down his haori and cooling on his skin. Ocean blue eyes staring up through blood.

Last time he’d lost a brother there was nothing Giyu could have done. He’d been frozen and silent. He would not be helpless again.

Tanjiro grunted slightly and closed his eyes as Giyu finished injecting the antidote. He could have sworn he saw the boy’s hand grip his sister’s a little tighter. As he was turning his attention to Uzui, the Kakushi’s voices became louder.

“There! I see them!”

“Quick, bring the stretchers!”

“Please, don’t try to walk by yourself!”

The last statement was closer than the others and prompted Zenitsu to turn, then gasp.

“The god of the mountain doesn’t need help walking!” Inosuke was jogging toward them (leaving a trail of blood behind him), though now with his boar head under his arm rather than on his head. His chest and back were wrapped with a combination of bandages and Zenitsu’s belt. Ignoring the Kakushi’s protests, he stumbled over the rubble and came to stop beside Zenitsu and Nezuko, and knelt down.

“Tanjiro.” He breathed, putting his hand on Tanjiro’s forehead gently, almost as if bestowing a blessing on his friend. Giyu finished injecting Uzui with the antidote, then stood.

The Kakushi reached them and began to separate them; with Zenitsu’s help they moved Tanjiro to a stretcher, and though it took a little convincing from both Zenitsu and Uzui, Inosuke allowed the Kakushi to lift him onto a stretcher as well. Giyu watched Uzui rise to his feet, wavering a little, then hold out his hand for Zenitsu.

“Can you walk?” He asked. Giyu was surprised at the very real tenderness in Uzui’s voice, the patience in his eye while he waited for Zenitsu to respond. Zenitsu set his jaw and grabbed Uzui’s hand, using all the rest of his strength—and Nezuko’s help—to pull himself up. He whimpered lowly in the back of his throat and tears stung at his eyes, but he managed to get to his feet.

“Good job.” Uzui helped him down from the rubble pile and let the Kakushi take him from there. Once the three of them were taken care of, Uzui exhaled, then wavered, then fell to one knee. Giyu heard him grunt in pain, and jogged down from the pile to help him, but once he got closer to him he knew there wouldn’t be anything he could do. With the horrifying state of Tanjiro and the other Kanoe, it was easy to overlook how grave Uzui’s injuries were.

Giyu waved the Kakushi over and knelt down beside Uzui. From the look of things, he’d been prepared to give anything to protect the boys and Nezuko. He’d already given a hand, and nearly his life. Giyu examined the pained expression on his face, then helped him onto the stretcher.

“Thank you, Uzui.” He blurted as the Kakushi lifted him and made for the city’s gates. Uzui nodded just before he let his head fall limply onto the stretcher.

Giyu was left with Nezuko as the sounds of the Kakushi faded away. He stared at the trail of blood they’d left and suddenly, even in the oppressive, dry heat of the air, he felt cold. He suddenly remembered letters in his breast pocket. They felt heavy.

It didn’t feel real. How could everything have gone so wrong? The kids were all still breathing, but even that wasn’t a guarantee that things would stay that way. Somehow the worried ache in his chest had only worsened to the point that he felt he could hardly move.

He could feel Nezuko’s eyes on him. He needed to move. He needed to lead them out of there. At the very least he should say something. His vision had turned red, his heart was in his ears, and the world seemed to have come to a dead halt.

Then, a hand in his.

His lips parted and brow raised as he turned to see that Nezuko had claimed his hand in hers, no longer looking at him but straight ahead. Her jaw was set tight and her eyes shining, she was silent but gripped his hand tightly and resolutely, like they were old friends. He thought of the way Tanjiro had signed off his letters.

Nezuko says hi! Your friend, Tanjiro Kamado.

Giyu couldn’t seem to tear his eyes off of her, and stood there staring for so long that Nezuko finally turned to meet his gaze, probably wondering why they weren’t moving. Her expression only made it more difficult to find his feet beneath him. Tenderness, maybe. Recognition, as if seeing through him and into someone else. Trust, definitely. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at him like that.

Reaching out for Kanoko but being torn away before he could get to her. Her screaming his name, calling for help. Her tiny hand and yellow bows soaked in blood.

Giyu set his jaw and in a motion almost too small to see, tightened his grip on Nezuko’s hand just a little. “Let’s go.” He murmured, and led her back through the flames.