#and then immediately cutting to them standing next to each other with a claude in between them

[ratatatastic]

gustav...

[the-letter-horror-lover]

grinned back, attaching myself to him, "Let's do this."

Chapter 27: This time baby, I'll be…bullet proof

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

We mingled into the crowd, stalking people who looked like they were hiding something. As always, I clung to the dominants, running my hands along their bodies and stealing anything (and pretty much near everything) they had in their pockets. Luckily, most were too drunk or too high to notice. However, to make sure that I didn't go to the same dominant twice, I would nick their jaws or cheeks with the switchblade, to mark them. Just like now…The dominant flinched as I marked him. I frowned, releasing him and attaching myself to Undertaker (as always, he provided the same excuse for the marks).

"You flinched. Now she doesn't like you." He replied to the dominant's hiss of pain. I made a shallow cut on Undertaker's cheek, licking the blood that welled up.

"Freak." The dominant glared, walking away.

Undertaker sighed, wrapping his arm around my waist, "Next?"

I nodded, following his lead.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

"So you're the little minx that's been cutting all the other sexless twits."

Immediately, I was pulled into THE hairiest, THE thickest, and THE grossest body I've ever touched and seen. The dominant had no pockets (I'd noticed this without touching) and held me closely to him with a meaty hand. I struggled (of which I was succeeding) and grabbed back onto Undertaker.

The dominant only laughed.

I interrupted Undertaker before he could speak, "Damn, foo, what you go down on? Sasquatch?" My expression was hard and unforgiving.

At once, the dominant stopped laughing while Undertaker (nearly) bit his tongue in two to stop from laughing.

"What did you say!" He asked, taking a threatening step forward and cracking his knuckles.

"You heard me. I didn't stutter." I sneered.

"YOU BI-!"

He never finished. Immediately, my leg shot up (sideways) and connected with a hard 'thwack' under his jaw. The dominant glared at me with hard, evil eyes as dribbles of blood leaked from his mouth. I know that I either: broke his teeth, shattered his jaw, or made him bite some part of his tongue off. Apparently, it was his teeth and his tongue, because he spat onto the dirty floor; teeth fragments clinking and a small piece of his tongue landing with a wet, squelch.

"Ash, enough." Undertaker muttered, pulling me back. I allowed him.

We turned to walk away…

"I hope you believe in God," a series of metallic clickes sounded.

Undertaker and I turned to reface the dominant, who held a colt in one hand.

I covered Undertaker's mouth with a hand, "Yes. Now pull the trigger." My face never showed my fear.

He did. The clip clicked emptily. Again, but no bullet. Again.

"What the fu-?" He checked the chamber, bullet free.

"I suppose you're looking for this…" I held up one of the six .45's.

"You thief!"

I carefully reached into my bodice, pulling free the 'cat of nine-tails' that I'd carefully wrapped around myself. I cracked it once with a practiced flick, barely missing the dominant by a hair's breadth. "Care to dance, you overgrown gorilla?" I flicked it again for emphasis.

He glanced nervously at the whip's 'claws', "To hell with you." The dominant moved to retreat.

"Yeah, yeah, been there, done that," I taunted sarcastically, "and I've got the t-shirt to prove it."

Undertaker snickered, "Damn, you're dangerous. No wonder Sebastian likes you. You two are perfect for each other."

I rolled my eys, "Watch it or I might use this on you," indicating the whip.

"I'd like that," He whispered in my ear, walking us in the direction of our next victim.

"Freak." I hissed.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

"Oh, no way," I breathed.

"What?"

"Is that Alois and Claude?" I pointed.

Undertaker's eyes narrowed, "This isn't good…"

"No, It's fine," I reassured him, "We've never met, but I recognize them. They're our next victim."

I released him, walking to where they were. Claude was standing beside Alois (who was sitting). I smiled softly, sitting in Alois' lap (facing him). Licking my lips, I gently traced his lips with a finger.

"Hello, my gothic beauty," He murmured, his eyes locking with mine, "May I have your name?"

I gave no answer, instead tilting his head back to run the switchblade flatly along his jugular.

"There you are, Ash. I was looking for you." Undertaker called, walking towards us.

"M-master Alois…" Claude whispered, eyeing the blade in my hand, "Shall I remove her?"

"No," He replied, his hands settling on my waist, "besides, she's only teasing right now…and I kinda like it."

Almost at once, my hand (that was currently feeling the inside of his coat) collided with a rather thick (and folded!) set of paper. I quickly took it, stuffing it into my bodice. I then bit his neck, of which he hissed softly, and got off him.

"Ash, what have I told you about biting strangers, hmm?" Undertaker asked, wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing my cheek, "Besides, I hate lugging around your toys." He pressed the whip into my hand.

I slipped it into the waistband of his pants, "Too bad. Now entertain my new friends." I commanded, walking off to find the other three.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

"Où est-elle ? Je suis fatigué et je veux rentrer à la maison." Ciel complained, sitting sideways on Sebastian's lap.

"Juste un peu plus longtemps, Fleur, mon amour," Sebastian assured him, his hold lax on Ciel's waist.

"Ne m'appelez pas votre `amour'. C'est repugnant." He hissed, fiddling with the decorations on Sebastian's disguise.

"Bien vous ne savez jamais si quelqu'un autour d'ici s'avère justement comprendre le français, chéri."

Ciel glared hard at him.

Sebastian put his mouth next o Ciel's cheek, making it look like a mock kiss, "Il y a Ash."

"Demandez-lui si elle est prête."

Sebastian nodded, tracing Ciel's lower lip with a finger. His eyes followed my movement, like a tiger stalking prey. When I reached them, I bent to kiss Ciel's other cheek.

"So pretty," I cooed on his skin, "I like you." My hand twisted in Ciel's hair, tilting his head back.

Ciel whimpered for the sake of acting, "Demandez."

"My Fleur wishes to know if you enjoy this game." Sebastian asked, giving me a hidden code.

"I tire of the usual," I sighed, "I wanna try him." I kissed Ciel's exposed neck, "Will you give me leave?"

"Elle a quelque chose," Sebastian spoke.

"Demandez-lui si elle veut voir la lune."

Sebastian looked at me, "Fleur would like to see the moon. Would you care to join us?"

I smiled, "Yes."

"Ash!"

I straightened, releasing Ciel's hair. Undertaker emerged through the crowed, Grell was attached to his hip. My lips turned into a tiny, false frown.

"Where did you find her at?" I asked, pretending to eye Grell's clinginess.

"I caught this fiery little minx just as she fell from heaven," He shrugged, "Where were you?"

I rolled my eye, "I wanna see the moon."

Undertaker arched a brow.

"Partons," Ciel stated, blushing as Sebastian stood with him bridal-style.

"Follow us," Sebastian replied, walking towards the club's exit. We did. I was glad the mission was finally done.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

We all rode in one carriage. After finally passing the entrance gate, we removed our mental disguises. Grell reached under his skirt, pulled out a heavy looking wad of bills, and began counting.

"Grell…"Ciel asked, mildly shocked, "Where'd you get that from?"

"They gave it to me," He replied, still counting. "My, my, my! 1400 notes!"

"What did you do to get that?" Undertaker asked, now finally remembering to give me back my whip (which I placed beneath my seat).

"I danced," He replied, suddenly flinging himself onto Sebastian's lap, "Oh, Sebby, you should have seen me! Everyone thought I was beautiful!"

I rolled my eyes, laughing, "Oh, Grell…those men probably thought you were part of the flash dancer erotica group, that's why they paid you."

"What!" He gasped.

Ciel's face grew hot as Both Undertaker and Sebastian joined my laughing fit.

"Ah…well don't worry," I comforted, "I got some money too, although, probably not as much as you…" I began digging in my bodice, dropping random slips of paper and some money in Undertaker's lap, "Ah-ha!" I pulled out the thick, folded sheets of paper, and handed them to Ciel.

He quickly looked at them in the dim light of the moon, "This is it!"

I smiled, pleased that I did my job correctly.

"Here, Sebastian," Ciel said, handing the papers to him, "Keep these safe."

"Yes, my lord," He replied, folding them neatly and slipping them inside an inner pocket in his coat.

The carriage halted to a sudden stop.

"Get Out! Open the Door!"

"Now!"

We all exchanged nervous glances before the door was pulled open. One by one, we were all dragged out. Everyone was quickly subdued.

"She's the one!"

A hand suddenly clamped over my mouth and nose.

My mind panicked as my coordination and vision began to go numb, 'Chloro…form…'

Notes:

This is just a repeat for those who don't understand French:

"Where is she? I'm tired and I want to go home." Ciel complained, sitting sideways on Sebastian's lap.

"Just a little longer, Fleur, my love," Sebastian assured him, his hold lax on Ciel's waist.

"Don't call me your 'love'. It's disgusting." He hissed, fiddling with the decorations on Sebastian's disguise.

"Well you never know if someone around here happens to understand French, darling."

Ciel glared hard at him.

Sebastian put his mouth next o Ciel's cheek, making it look like a mock kiss, "There's Ash."

"Ask her if she's ready."

Sebastian nodded, tracing Ciel's lower lip with a finger. His eyes followed my movement, like a tiger stalking prey. When I reached them, I bent to kiss Ciel's other cheek.

"So pretty," I cooed on his skin, "I like you." My hand twisted in Ciel's hair, tilting his head back.

Ciel whimpered for the sake of acting, "Ask."

"My Fleur wishes to know if you enjoy this game." Sebastian asked, giving me a hidden code.

"I tire of the usual," I sighed, "I wanna try him." I kissed Ciel's exposed neck, "Will you give me leave?"

"She has something," Sebastian spoke.

"Ask her if she wants to see the moon."

Sebastian looked at me, "Fleur would like to see the moon. Would you care to join us?"

I smiled, "Yes."

"Ash!"

I straightened, releasing Ciel's hair. Undertaker emerged through the crowed, Grell was attached to his hip. My lips turned into a tiny, false frown.

"Where did you find her at?" I asked, pretending to eye Grell's clinginess.

"I caught this fiery little minx just as she fell from heaven," He shrugged, "Where were you?"

I rolled my eye, "I wanna see the moon."

Undertaker arched a brow.

"Let's go," Ciel stated, blushing as Sebastian stood with him bridal-style.

"Follow us," Sebastian replied, walking towards the club's exit. We did. I was glad the mission was finally done.

Chapter 28: I'm sending out an S.O.S. to the world…

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

My mouth was dry. Slowly, I opened my eyes. The sun was shining through the window.

'Window?'

I sat up, my blood slowly chasing the sluggishness out of my veins, 'I'm home? How?'

I looked around, everything was where it should be, 'Snake, Sebastian?...does it mean that they were all just a dream?'

My brows furrowed,' Wait, no. This isn't my room anymore. This was the room I ran from. This room, it's not even-'

"Good morning, sweetheart 3"

My eyes flicked to the doorway, my brain reaching overload, "Kido?"

"Yes, I'm here, my darling Nekohime," He replied, crossing the room to sit next to me on the bed. He held me, softly pressing a kiss onto my lips.

"But," I began as we broke for air, "I thought…I thought we…"

"Broke up? No. I realized who I truly loved that day." Kido answered my unvoiced question, "But tell me, who's Sanke?"

I felt my cheeks heat up, "I…I don't…I don't remember…"

An ugly frown morphed his features as he fisted my hair and puled harshly. I hissed in pain. With his other hand, he slapped me.

"You're lying. I can tell." He hissed malevolently, "Who the hell told you to lie, hmm? Was it Sebastian? That brat of an earl he serves? That idiot transvestite of a reaper? Who? Answer me!" He backhanded me again, "Or was it that Snake guy? Tell me now, Nekohime…heh, or should I say Ash? How about Amaria Phantomhive?" Another slap, "Fine! If you won't talk, then I have ways of making you talk. In fact I'll even make you scream."

Kido dragged me off the bed by my hair to the door. I momentarily opened my eyes against the pain when I heard the door open. Quickly, I studied where I was.

'I'm in a manor!' I realized. Another thing I realized was that I was still wearing the dress Nina had made for me. 'If I'm not back in my own world, then where am I?'

"Ah, there's the gothic little wench who dared to steal from me."

My heart pounded in fear, 'That voice!'

"Did she talk?"

"No, Lord Trancy, but I have a feeling that she's a fountain of information ready to spill." Kido replied, throwing me to the floor at the speaker's feet.

"Very well. Excelent job, Pluto." Alois spoke, "Claude…"

"Yes, my lord?"

"Dispose of him." He replied, kneeling to stare into my eyes.

"As you wish." Claude answered.

"Wait!" Pluto pleaded, "you said you'd let me live if I gave you Hannah's daughter. I did. Take the speech ability that you gave me, but spare me. I still love Sebastian!"

"He was part of the reason why you died in the first place, no?" Claude smirked, So you'll only get in the way now."

Claude crushed him. His blood splattered everywhere. A thin stream trickled to my hand closest to his (now) mangled corpse. I felt tears prick my eyes. I lifted my hand slowly to see that my palm was lathered in the warm, crimson liquid. I looked back, my ex Kido, whose true name was Pluto, was dead. The room and the evil faces of Claude and Alois blurred and spun as my body went into shock and I wept.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

"Why did you stop me!"

Because you would have killed them."

"But at least she would still be here."

"Shh! Sebby, lower your voice…and stop pacing, you're making me nervous."

"Don't tell me to be quiet Grell! She could be in danger or else dying a slow torturous death for all you know!"

Undertaker suddenly tackled Sebastian to the floor. Sebastian didn't even bother to fight back. Grell and Ciel only looked on, mildly shocked.

"We'll find her." Undertaker replied, getting off of him and helping Sebastian up. He dug into his clothes, pulling out the tiny silver hourglass, "and we'll do it with this."

"Is that…" Grell gasped, staring at Undertaker's hand, "Is that 'Scryer's Sand'?"

"Yes," he replied, "and it's the last of the supply I'd managed to smuggle out of the Shinigami realm."

"But it's used!" Grell complained, "Look! It's red with someone's blood!"

"It's Nekohime's." He assured, "I'd gotten it from her 4 days ago."

"What's 'Scryer's Sand'?" Ciel asked, confused.

"This, little Earl," Undertaker began, "Is special tracking sand that can be used to find anyone anywhere in this universe and other worlds. However, just because you have the sand with the blood of the person you're looking for, doesn't mean you'll automatically know where they are. No. You need other ingredients…and a special preparation…"

"What other ingredients?" Sebastian asked, sounding hopeful.

"Well, for starts…I need a wide, but very shallow silver bowl with a mirror in the bottom,…pure, virgin mountain snow-melted,…the powdered molting of a venomous snake,…nectar and pollen extract from a winter rose,…saliva from a reborn child,…a gold coin stolen from a dead man's soul,…and…the tear of a demon who mourns out of love."

"Well, the first 4 are easy enough to obtain," Ciel stated, thinking, "but where are we supposed to get the last 3?"

Undertaker smirked, "Actually, we're only missing one ingredient,…the coin."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"I think he's referring to us," Sebastian answered, Technically, when you summoned me, you were already dead for a good while. All I did was force your soul back into your body and we initiated a contract. Hence, making you a 'reborn' child."

"Oh." Ciel replied, arching a brow, "Then you'll cry for us?"

"If I must, because…" Sebastian looked away.

Grell hugged him, "I understand Sebby. I guess I can share you with her…but don't expect me to like it!"

"Grell," Undertaker interrupted, "You'll need to visit the shores of either the Acheron or Styxx river. This can be accomplished if we both go. So, which one do you want?"

Grell pouted, mad that the coin had to be collected immediately, "Styxx. It's supposedly the most populated river this time of the year and it'll give you less of a chance of being put on trial for trespassing."

"Alright then," Undertaker replied, "Well, lets get to work."

A tentative knock sounded at the door. Sebastian unwrapped Grell's arms from him and opened the door. Snake stood there, his fists clenched tightly and fury waving off of him in a powerful aura.

"Where is she?" He spoke through clenched teeth, "I knew you were lying when you said she'd spent the night at Miss Elizabeth's. Tell me where she is! Now!"

"Snake," Sebastian spoke, trying to calm him, "Neko's fine, we were just-"

"No!" He hissed, tears of sorrow and rage falling swiftly from his eyes, "I knew letting you have her was a bad idea, but I foolishly let her go just so that she could be happy. Now I'll ask you one more time, where is she?"

"We don't know," Ciel answered, whispering, "but if you help us, then we can get her back sooner."

"F-fine." Snake answered, forcefully calming himself and wiping away his tears, "you need the powdered shedding of a toxic snake, right? I can help you there." He dug into his pocket, bringing out a small vial of black sand. "This is, or was, Poe. He was a beautiful black Mamba, specially imported for me by Joker. Unfortunately, he never adapted to the climate and he died prematurely. You can have this, but when you go to rescue her…you have to take me with you."

"The more the merrier," Undertaker answered, judging Snake like he was searching for a weakness.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

I was in the same room I'd woken up in, only this time there was a steel collar-like manacle around my throat (which was attached to the iron bedpost). Sure there was enough of a leash on it, but not enough for me to get near the door (much less walk out it). A quick glance at the window told me that dusk was near. My head pounded furiously and my stomach clawed at my innards for nourishment.

Sighing, I sniffed the sheets I was laying on. Tears softly fell, the blankets still smelled like him-Kido, (who I now knew was Pluto) who had died mercilessly by Alois' cold command. Pluto who was murdered by Claude's hand.

"Pluto…you fool," I whispered into the pillow, by now the tears had stopped. I'd wept for him, but now was the time to become stronger and survive. A song began playing in my head, I mouthed the words out of comfort.

"Ooh, hey, yeah

Hush, just stop

There's nothing you can do or say, baby

I've had enough

I'm not your property

As from today, baby

You might think that

I won't make it on my own

But now I'm

Stronger than yesterday

Now it's nothing but my way

My loneliness ain't killing me no more

I am stronger

Than I ever thought

That I could be, baby

I used to go with the flow

Didn't really care 'bout me

You might think that

I can't take it but you're wrong

'Cause now I'm

Stronger than yesterday

Now it's nothing but my way

My loneliness ain't killing me no more

I am stronger

Come on, now

Oh, yeah

Here I go, on my own

I don't need nobody, better off alone

Here I go, on my own, now

I don't need nobody, not anybody

Here I go

Alright

Here I go

Stronger than yesterday

It's nothing but my way

My loneliness ain't killing me no more

I am stronger than yesterday

Now it's nothing but my way

My loneliness ain't killing me no more

Now I am stronger than yesterday

Now it's nothing but my way

My loneliness ain't killing me no more

I am stronger"

Notes:

This song belongs to Britney Spears, "Stronger"

Chapter 29: I was right��

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

My lips fluttered, trembling in the darkness…

Calling out your name

Your face is everywhere

I'm reaching out to you

To find that you're not there

I wake up every night

To see the state I'm in

It's like an endless fight

I never seem to win

I can't go on as long as I believe

Can't let go when I keep wondering

Where are you now, what have you found

Where is your heart, when I'm not around

Where are you now, you gotta let me know

Oh baby, so I can let you go

I can hear your voice

The ring of yesterday

It seems so close to me

But yet so far away

I should let it out

To save what's left of me

And close the doors of doubt

Revive my dignity

But, I can't go on as long as I believe

Can't let go when I keep wondering

Where are you now, what have you found

Where is your heart, when I'm not around

Where are you now, you gotta let me know

Oh baby, so I can let you go

I should let it out, it's time to let you go

Oh baby, I just want to know

Where are you now, what have you found

Where is your heart, when I'm not around

Where are you now, you gotta let me know

Oh baby, so I can let you go

My eyes hurt for the tears had stopped nearly a week ago.

'A week?'

I looked out the window, the sun had started to rise, turning the sky a pale pink. Sighing, I reached under the mattress for the switchblade (which Claude had failed to seize from me when Alois had ordered him to search me [the day the Pluto died]) and bit my lower lip, moaning from the pain as I nicked a shallow cut across my wrist. 8 Scars…8 days.

'They're not coming…'

My body ached. I had bruises and shallow lacerations from where Claude would beat me for either Alois' entertainment or for not giving him the information he wanted…information I did not have. Slowly, I swallowed what little saliva my body could produce…I'd refused to eat anything they gave me, but I did drink a little of the water. Still, I was too weak to do anything about it.

'Again, you're on your own.'

I hid the blade again, watching the door open and both Claude and Alois walk in.

"Hello, my darling Neko," Alois smiled sweetly, his smile was so sweet that it made my teeth ache, "I've heard that you're about ready to snap. Will you tell me what I want to know? I promise that Claude will no longer hurt you." Claude, for his effort, tried to look disappointed.

'Ha…as if it's Claude I fear,' I thought wearily.

"Pick her up."

"Yes, my lord."

Claude walked to the bed and picked up my frail body, unlocked the chain, and followed Alois to another room.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

"My lord…" Sebastian whispered, gently shaking Ciel from his sleep.

"mmm…wha?" Ciel mumbled sleepily, annoyed that he'd been woken up several hours far too early.

"I'm so sorry to disturb you, but you need to wake up."

"Why?" He asked, sitting up slowly, "Is something wrong?"

"No," Sebastian assured, moving his master's willing form to stand up, "but we have to hurry. Undertaker has the last ingredient…"

Ciel stretched, yawning as his butler quickly and efficiently dressed him in the dark, "What time is it anyways?"

"5 a.m."

"It's too early!" Ciel whined, feeling Sebastian pick him up and carry him (out to his balcony and jump). "He can wait."

"The scrying has to be done as soon as dawn starts. Snake, are you ready?"

Snake emerged from the graying darkness, "Yes."

Sebastian grinned softly, "Try to keep up."

Snake smiled back, acknowledging the challenge, "I'm as fast as I need to be, but for Neko's sake…I'll match your speed even if it kills me."

"Uh, let's go already," Ciel complained, irritated. "Keep yapping and we won't get there until midnight."

"As you wish," Both Snake and Sebastian answered, running.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

I was on the floor again. Under all the pain and dirty slandering rained upon me by both Alois and Claude, I was numb. No longer did I cry from their hate, nor did I bother to show it.

I was slowly dying, so why should I care enough to fight back? Snake didn't know and Sebastian apparently didn't care enough to even look for me. Grell, however…he'd find me soon…maybe even tonight…who knew?

"Hit her again, Claude."

He did, bruising my arm (which was already decorated in the throbbing marks).

"Pick her up by her hair and throw her down the stairs."

Every bone in my body jarred and bounced against the stone steps. I didn't fall far, the landing was only 20 steps down.

'None of my bones are broken…'

I was shocked, (well, more like surprised) since somehow my brain actually cared enough to assess the physical damage my body steadily sustained.

"Drag her up by her hair, but…make sure to hit her heard on every step."

I picked up immediately that we'd since long past the interrogation phase, the malicious joy in Alois' voice rang all too clear-this half of my beating was for his sheer pleasure. Claude did as his master bade him too, dark spheres of light pulsing in my vision with each hit. When he'd finished banging my head against the steps, he threw me at Alois' feet. Alois knelt down, pulling me into his arms.

"Shh…" He whispered, ricking me, "Shh…I'm only doing this for your own good and for the good of the planet, but I need this information…please Neko, tell me where you hid those papers." He kissed me, making all the motions that any idiot would melt to…but I didn't, I kept myself from acknowledging it. His mouth left mine to bite at my neck, still-I steeled myself against it.

Claude hovered over us, his hands tracing my bruised temple. Now he kissed me as Alois' mouth moved lower to bite at the skin exposed by the low-cut bodice.

'This is the part where you fade…'

…and I did.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

"What took you so long?" Ciel asked Undertaker, Sebastian setting him down in the dark shop.

"Well it did take us a while to find a lost soul that still had a coin," He answered, pouring the (now melted) snow into the silver (and mirrored) bowl.

Everyone waited in silence as Undertaker chanted while sprinkling into the bowl the powdered snake skin and winter rose pollen and nectar infusion.

`Κάτω ξημερώνει φως επιδιώκει το εύρημα η ψυχή που εάν speek. Αίμα που πρέπει να ταιριάξει με στη χρονική κατεύθυνση που θα έβρισκα. Αυτός ο να κοιμηθεί ύπνος Καθοδήγηση στη συντήρησή τους. Ένα παιδί reborn- `…

He motioned for Ciel to spit into the bowl, he did so without hesitation.

' Θα σας δω αυτό το morn. Μύγα στον ουρανό Τα μάτια μου για να κατασκοπεύσει Θα ψάξω ανωτέρω Το μόνο περιστέρι μου. Κρυμμένες συγκινήσεις Και το άψυχο cry.'

Now he motioned to Sebastian, who leaned over the bowl- a single tear falling into the center.

' Προσφορά της πληρωμής Ακολουθήστε scent.'

Grell placed the coin in the bowl, it floated, waiting…

' Θέλω τη χαμένη ψυχή Η διαδρομή, επιδιώκει, βρίσκει, φαίνεται ΟΔΗΓΟΣ!'

Undertaker now dumped the scryer's sand onto the coin. The dawns light peeked through the window, hitting the sand and activating the ritual. Everything in the bowl sunk into the mirror and bathed the room in a ruby glow.

"Now we'll find her," Undertaker replied, motioning for everyone to gather around and look into the mirror.

Sebastian's jaw tightened, his hands clenching into tight fists as the Trancy manor loomed into view. Ciel looked on, shocked. That picture slowly faded and zoomed to show a room- a bedroom…

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

Their hands and mouths were all over me. Everywhere. I laid there just taking it. Several days ago, I learned not to fight them when it came to this. Even so, when they were done I'd feel dirty…used. Then again, this was no different than the time Pluto (A.K.A. Kido) was my boyfriend. There was only one difference, where with Pluto-I'd been willing, but with Alois and Claude…I didn't even care.

They finished. Alois got dressed (with help from Claude), Claude did the same. Before they wnet about with the rest of their day, Claude dressed me as Alois wrapped the neck cuff around my throat. I was alone again, dawn began looking like an ugly stain that lit the festering decay of my soul-mocking what I once used to think beautiful. An unknown, but not forgotten, song flitted from my abused throat, the words soft and weak-wavering…

'Where once was light

Now darkness falls

Where once was love

Love is no more

Don't say goodbye

Don't say I didn't try

These tears we cry

Are falling rain

For all the lies you told us

The hurt, the blame!

And we will weep to be so alone

We are lost

We can never go home

So in the end

I'll be what I will be

No loyal friend

Was ever there for me

Now we say goodbye

We say you didn't try

These tears you cry

Have come too late

Take back the lies

The hurt, the blame!

And you will weep

When you face the end alone

You are lost

You can never go home

You are lost

You can never go home'

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

The ruby light faded, the bowl had completed it's job-tarnishing beyond repair. Everyone has seen what had just happened, from beginning to end. Dawn had fullr risen.

Ciel was shaking, his breathing in ragged gasps, from witnessing the forbidden. The only other sound was Snake's angry, choked off outcry…and the sound of splintering coffins (this was Sebastian's doing)."Calm down, Sebby!" Grell tried to reason, tears falling freely as he latched onto him (mostly to prevent him from breaking anything else).

"Don't destroy my shop," Undertaker growled, his fury on a tighter leash, "If you want to destroy something, go and destroy those who just defiled Nekohime."

"Sebastian, Snake," Ciel commanded, calmed, "Let's go get her."

"I'm coming too," Grell declared, "Anyone who dares to touch her in such a filthy way will not live long enough to regret it. Besides, Sebby'll need back up."

"I'd go, but…" Undertaker sighed, looking around, "Sebastian's damaged a week's worth of coffins that I must repair…"

"I understand," Ciel nodded, "Thankyou, Undertaker."

"Bringing Nekohime back will be thanks enough, Earl," He replied, assessing the damage.

"Chivalric," Ciel subtly smiled, "alright, let's go."

Notes:

opening song is 'Where are you now?' by Britney Spears

ending song is by Emiliana Torrini

Undertaker is chanting in Greek (because of the whole 'bury the dead with a gold coin' ritual), here's the English translation:

'Under dawns light seek-

Find the soul that'd speek.

Blood that'd match in time-

Direction I'd find.

This slumbering sleep-

Guiding to their keep.

A child reborn-

I'll see you this morn.

Fly to the sky-

My own eyes to spy-

I will search above-

My own lonesome dove.

Hidden emotions-

And the soulless cry.

Offering payment-

Track the bloodied scent.

I want the lost soul-

Track, seek, find, look GUIDE!'

Chapter 30: Here she stands today/ in her brilliant shining light/ stronger than her pain…

Chapter Text

'I want to die.'

"But I don't want too.."

'Nothing's gonna change the world…'

"Someone will miss me."

'Where is that someone?'

"I don't…know…"

'Exactly, but believe for me, I've given up…'

"I have too…"

'Together then?'

I bit my lip, my hand instinctively curling around the handle of the switchblade. The sun glinted off of the blade. All it would take was one line.

One fatal cut.

"How long will it take"

'Long enough to etch the pain of all your life into your soul.'

"Oh…"

'I'm here for you…'

"…yeah…"

'Ready?'

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

"Earl!"

Sebastian, Grell, and Snake stopped in their tracks. They turned, finding Undertaker running towards them. He spoke as soon as he was near them.

"We must double-no, triple our speed! She's gonna commit suicide!"

At that moment, it was as if time itself had stopped. Suddenly, the world started spinning again. Everyone pushed their speed to the maximum limit.

"How do you know this?" Ciel asked, his question barely heard in the winds uproar.

"When you guys left, the bowl glowed again," Undertaker replied, the wind ripping at the sound, "It's not supposed to unless we absolutely needed to see it."

"This is all my fault," Snake moaned, the wind rapidly drying every tear he cried.

"No," Sebastian tried to assure him, "It's-"

"It's mine!" Ciel replied, "if I hadn't stopped you that time, Sebastian, she'd still be with us, safe and happy."

"Shut up! All of you!" Grell shouted above the roar of the wind, "Somehow, someway, we're all to blame. But right now, she needs us, and if you babies want ot complain and mope about it, then I'll go rescue her by myself!"

Immediately, his running turned into mile long leaps (this put some MAJOR distance between him and everyone else). After exchanging glances, everyone (left in Grell's dust) followed his example. Now, they were heading towards the Trancy manor at a much faster pace.

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

My hand pressed the blade tip onto the tip of my pulse, not yet breaking the skin.

'let's go down the river slowly…'

"Follow the current until it stops flowing…"

'to an ocean of dreams…'

"An ocean of memories."

I closed my eyes, readying myself to make the mark. Slowly, I increased the pressure of the blade on my pulse. The switchblade gently bit through the skin…layer by layer…

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

"Intruders!"

"Someone get Master Alois to safety!"

"Protect Lord Alois with your lives!"

"They're too stron-gACK!"

Blood fell in the Trancy manor like a macabre storm cloud. Grell's chainsaw was the only weapon that gave off any warning before ruthlessly slicing through the soft, mortal bodies. Just like now…

'Damn, I'ma catch hell for this,' He thought, the rotating scythe cutting cleanly through a servant/ Trancy soldier's spine, 'but Will can do what he likes to me, because this is for Nekohime's sake!'

"Snake," Sebastian called, grabbing a discarded silver platter-sharpening the edge with his ungloved nails-and throwing it like a dangerous Frisbee, "Go find her! We've got this under control."

"Understood!" Snake answered, using his open palm to slam and shatter his opponents nose, sending the fragments up into the brain.

After dropkicking another person, he ran up the stairs. Undertaker was holding his own (being surrounded by at least 20 or so)…and he was singing (not badly, but not on key either)…

(kill) "one little-" (kill) "two little-" (kill) "three little mortal souls-" (kill) "four little-" (kill, kill) "five lit-oh, no…wait that was six…oops." (kill)

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

Snake ran through the 2nd story hallways, nimbly avoiding the frightened maids that roamed them. He laughed darkly at their comments.

(scream) "It's a demon, RUN!"

"Monster!" (more screaming)

"He's gonna eat our souls!"

"I'm too young to die!"

"I'm too pretty to die!"

"Somebody help!"

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

It was faint, but the sound was there-stopping the blade from even beginning it's true intent.

"-Demon! Run!"

"Monster!"

With newfound strength, I forced myself to sit up.

"-young to die!"

'Sebastian!'

My heart throbbed in anticipation.

'I want to live!'

"Help us!"

The sound of doors banging open mocked the female servants screams. My throat ached, the only sound a faint whisper. 'Live!'

"No," I rasped, scolding my body, a hand grasping my throat, "Don't give up!"

An adrenaline rush suddenly hit me. I reached for the nearest, heavy object-the metal water pitcher.

With a careful aim, I threw it at the door-it hit with a loud, near hollow bang. No one was screaming anymore, but neither were doors being slammed. I held my breath, praying that the hand that currently twisted the doorknob was the hand of a savior.

Time is cruel. It messed with my head, making me thing everything went into slow motion. I swallowed hard, continuing to pray as I slipped the switchblade into my bodice. That door could not have opened fast enough…

"Nekohime?"

His soft voice flowed like liquid silk over my skin. My body could no longer support itself, I collapsed back onto the bed. Fresh tears welled up in my eyes. Although my vision was blurred, I could still see him. I could still see his loving, caring face.

My lips trembled, my voice faltering as I spoke his name, "Snake…"

Chapter 31: Snake

Chapter Text

I couldn't believe my eyes, nor could I stop my raging fury from building. She laid there, a thin, pale hand held out to me with a faint smile tracing her lips. Swallowing hard, my heart broke when I heard the ghosting whisper of her voice.

"Snake…"

Quickly, I crossed the room to her. Gently, I held her to me-forcing myself to hold back how much I wanted to crush her to me. I felt her weak form grasp the front of my coat and her tears soak through from the force of her crying.

"I'm here," I whispered soothingly, softly rubbing her back, "I'm here…"

We stayed like that for the longest time. Maybe time stopped and we didn't know it, but I didn't care-now that I had her, nothing could destroy this moment.

I gently pushed her away to capture her trembling lips. She tasted foul…tainted. This angered me. As softly as I could, I deepened the kiss, determined to purge her mouth of the disgusting taste. My tongue delicately probed her mouth, searching for her sweet, pure taste.

'There.'

Inwardly, I sighed in relief. She was here in my arms, safe. Now, she finally tasted like I remembered. After another minute, we broke for air.

I pulled back, smiling, "Come on, we have to go-"

"I can't."

"Why-oh…" I finally realized that she was chained to a bed post by her neck, instantly, anger washed over me. "Damn them." I pulled fruitlessly at the chain (while I still held her), somehow I managed to bend the post…but not break the chain.

The sound of a revving chainsaw sounded in the hallway.

"Call him, call Grell," Nekohime whispered, cupping my cheek soothingly.

I kissed the top of her head, looking towards the door, "Grell!"

The door was cut into large fragments as the crimson haired male came towards the sound of my voice, grinning wickedly, "You've found her! Oh! Neko!"

He swiftly crossed the room to hug both of us (but how he did it without cutting us is beyond me).

"Hi," She smiled, waving weakly.

"Grell," I interrupted, pulling the chain taut, "can you cut this?"

"Geez, Nkeo," Grell replied, pulling away and flipping his hair back, "Teach your man some manners, will ya?" But yes, now hold it steady…"

It didn't take as long I had expected. Grell had cut through the chain like it was water. I picked her up, following Grell to the window (which he proceeded to cut into giant sections so we could get through).

"A dramatic entrance needs an overly dramatic exit," He winked, jumping through (what used to remain of an entire wall).

I quickly followed suit, landing softly so as not to hurt her already pain-filled body. We crossed the manor yard to where Smile was laying in wait for us. He looked sick as he watched me approach him, carrying Nekohime.

"Poor Nekohime," He murmured, softly touching her cheek with gentle fingers, "Grell, get the others, we're leaving."

"No need, we're done anyways." Undertaker answered, both he and Sebastian nearing us, "Heh, heh-that was the most fun I've had in a long time since my retirement."

"I'll admit that I had fun as well," Sebastian smirked, "but it would have been a lot better if both Claude and Alois had been there-then and only then would our destructive intrusion been worth it."

Smile glared at Mr. Sebastian, "Yes, well, we've get what we came for, now let's go."

"As you wish, my lord," He replied, picking him up (very mush how I had Nekohime in my arms).

I glanced down at her face, her features in serene slumber as she snuggled closer to me. After watching the others take off, I gently kissed the top of her head. She must have been very tired, because she stayed asleep while I pursued them to the manor.

Chapter 32: If I had one wish…

Chapter Text

When I finally awoke, the sun had barely started to set and I was in my bed, safely wrapped in Snake's arms. He looked so cut as he slept, his mouth partially open with lips that practically begged to be kissed. I sighed softly, giving into temptation. Although he didn't open his eyes, his mouth responded willingly. After a moment, he broke the kiss-opening his eyes to look at me. I smiled and he rewarded me with a soft laugh.

"Ah, how I've missed this," He whispered, a finger lightly tracing my lips, "So beautiful." He softly kissed me, our mouths working in sync.

A knock at the door broke our kiss prematurely. Sebastian opened the door, rolling in a serving cart laden with food. Ciel followed soon after.

"You're awake!" Ciel exclaimed, "Good. We were beginning to worry."

I frowned teasingly, "Well, that's not good. If you worry too much, you'll go grey."

"In that case," Sebastian began, uncovering the food on the cart (of which the aroma made my mouth water), "if you're telling us not to worry, then you shouldn't do things that would make us worry."

"Sure," I rolled my eyes sitting up stiffly (with help from Snake), "I'll make sure to notify you the next time I don't plan to get kidnapped and held hostage for a week. Want me to tell you the next time I get my period while I'm at it?"

Ciel's face reddened, "N-no, that won-t be necessary…"

Snake laughed, hugging me from behind, "She's fine, and her personality is back."

"Of course," Sebastian replied, "as one hell of a butler, it wouldn't do me any good if I didn't know how to heal simple bruised, wounds, etcetera. Although, I was more concerned about her mentality state…but her cute, feisty-ness has put my worries to rest." He smirked, pushing the cart closer to me, "but I'll bet she's starving, aren't you?"

"You have no idea," I replied, my voice sounding like a moan as I breathed in the delicious smell.

"For your dinner, I have prepared you a light consommé and some fresh baked bread," Sebastian stated, "To drink, an herbal tea."

I practically maoned in delight with every bite, letting the heavenly flavor bathe my tongue with it's purity, "Oh, god, Sebastian!...SOOO GOOD!"

Sebastian laughed softly, "You sound like you haven't eaten in days, didn't they feed you?"

I nodded y head, swallowing the mouthful of bread, "yes, but I refused to eat any of it for fear of poison. As it is, I barely drank any of the water they'd give me."

"Was fear of poison your only reason?" Ciel asked, sitting at the foot of the bed.

My eating slowed, a knot forming in my heart, "At first," I whispered, tears starting to form, "but then 3 days passed and I began thinking that no one was looking for me…so, eventually I just wanted to die." I sniffed, "Since Snake didn't even know about what had happened, I didn't and couldn't blame him, but you, Sebastian…you of all people I thought…I thought you didn't really care about me…that's why you didn't come sooner." Now the tears fell freely, "So, I thought since no one really wanted me and Alois kept ordering Claude to beat me daily…then they'd both rape me…I thought I'd make it easier for everyone and just commit suicide."

"Don't cry, Neko," Snake whispered in my ear, his arms wrapping tightly around my waist, "Please don't cry. I love you…"

"As do I," Sebastian whispered, taking one of my hands and pressing soft kisses onto it.

Ciel scooted closer to me, reaching with a handkerchief to dry my tears, "That's entirely my fault. When they took you, I told Sebastian to not fight them. Instead, we tried to follow, but they hid their tracks well. We ended up at a dead end after a mile or so away from where we were ambushed." He sighed, "Will…that is, can you ever forgive my foolish decision?"

I swallowed, forcing down the tears that I still wanted to cry, "I don't blame you, Ciel, it was just a miscalculated move on your part, (In reality, I wanted to smack him a good one, but I thought making him take the guilt trip would give me a better reward) but you had your reasons so I can't blame you for everything."

"I'm sorry," He whispered, looking like he wanted to cry (even though I knew that boy had no "sad" bone in his body, much less any tears to cry).

"Enough," I said loudly, breathing deeply, "No more! What's done is done. I'm back, safe and loved and wish to have a good time and to not feel sad anymore."

"As you wish," Ciel replied, mocking one of Sebastian's catchphrases.

"Hey, that's my line!" Sebastian commented, trying to sound like he was pouting.

"And you pout just like Grell," I teased, moving to finish my food, "speaking of which…" I mumbled around a mouthful of consommé dipped bread, "Where is he?"

"Currently being punished by me."

I looked up, finding a familiar, stern shinigami.

"William T. Spears," Sebastian prompted, the Death God's name spitting itself from his mouth.

"Demon," Will nodded, also glaring at Sebastian with dislike.

" Hi!" I chimed cheerily, pushing away the cart and moving to stand up," I'm Nekohime!"

"Proud." He responded coldly, never taking his eyes off of Sebastian.

I pouted silently, then brightened at a sudden thought, 'Heh, nothing worse than trying to act like Grell. Oh, Wi-ill…' "Where's Grell?"

"Doing paperwork, now stay silent," Will ordered, "You've caused enough trouble as it is."

"I've done no such thing!" I pouted, stamping my foot childishly, "I wanna see Grell!"

"No." He replied, now giving me the same cold, hard glare he'd been using on Sebastian, "Do you not realize the amount of premature souls you've caused to be reaped? It's a disaster! Not only that, but you've also got a rogue death god into the mix AND a demon. Oh! Don't let me forget to mention that you were supposed to die early this morning by committing suicide."

"So," I countered, "I had a change of plans, and I didn't know that they would kill all those people just to find me, but I'm happy to know that they'd kill just to see to my safety and happiness. They'd do it again if they wanted too!"

"Mr. Spears," Ciel stated, breaking up my childish squabble with the furious reaper, "Why are you here?"

"I came to see what became of her soul since…" He continued glaring at me with icy eyes, "she was supposed to die and I was to be the one to reap her soul."

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble, buddy," I snorted, gripping his arm tightly with both of my arms, "but I'm very much alive and I wanna see Grell."

"Insolent brat," He hissed, trying to tug his arm free-which only made me hold on tighter, "Let me go."

"No!" I replied, using my previously acquired skills, "Ha!"

After finding what I wanted, I released him and immediately hid behind Sebastian. I started flipping randomly through the pocket book of souls, just looking. Silently, I began wondering how long it would take him to notice that-

"Give it back."

I peeked around Sebastian, "Or what?" I taunted.

"What did you take?" Sebastian asked, turning to face me.

"Nothing important," I sighed, showing him the little black book, "just his Death Book."

Now Ciel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Why, Neko?"

"Because," I stated, moving to sit on Snake's lap to let him see the book.

"Because why?" Ciel asked again, sounding irritated.

[davidpastrsnack]

it’s crazy what you’ll do for a friend - nolan patrick

a/n: here’s a friends to lovers 4+1 with our fav boy loosely inspired by daddy issues by the neighbourhood. but there’s still a splash of smut because you know me lol. hope you enjoy :)

word count: 10.5k

The first time you met Nolan you didn’t know what to think. He was polite, giving you a gentle smile and reaching out to shake your hand, but you couldn’t help but fixate on how quiet he was and his seeming lack of emotion.

Regardless of your hesitation, that was the first time of many that Nolan took care of you. 

You were new to Philadelphia, moving to continue your education and expand your horizons. You had always been one to play it safe, to stay in your comfort zone, but after having your heart broken and being unexpectedly accepted to one of the top graduate programs in your field you knew it was time to challenge yourself and leave behind everything you had ever known.

Well, almost everything, aside from Aubrey, one of your best friends since that first day of kindergarten so long ago. She worked in the city, practically begging you to join her when she found out you were considering the move. Just weeks later, the second bedroom in her apartment became yours and that’s how you met him.

~

one

It was only your third night in Philly and you were still unpacking, a glass of wine sitting on your dresser as you dug through the remaining boxes that were seemingly never-ending. It didn’t seem like this much stuff when you were packing it, but here you were overwhelmed with all of your belongings.

You were humming along to the music, taking it one box at a time as the room slowly came together when you heard a knock on your door.

“Come in,” you called, turning to face the door.

“Woah,” Aubrey muttered, “How’s it going in here?”

“I know, I know,” you laughed, “It looks bad but I’m almost there.”

She nodded, stepping into the room and sitting on your bed, “Time for a break?”

You knew what the hopeful smile on her face meant, she had plans for the two of you.

You looked at her with hesitant eyes and she chuckled, remembering how well you knew her.

“I was thinking we could go meet some of my friends?” Aubrey continued, “I’m kind of seeing this one guy and his friends are great. They’re a lot but I think you’ll love them and they’ll love you.”

“Aubrey, I-” You paused, “I really should finish up in here.”

“Come on, Y/N, we have all day tomorrow to finish and you need a break. I feel like I’ve barely even seen you and it’s been three days.”

You let out a laugh at her words, she was right. It felt like your life had been on hold for so long but now you had the opportunity to start fresh, to put yourself out there in a world that had no existing opinions of you.

“Fine,” you groaned, standing up from your spot on the hardwood, “But you have to help me find something to wear.”

“Deal!” Aubrey exclaimed, dragging you out of the room and into her own to go through her closet.

Just over an hour later, you were squeezed into a booth of the bar surrounded by men almost twice your size. Aubrey failed to mention that the guy she was seeing, but not dating as she vehemently claimed, was a Flyer and so were his friends.

You didn’t know what to expect from the group, but it didn’t take long for you to conclude that they were sweethearts, especially Travis, Aubrey’s “friend.” After introducing you to each of them, it felt like you had always been a part of the gang.

The beer and conversation were flowing, the bellowing laughs coming from the table practically feeling the air of the entire bar. You quickly fell into the banter, fitting in right away after growing up with brothers.

“There he is!” You suddenly heard Kevin shout from next to you, “Took you long enough, Patty.”

You looked up from your drink to see the man you could only assume to be Patty, his tall frame towering over you as you sat on the edge of the booth. He was dressed in all black, and his hair was long and frankly, unkempt as it curled around his ears. Even in the dim light of the bar, you could make out his light eyes, the blue piercing you as he finally met your gaze from his seat directly across from yours.

“Nolan, this is my friend Y/N,” Aubrey started, “She just moved in with me.”

Nolan reached out his hand across the table which you happily met, secretly hoping he couldn’t feel how clammy you had gotten since he walked in. He softly smiled as your hands touched, the corners of his mouth barely lifting but just enough.

“Nice to meet you,” he mumbled.

“You too,” you replied, flickering your eyes to the other end of the table before you caught yourself staring.

You were right away distracted by something Travis was chirping Claude for from this morning’s practice, but something about the man sitting just a few feet away from you was still consuming your thoughts.

You were pretty sure he had already decided that he didn’t like you. He had barely said a word aside from his initial pleasantries, but from then on it was almost like he wasn’t even acknowledging your presence. You didn’t know why you even cared, but there was something about his presence that made you on edge.

“I’m going to get another one,” you blurted out, everyone’s attention shifting to you.

“I’ll come with,” Aubrey declared.

“I’m good, stay,” you responded, giving her a knowing look. She was practically sitting in Travis’s lap, her hands wrapped around his neck while his eyes were stuck on her like she was the only one in the room. Not dating, my ass, you thought to yourself.

You slid off the cushion and headed towards the bar, the air already feeling lighter the further away from the group you got. You loved them, they were great, but it was just so much new at once. You needed a breather.

It was a packed Friday night and you knew it would be a while before you got your drink, so you sat down on the first available stool you saw. You caught the bartender's attention right away, but she was clearly swamped. You sent her a reassuring nod, telling her to take her time. She smiled right back at you, evidently grateful for your patience.

After what felt like barely a minute of waiting, you felt a body slide next to yours, the scent of cheap cologne overwhelming you as you braced yourself for what was about to happen.

“Hi there,” he spoke, leaning his weight against the bar top as he boxed you in.

“Hi,” you sighed. To put it simply, you were not in the mood.

“You got a name?”

“I do,” you chuckled in disbelief, turning your body away from his as your eyes scanned the room for anyone familiar. Which of course there wasn’t.

“A snappy one, alright,” he spoke, his hot breath fanning over your neck, “Well I’m Brett, what are you drinking?”

“Nothing,” you snapped.

“Oh c’mon, let me buy you a drink,” he continued, either not picking up on your hints or purposely ignoring them.

“I’m really all set.”

Just before he was about to open his mouth to speak once again, you felt his hand rest flat against your back, your body arching away from him immediately at the contact.

“Do not fucking touch her.”

The deep voice echoed in front of you, your vision clouded as your mind raced in a million directions.

“Listen, man, I got this.”

“No, I don’t think you do,” you heard, the vibrations of his voice running straight through your body.

Nolan.

You may have just met him, but that was a body and voice you couldn’t forget.

You had no idea what overcame you, but before you could process what you were doing you wrapped your arms around his torso. Nolan immediately reciprocated, his arm falling across your shoulders and pulling you close to his frame.  

“Just leave,” Nolan asserted, “Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be. It’s already embarrassing enough that you can’t take no for an answer.”

Your body relaxed against his, Nolan’s words calming your worst fears right away. From your vantage point, you assumed Nolan easily had at least six inches and thirty pounds on him. That seemed to be enough for him, backing away with a faulty glare and disappearing into the crowd.

“Nolan, I-” you stuttered, not knowing what to say, “Thank you,” you finally got out, your voice barely loud enough to hear over the hum of voices.

“Don’t mention it,” he muttered, his aura still cold.

You were so caught up in the shock of the moment that you hadn’t realized you were still holding each other, and right away you dropped your arm from his waist. Nolan did the same, awkwardly moving to sit on the stool next to you and flag the bartender.

You missed the warmth of his body right away, the spicy scent of his skin in stark contrast to the Axe you could only assume the other one was wearing. You swore you could still feel the ripple of his abs beneath his t-shirt on your fingertips. It was silent for a minute, both of you trying to come up with the right words.

“I really can’t thank you enough. Let me buy this round,” you pleaded, your eyes locking with his.

“Y/N,” Nolan started, your face flushing as your name fell from his lips, “I’m buying.”

You smiled up at him, nodding before looking back down in hopes of hiding the flush you felt creeping up your neck and onto your cheeks.

“Can I be honest, Nolan?” You questioned.

“Shoot.”

“Do you not like me? Did I do something? I wasn’t expecting that from you of all people-” you rambled until Nolan cut you off.

“First of all, I would have done that even if I hated you. But no, I like you, Y/N. A friend of a friend of TK’s is a friend of mine.”

You laughed at the last part before you could even process the first. Nolan’s cheeks went red, clearly embarrassed at his cliché phrasing but it didn’t matter how badly he made a fool of himself as long as you were smiling. The way your eyes scrunched and your nose turned up while you laughed was enough to make him forget the day he had.

Your laughter was interrupted by your drinks, the woman leaving you with a knowing smile before she turned away. Nolan and you both stood up ready to head back to the table before he stopped you.

“Friends?” He asked, putting his hand out in front of himself.

“Friends,” you agreed with a grin, shaking his hand before walking back to the group together.

~

two

You dreaded first days.

No matter how old you got, the anxiety of walking into an unfamiliar room full of unfamiliar faces never lessened. But you were ready, you reminded yourself, putting your head up and walking to the classroom like you had been there a hundred times before.

By the time you were walking out after the 90 minutes were up, your heart was pounding and you could feel the tears pricking the back of your eyes as you ran out of the building, not even bothering to introduce yourself to anyone.

The walk from the university back to your apartment was a blur. You couldn’t believe you had made such a poor first impression. You thought you were prepared, you had your notebook ready and all the right textbooks in order, but you somehow missed that there was an assignment due on the very first day.

As you rushed through the busy streets of the city, dodging people left and right, your mind raced back to that room.

“Ms. Y/L/N, can you please give your thoughts on the first case study?” Your professor questioned, intently watching you as your panic set in.

Your heart began to race and your palms sweat as you struggled to find the words to say that you hadn’t done the reading. This had never happened to you before, you were an A+ student for your entire life, almost unhealthily so. You couldn’t remember the last time you had missed an assignment, it just wasn’t something you did.

“Alright, then. Anyone else who actually checked the syllabus have something to say?”

Your professor's words were stuck in your head, playing over and over again when you finally reached your building. Now that you were so close to being in the comfort of your own space you could feel your wheels spinning, the stress and emotion overtaking your body.

Your hands shook as you tried to unlock the door, your body pushing through the threshold when you finally got it open.

“Aubrey?” You called as you walked through the hallway. She had known you for so long and always knew what to do to calm you down. But instead of Aubrey’s bright voice welcoming you back, you were met with silence.

“Where are you?” You muttered under your breath, your voice shaking as the tears threatened to spill over any second. As you turned the corner into the living room, you found three bodies spread across the couch, none of whom belonged to Aubrey.

“Oh,” you sputtered out, surprised to see Travis, Kevin, and Nolan watching a game.

“Y/N!” Travis called out, his infectious smile almost making your tight-lipped frown fade, “Aubrey just ran out for something but she should be back soon.”

You could feel Nolan’s gaze burning into you. You did your best to avoid his eye contact in hopes of hiding your current state from him. He had been nothing but kind to you, but you still felt so exposed standing in front of him, suddenly insecure about your outfit.

“I’m just going to go,” you whispered, pointing down the hall to your room. You felt horrible just ignoring them like that, but you knew you didn’t have it in you to keep up with them right now.

Your bag fell out of your hands almost instantly as soon as the door to your room clicked shut, the sound of your laptop hitting the hardwood floor making you cringe. You collapsed on your bed face first, the emotion you had been holding back for what felt like forever overwhelming you. Your body wracked in sobs as you replayed your embarrassment in a seemingly endless loop.

Nolan knew something was wrong the second he saw you. He may have only met you just a few days ago, but after growing up with two sisters he recognized the signs right away. He had no idea what was wrong, but he did know that you were barely holding it together.

Your head snapped up when you heard a series of soft knocks on your door, “Aubrey?” You asked, your voice rising with hope.

“No, uh, it’s Nolan.”

Your face fell when you heard his deep voice through the wood. You barely knew Nolan, he couldn’t see you like this. You paused for a moment wondering if he would just leave if you didn’t respond, but you could see his shadow through the bottom crack of your door, his feet were planted and didn’t show any signs of moving any time soon.

You silently groaned and picked yourself up, not even bothering to look in the mirror before opening the door because you knew it was not going to a pretty sight regardless. You hastily wiped underneath your eyes, the black of your mascara flaking right off your tear-stained skin. This wasn’t exactly how you wanted the new boy in your life to see you right after meeting you, but you just were friends, right?

“What, Nolan?” You sighed when you finally opened the door.

You didn’t mean to be so stark, but it just came out. His presence overwhelmed you just like it had at the bar a few nights ago. He was leaning against the door frame with his hands tucked into the pockets of his sweatpants. The backward hat resting atop his head flattered him perfectly, drawing attention to the tufts of his brown hair curling around his ears and neck.

Nolan stood up straight as soon as he saw you, his eyes softening when his suspicions were confirmed: you had been crying.

“I just wanted to check on you,” he mumbled, his eyes never leaving your own.

The tension in your shoulders released as you looked up at him. He didn’t say anything else, just tilting his head down towards you as he continued to scan your face for any signs of how you were feeling. You couldn’t pinpoint it, but there was something about Nolan that made you feel so safe, so secure, like as long as you were with him you could avoid your demons.

“I’m fine,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper.

“No you’re not,” Nolan rebutted, raising his eyebrows as if he was challenging you to lie to him again.

You didn’t say anything, but rather you moved your body to the side and ushered him into your room. Nolan happily obliged, awkwardly standing as he took in his surroundings. Your room was just as he expected, it was minimal, just like his. You didn’t like clutter, everything had a place. It was one way you tried to control the chaos that was your life.

“You can sit,” you spoke, breaking the silence.

Nolan nodded and sat next to you at the foot of the bed. You couldn’t help but let your eyes trail along his leg, the way his thighs stretched the fabric of his sweatpants making your cheeks flush.

“It was my first day at this new program I’m in and it didn’t go well, that’s all,” you finally sputtered out, staring down at your lap as your hands fidgeted. “I’ve never been good at first impressions,” you added, a gentle laugh escaping your lip as you thought back to your first time meeting Nolan.

“Listen, I’m sure it wasn’t that bad,” Nolan encouraged, “You seem like a pretty great person.”

You scoffed at his attempt to make you feel better, your emotions creeping their way back into your head.

“It was-” you paused, using every fiber within your being to try not to lose it in front of him, “It was bad.”

“C’mere,” Nolan whispered, turning on the bed to face you more and opening his arms, practically begging for your embrace.

You shook your head, closing your eyes as the fresh tears started burning. You were so selective in who you exposed your most vulnerable state to, and you barely knew Nolan. But despite this, you felt such an instant connection with him, and if his overt kindness was any indication, he felt the same way.

You let your final guard down, leaning back and curling into Nolan’s frame. He immediately wrapped his arms around you, holding you tight against him as one hand moved up to your head to rub soft circles into your hair.

“Go ahead and cry,” he hummed, his body gently rocking you back and forth.

You melted at his touch, your head nuzzling into the crook of his neck, the muted orange of his Flyers hoodie the last thing you saw before your eyes shut in sobs. His scent was overwhelming, the mix of his body wash and the leftover cologne lingering on his hoodie flooding your senses. You felt as if you disappeared in his grasp, like the world around you vanished and nothing else mattered.

You didn’t even know how much time had passed, but Nolan didn’t move an inch. He held you like it was the only thing he had to do all day. Once the tears stopped falling and your breathing steadied, you pulled back, instantly flooded with embarrassment.

“Wow,” you chuckled, wiping your cheeks, “I am so sorry, Nolan, I don’t know what happened I just-”

“Don’t,” he interrupted, “We’re friends, remember?” He teased, the corners of his mouth lifting in a gentle smile as he bumped your shoulder.

“Yeah,” you laughed.

“I think we were planning on grabbing some food,” Nolan mumbled, his hand scratching the back of his neck as he spoke, “If you want to come.”

“Oh, I don’t know.”

“Come on, you’re coming. If I have to put up with those two out there so do you.”

You rolled your eyes, but it was the least you could do after what he had just done for you.

“Give me five minutes to look less dead.”

Nolan smiled as you agreed, slipping out of the room so you could change and freshen up.

“What the fuck was that?” Nolan was bombarded by Kevin as he sat back down.

“Nothing,” Nolan mumbled, not in the mood to be questioned about things he didn’t even know the answer to.

“She let you go in there?” Aubrey asked, just having gotten back.

“Yes?” He responded, confused by her question.

Aubrey didn’t bother getting into it and changed the subject instead, but inside she was scheming. She knew you, how closed off you were, but here you were opening up to Nolan like you’ve known him for years. Nothing made Aubrey happier than watching this friendship bloom, and she couldn’t help but wonder if there was potential for more.

~

three

Team galas usually didn’t bother Nolan, it was part of the job, but tonight it was the last place he wanted to be. His tux felt too tight, the stuffy conversation with potential sponsors was putting him to sleep, and his date was, to be frank, insufferable.

Nolan had no problem going to an event without a plus one, he and TK were usually the two single guys spending their time causing trouble, but now that Aubrey was in the picture Kevin had decided he had seen enough. So, despite Nolan begging him to leave him alone, Kevin set him up with one of his friends from Boston.

She was just as Kevin described, beautiful and smart, but that was about all. Nolan was calm and reserved, at least until he was comfortable with someone, but she was the complete opposite. Her personality filled the entire room and although he admired her confidence, Nolan was exhausted. He felt like he couldn’t be himself, like he had to work to match her energy.

After what felt like hours of entertaining her and Kevin, Nolan made his escape to the bar. It was the first moment to himself he had, the relief immediately flooding him as he leaned against the counter. He titled his glass to the bartender, silently requesting a refill when he felt his phone buzzing in the pocket of his suit pants.

Nolan begrudgingly pulled the phone, wondering who it could possibly be. The entire team was with him and it was unlike his family to call him on a Saturday night. But when he saw your name flashing across the screen, his whole demeanor shifted.

“Nolan!” He heard you exclaim, your voice like a breath of fresh air.

“Y/N?” He questioned. You had never called him out of the blue like this before. Nolan nodded to the bartender thanking him before taking his drink and walking out to the empty hallway so he could hear you better. “Everything okay?”

It wasn’t really. You had just come back home from a date, one Aubrey practically forced you to go on. You pleaded to her that you were fine, that you weren’t ready to start dating in the city yet, but regardless, you found yourself sitting across from one of her coworkers at a restaurant downtown.

There was nothing wrong with him, he was nice, but it was evident to you before your drinks were even ordered that this wasn’t going to work. You pushed through the meal, putting on your best fake smile and pretending to laugh at his forced humor. You politely declined his offer to walk you home, instead opting to get an Uber so you could get out of your dress as soon as possible.

Now you were home, your sweats on and hair up with a glass of wine in your hand. The glass quickly turned into almost the entire bottle, drowning your sorrows of another failed date with your favorite red. That’s when you made the mistake of picking up your phone, your fingers scrolling through your contacts until you found the one name you knew would be able to distract you.

“I’m great. I mean I’m not, but it’s fine,” you rambled, your words slurred as you spoke.

For once it was you mumbling and not Nolan. He didn’t know what, but his gut was telling him that something was wrong, he could practically smell the alcohol on your tongue through the phone. After a long pause of trying to figure out what to say, his thoughts were interrupted.

“Come over?” You whispered, “I’m so sick of being alone.”

Nolan’s heart dropped at your words, his eyes blinking shut as he pondered his next move. His eyes scanned the ballroom, finally landing on his date. She was sitting at their table, Nolan’s empty seat sticking out like a sore thumb, laughing at whatever story of his college days Kevin was regurgitating. He would feel like an ass if he just left, and he would be lying if he said the prospect of an easy lay hadn’t crossed his mind tonight, but you were more important.

“Give me twenty.”

-

Since calling Nolan you had migrated from your bed to the couch, a blanket sprawled across your body while you laid horizontal. The only light in the room was from the TV as one of your comfort movies played. You were barely paying attention, instead zoning out and staring at the lit-up city around you from the window.

Your mindless thoughts were interrupted by a series of knocks on the door. You threw the blanket off of your body and stood up, slowly dragging your feet across the hardwood as you made your way. But you were nowhere near prepared for what you saw as soon as you opened the door.

Nolan towered over you in the door frame. He was wearing a suit, the soft, grey fabric clinging to his thighs and shoulders perfectly. His long hair was slicked back and tucked behind his ears. The scent of his cologne overwhelmed you instantly, the warm aroma making you want to melt into him. One hand was resting in his pant pocket, while the other was carrying a take-out bag from one of your favorite spots.

“Hi,” Nolan quietly muttered, breaking the silence.

His deep voice broke the trance you were in, and that’s when the realization hit you.

“I completely forgot you guys had that thing tonight,” you blurted, the alcohol in your bloodstream clogging your train of thought, “I am so sorry. You have to go back, I feel horrible.”

Your hands came up to your face, hiding your embarrassment. How could you forget? You spent hours this morning helping Aubrey pick out her dress.

“Y/N,” Nolan cooed, his large hands gently pulling your own off of your face, “I’m here and I’m not leaving.”

Nolan didn’t let you get another word out before he was pushing past your body. He wasn’t even enjoying himself at the event and the last thing he wanted to do was go back.

It didn’t long for the two of you to finish the food, opting to head back to the couch and ignore the many empty containers for now.

“I’m never going on a date ever again,” you slurred, “I don’t even want to look at a man ever again.”

Despite trying to be quiet, Nolan couldn’t hide his chuckle. He had heard similar frustrations from his two sisters growing up. He had been around endless assholes throughout his life, he knew how exhausting it must have been to try to find a decent one.

“Can’t blame you,” he mumbled.

Your body slumped against the back of the couch, your eyes slipping shut as the wine and food started to lull you into a sleepy haze. Nolan scanned your face, a soft smile creeping onto his face as he watched your chest gently rise and fall with each breath. Before he could catch himself, he lifted his hand and pushed back the hair that had fallen in your face, tucking it behind your ear.

In that moment Nolan knew that he was fucked.

Never before had he dropped everything for a girl as he did for you tonight. But he also had never connected with someone like he did with you. You didn’t force him to be something he wasn’t, there was no pressure to put on an act. It just felt natural with you. But your words from just a few minutes before lingered in the back of his head. You made it clear that you weren’t looking for anything right now, it only took one miserable date to remind you of that. So Nolan pulled his hand away, trying to ignore the burning of your skin against his fingertips as they trailed across your soft cheek.

You were friends. Just friends.

-

You had no idea how much time had passed, but suddenly you felt yourself stir awake, your eyes peeling open to find yourself tucked into Nolan’s side. His body was warm below yours, his arm resting across your shoulders holding you in place as you lay against his chest. From your peripheral vision, you could see his suit jacket on one of the couch cushions, the soft material of his button-down rubbing on your cheek.

You had two options. You could either acknowledge that you awkwardly fell asleep on him in your drunken state, or you could pretend that you never woke up and continue to enjoy the comfort of his embrace.

Needless to say, you chose the latter.

But you must have dozed off again because the next time you woke up you were being carried into your bedroom. Your arms were wrapped tightly across Nolan’s neck, the tips of your fingers naturally lifting to twirl the tufts of his hair.

“Shhh, I got you,” Nolan whispered as he felt you move, just before he laid you down onto your bed, “I’ll be right back.”

Nolan hastily left the room, leaving you to bask in the memory of his warmth as your head fell back against your pillow. Within just a few seconds he was back, placing a cool glass of water on your nightstand table. But almost just as fast as he came back, he was leaving again.

“Stay,” you murmured, watching him pause at the outline of your door.

“I- I got the couch.”

“Okay,” you responded, trying to hide your disappointment.

Nolan visibly cringed the second your door was closed, his head falling to his lap once he sat down. He wanted nothing more than to climb into bed with you. The thought of holding you beneath the sheets and feeling your soft skin in contrast to his rough hands made him dizzy. But the last thing he wanted to do was make you uncomfortable. You weren’t sober enough to say he could stay, and there was no chance in hell Nolan was going to risk scaring you off. So he took the couch, laying across the cushions with his eyes locked on your door until his eyelids gave in to his exhaustion. 

~

four

It was finally Friday, another week in the books. 

Your classes were taking more out of you than you had expected, the hours of reading and note-taking blending together as you finally closed your last tab. You had no plans for the night, and you honestly couldn’t be happier about it. A hot shower, takeout, and falling asleep early encompassed your perfect night recently.

Just as you were about to get in the shower, you were distracted by your phone ringing. You picked it up, surprised to see it was Kevin calling.

“Hi, Kevin,” you spoke, a slight edge to your words. You adored Kevin, he was an absolute sweetheart, but sometimes you just didn’t have the patience.

“What are you doing tonight?”

You rolled your eyes at his question, “Nothing.”

“Incorrect, you’re coming over and hanging out with me and Pat.”

“I am?” You laughed, taken aback by Kevin’s forwardness.

“Teeks and Aubrey are coming too, come on, Y/N,” he continued.

You knew you weren’t getting out of this without a real excuse, no matter how much you wanted to stay in. You hadn’t seen Nolan since the night you embarrassed yourself, the cringe of drunk dialing him after a bad date had yet to escape your memory.

“What time?”

“Uh- Let’s say 7.”

“Alright, Kev. See you later,” you hung up the phone, throwing it back on your bed before getting in the shower.

-

As you approached the boys’ apartment door, it was quieter than you expected it to be. Aubrey said she was already with Travis and would meet you there, so you were arriving alone. You assumed they would already have been there by now, but you ignored the silence and knocked on the door.

Just a few seconds later, the door swung open and you were face to face with Nolan. Your eyes widened when you saw him, his sweatpants hanging low on his hips and his bare torso staring at you. You quickly composed yourself, using every ounce of self-control within you to avoid trailing your gaze across his broad shoulders and down his chest, the curves and divots of his abs making your mouth water.

“Sorry,” Nolan mumbled, his cheeks flushing even redder than they usually were, “I thought you were Kevin, he always forgets his keys. Come in.”

You followed Nolan into the apartment, the muscles of his back rippling as his arms swung. You sat down on the couch, awkwardly waiting while he disappeared into his room. He came back just a few seconds later, his body now hidden behind a wrinkly t-shirt.

“Where is everyone?” You questioned, your body stiff as Nolan relaxed into the cushion next to you.

“Not sure,” he mumbled, the red of his cheeks lingering, “Kev said you were coming with Aubrey?”

Your face scrunched in confusion, “He told me she was coming here with Travis.”

Nolan then pulled his phone out and started typing a message to Kevin, desperate to figure out where he was. For some reason being here with you alone was making him nervous, there was an awkward energy in the air that had never been there before.

Nolan was reaching for the TV remote, about to ask you if you wanted to put something on when his phone sounded.

Kevin: You’re welcome

Now it was Nolan’s turn to furrow his eyebrows, the boy even more confused by Kevin’s message.

Kevin: We couldn’t watch you two anymore please just do something

Kevin: I’ll be out all night

Kevin: Don’t forget protection!

Of course. Of course, this little miscommunication was, in fact, a setup. But the worst part was that Nolan knew Kevin was right. No matter how hard he tried, he had been pining over you since that very first night. And now here you two were in an empty apartment with enough sexual tension to last the year.

“No one’s coming, are they?” You broke the silence, snapping Nolan out of his trance.

He threw his phone to the side as a slight smile crept across his stern face, “Nope,” he chuckled.

If you thought there was tension before, it didn’t even compare to what you felt now. Since meeting Nolan you were under the impression that your secretly harbored feelings for him were just that, a secret, but apparently, you weren’t as subtle as you thought. This had Aubrey written all over it, and you knew Travis was under her spell and would do anything to help her, and bonus points for chirping Nolan simultaneously. It was the elephant in the room, your mutual feelings still not being spoken but you both knew you had been called out by the people who knew you best.

“What are you thinking about?” Nolan whispered, the rough hum of his voice sending chills down your spine.

You couldn’t get even a single word out, your thoughts and feelings jumbling in your mind. After all this time the perfect opportunity was finally handed to you on a silver platter, but you still couldn’t do it.

Nolan could sense your hesitation, your close proximity and sweet scent clouding his consciousness.

“I’ll tell you what I’m thinking about,” he murmured, turning his body so he was facing you.

Your eyes had yet to leave your lap, your focus stuck on the rip of your jeans. You jumped when you felt his warm touch on your lower thigh, the warmth of his calloused hands making your heart rate rise even though the thick denim. His size was intoxicating and he made you feel like putty as he leaned closer to you.

“Y/N,” Nolan mumbled, his voice deeper than ever before.

You finally lifted your gaze, turning your head up to look at him. His baby blue eyes were piercing yours, the contact lighting a fire within you. Every reasonable thought in your head was telling you to pull away, to grab your bag and politely excuse yourself. You weren’t ready for a relationship, you had barely put yourself back together after your last heartbreak and Philly was supposed to be different. But as you sat here, your face just inches away from Nolan’s, you gave in to your desire.

Before you could talk yourself out of it, you connected your lips with his, immediately sighing in relief as his soft pout worked perfectly against you. You hastily swung your hips over and seated yourself on Nolan’s lap, an eager groan escaping him when your body rolled into his. His hands splayed across your hips, moving to circle your ass as he helped you grind deeper into his already hardening length.

Nolan trailed his lips down your jaw, nibbling and sucking on the plane of your neck. You knew he was leaving marks, but in the moment you couldn’t care less, the euphoria of his touch being the only comprehensive feeling.

“Please,” you whined, tightening your grip on his long locks, “Nolan.”

You couldn’t remember the last time someone had ignited you as Nolan had. He had barely even touched you and you were nearly certain you had already soaked through your panties, withering in his lap desperate for more.

“Now she has something to say,” Nolan teased, whispering into the shell of your ear. He gave you no warning before he was standing up, holding the back of your legs as you instinctually wrapped them around his waist.

Nolan gently tossed you on his bed, pausing to pull his shirt off before he was climbing on top of you. You were in a state of bliss, finally able to admire his frame shamelessly and without fear of getting caught. He continued to attack your neck, leaving mark after mark behind in his wake. You whimpered impatiently as his lips worked your sensitive skin, but Nolan was set on taking his time. He didn’t know if he would ever have you like this again and he was going to savor every second of it.

But you decided to take matters into your own hands, pushing his frame off of yours and pulling your sweater over your head. You grabbed Nolan’s face again, cupping both of his cheeks as your lips met again. He made quick work of your bra, unclasping it with ease behind your back and tossing it across the room.

“Fuck, you’re stunning,” he groaned, pausing to take you in. Your hair was splayed across the pillow, your cheeks flushed while your chest heaved up and down with heavy breathing. His praise went straight to your core, clenching around nothing as you grew more and more desperate for him.

Nolan wasted no more time, finally making his way down your torso before reaching the hem of your pants. His fingertips slowly ran beneath the fabric, stopping only to look up at you. Your eyes locked and you frantically nodded, understanding that he was waiting for your permission before continuing.

“Words, Y/N,” Nolan hummed into your thigh, his order gentle but firm.

“Yes,” you breathed out, “Fuck, yes.”

Nolan did as you said, unzipping your jeans and sliding them down your legs. He almost lost his balance on the mattress when he saw you laying before him, the pink lace resting across your hips being the only thing keeping him from you. Nolan settled himself between your legs, hooking both of them over his shoulders as his hot breath fanned over your pussy.

Nolan placed a soft kiss to your lace-covered clit, basking in your reaction as you let out an embarrassingly loud moan and your hands flew to his head, tangling in his hair. Your hips jerked up into the air, desperate for more friction. Nolan laid his thick forearm across your waist, his weight halting all of your movements and holding you at his mercy.

“Nolan, please just fuck me,” you begged, the suspense too much to handle as you felt yourself drip down the crease of your thigh.

“All in good time, baby,” he cooed, pulling your panties to the side and finally connecting with your throbbing pussy.

You cried out as his tongue flicked your clit back and forth, the pleasure only magnifying when he sucked it between his teeth. Your hands were locked with an iron grip in the roots of his hair, holding on like your life depended on it. Nolan hummed against your core as he continued to taste you, the vibrations of his voice sending shockwaves through your body.

Suddenly Nolan pulled back, but before you could protest you heard ripping. A gasp left your lips when you realized what he had done, the mangled lace of your panties now laying on his floor. You wanted to yell at him, complain that those were your favorite, but before you could get a word out he was back at work, this time fucking his tongue in and out of you.

Your head fell back against the pillow, your mouth opening in a silent scream when you felt him slide two fingers inside while his mouth circled your clit again. Nolan curled his fingers against your sweet spot and you knew you were done for, your back arching off the mattress as you combusted with your orgasm.

Nolan milked you through your high, his tongue flattening against your clit as his head shook and his fingers kept their pace. He finally slowed down as he felt you come down, pulling back to watch you shake as the last waves of pleasure rolled through your body. He slipped his fingers out of your fluttering pussy, only to bring them to his mouth and suck your juices clean.

“You’re really good at that,” you stammered, just now coming back to your senses after almost blacking out.

Nolan laughed, kissing his way back up your body until you two were face to face again. You couldn’t resist pulling him down and crashing your lips against his, moaning into his mouth as you tasted yourself on his tongue.

“I’m good at other things too,” he smirked, tucking your hair behind your ear, just as he had done last week, except this time he didn’t have to hide it. The soft action made your heart flutter, but his words made something else flutter.

“Give me your best, Patrick,” you challenged.

“Your wish is my command, baby.”

Nolan pushed off his arms and stood up, hurriedly stripping himself of his sweats and boxers in one fell swoop. A whimper escaped your lips when you heard the sound of his cock slapping against his stomach, your pupils dilated as your eyes trailed down his thighs admiring his tattoos. 

Reaching across you to get a condom from his nightstand, Nolan was surprised when you plucked it right from his hand. You tore open the foil and slowly rolled the condom onto him, a small smile spreading across your face when his hips buckled into your hand at your touch.

You may have been embarrassingly weak for him, but he was just as weak for you.

Nolan shifted on the bed so he was hovering over your body, leaning down to press a kiss to your mouth. Your lips moved in sync with one another, the pure lust filling the room dictating every movement. He felt you grow more and more impatient, your body stirring beneath his as he finally pulled away.

Taking one last look at you spread out before him, waiting for him to touch you, Nolan directed his attention back to between your legs. He locked eyes with you before collecting the salvia in his mouth, harshly spitting on your pussy. The moan you let out was only amplified when he started teasing you even more, dragging the head of his cock through your soaking folds.

“Nolan,” you whined, the last letter of his name prolonged as you begged, your entire body tensing while he tapped your already so sensitive clit.

“Shhh,” he cooed, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles against your hip, “Got to make sure you’re ready for me.”

Before you could get in another word of protest, Nolan was pushing one of your legs into your chest and sliding inside. Your mouth fell open as he slowly bottomed out, the sensation of him filling you paralyzing. A string of deep swears left his lips as he felt you already clenching around him.

After letting you adjust, Nolan started rocking his hips, quickly finding his rhythm. You didn’t have a single thought in your head, the way he hit your sweet spot inside and ground against your clit making you dizzy.

Nolan had never been in such bliss. He could never have imagined how good you would feel wrapped around him, your walls still pulsating from your first high as he slid in and out. The way your name sounded falling from his lips was pure ecstasy, his innate possessiveness in full drive. Your nails dug into his back, dragging burning lines into his skin that he knew he would be tormented about tomorrow in the locker room but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but the way your bodies fit together in perfect harmony right this moment.

You could feel yourself growing close within mere minutes, Nolan’s relentless thrusts giving you no mercy. He could tell you were almost there by the way you were fluttering around him, along with the mindless sounds of pleasure escaping your lips getting louder and louder.

“That’s it,” Nolan encouraged in your ear, “Cum for me, Y/N.”

Between his hot breath against your tingling skin and his plunging thrusts, Nolan had you seeing stars.

“Nolan, Nolan,” you whined.

You swore you almost blacked out, your vision going blank as he fucked you through your high. He wasn’t far behind you, the clenching of your pussy egging him on until he finally let go, his hips stuttering and groans filling the air as his head fell into the crook of your neck.

“Fuck,” Nolan sighed, letting his heart rate steady as he laid above you, resting the majority of his weight on his forearms.

“Yeah,” you responded with a breathy laugh, your mind still blank as you came down.

Nolan stayed there for a few minutes before finally sitting up, cringing as you whimpered when he pulled out. Your eyes slipped shut, but you could hear him shifting around the room. After pulling on a pair of fresh boxers and dampening a towel, Nolan gently cleaned you up, biting back a smirk each time you shivered at his touch. He disappeared again, this time returning with a shirt in hand, urging you to sit up so he could help you pull the soft fabric over your head.

You had every intention of getting dressed and leaving, but you just couldn’t find the energy to remove yourself from his warm bed. The sheets that smelled like him enveloped you, and now his t-shirt was draped over your shoulders begging you to stay. Nolan slid next to you, his body cradling yours from behind as he wrapped an arm around your waist, holding you impossibly close.

“Sleep well, Y/N,” Nolan hummed into your neck as he settled in.

“Goodnight,” you managed to get out, the shame of what you had just done starting to spiral in your head.

You made a mistake. Nolan was good, so good, and he deserved more than you could give him. Your last relationship ended in disaster, leaving you broken and abandoning the idea of finding love ever again. Regardless of what you told your friends and family, it was what drove you from home. Then came Nolan, he was the definition of kind. Even when he barely knew you he did whatever he could to protect you. That kind of guy deserves someone who’s got it together, not whatever mess you were. You couldn’t believe you let your attraction to him get the best of you, and now here you were, pressed against his sleeping frame as he held you.

Everything inside of you was telling you to leave. It was too much, the eventual pain of whatever this was ending was overwhelming. You could hear Nolan snoring behind you, the sound of his contentment almost bringing tears to your eyes. Gently lifting his arm from its spot across your waist, you slid from underneath his grasp. It was nearly impossible to find your clothes in the dark, but you managed to do so without making too much noise. Nolan didn’t even stir as you moved around him, folding the shirt he gave you and placing it on the nightstand.

Just as you reached for the door, you felt yourself pause. Don’t do it, Y/N. Don’t do it. But you couldn’t resist, slowly turning to take in what you were leaving behind.

Nolan was passed out, his body leaning towards the pillow where you once laid your head and his arm laying flat as if he was still holding you. You could make out the redness of his cheeks in the dim light, his eyelashes curling down onto his cheeks. Your heart broke as you looked at him, but you knew it was what you had to do. He deserved the world, which was much more than you were able to give him. Without giving it another second of thought, you opened the door as quietly as possible and made your escape.

~

+ one

It had been over three weeks since you last spoke to Nolan.

You couldn’t handle facing him just yet, so you did what you knew best: shutting out the people that cared about you the most. You ignored every single one of his calls and texts, eventually muting his number when it became too much. You replayed what you imagined he looked and felt like that morning, waking up to a cold, empty bed. It was heartbreaking, but you stayed firm in your decision. As long as you didn’t have to see his face you would be fine.

But of course, Aubrey had different plans for you.

Since that night, you had been more distant from her than ever before. You left the apartment early in the morning, spending your day in class and bouncing between different coffee shops while working. You kept up appearances when you returned in the evening, saying hello and asking her how her day was, but practically nothing else. You made an early exit to your room, citing homework or lack of sleep as your excuse. But she knew you better than anyone else, it was no secret something was wrong. Much to your content, you could only assume that Nolan was keeping your secret as well, knowing that if he told anyone on the team you would be getting an earful from her.

But Aubrey had decided that she was done letting you sulk about whatever it was you were so clearly upset by. The Flyers had been away for almost two weeks and tonight was their first game back home. Thanks to Travis, she had two tickets in hand ready for the two of you.

Before you had even shut the apartment door behind you after arriving home, she was jumping up to greet you.

“Hey!” Aubrey exclaimed as you walked in, “We’re going out tonight.”

You just stared at her confused, knowing damn well you had no intention of going anywhere. “Hey,” you started, “I- I don’t think so, I have a lot to do.”

“No, you don’t. Listen, I don’t know what is going on with you but I’m sick of watching you wallow in whatever it is. I’ve barely talked to you in almost a month, you’re coming with me,” Aubrey snapped. If there was one thing about having such an old friend it was that she always gave it to you straight.

“Where?” You begrudgingly inquired.

“Nope, it’s a surprise,” she answered. If her inkling was correct, whatever had you in this funk had something to do with a certain Flyers centerman and she was not risking you ditching because of it.  

“Fine,” you groaned.

It wasn’t news to you that you had been a horrible friend recently. Despite the anxiety that came with breaking your current routine, maybe a night with Aubrey was just what you needed to take your mind off everything.

-

A few hours had passed, and you were sitting in the back of an Uber watching the city pass you by. Aubrey maintained the anonymity of the destination, ignoring all of your pleas for even just a hint. But there were some things that she couldn’t control.

Your stomach dropped when you saw where the car was heading towards, the large Wells Fargo Center plastered on the side of the building cluing you in. Of course, you thought, how could you not have known. You had so strictly blocked Nolan and the entire team from your mind that didn’t think to look at their schedule, but now it all made sense.

“Aubrey, no,” you stated, your voice already shaking as you got closer and closer.

“What the hell happened?” she snapped back, finally getting confirmation that your funk was related to Nolan.

“Nothing, nothing happened. I just don’t want to go,” you rebutted, “I’m not in the mood to see everyone, okay?”

“You don’t have to, we’re sitting alone,” she responded, turning her phone on and showing you the location of the tickets. As she promised, they were nowhere near the family boxes.

You didn’t say anything else, instead choosing silence as the car pulled up to the entrance. You both thanked the driver before quickly exiting, a long, awkward silence falling over the two of you as you entered the arena.

You could do this, you told yourself while adjusting in your seat. You could sit through one game, you didn’t even have to see or talk to anyone. If it would make Aubrey happy, you could suck it up and sit down. The two of you had still barely said a word to each other since arriving, and you could see the disappointment on her face. Deciding it was time to get over it, you put your arm around Aubrey, smiling as you instantly felt her relax and place her head on your shoulder. Neither of you said anything, but after knowing each other for so long, you didn’t have to. She knew what you meant.

-

You didn’t know what to expect, but the second you saw Nolan step onto the ice you were flooded with emotion. He looked tired, like he hadn’t been sleeping much or well, and your heart dropped at the thought that you may have been the reason why. You still were firm in your decision to avoid anything serious right now, but you knew you went about it in the completely wrong way. Nolan was the closest thing you had ever met to an angel, but you treated him like a random one night stand from the bar you barely knew. The guilt had overtaken you over the past few weeks, and seeing him in the flesh wasn’t helping.

It was a relatively uneventful game, the rebuilding Red Wings visiting and not giving the Flyers much of a fight. By the third period they were up 4-0, one of which was scored by number 19 himself. As the horn sounded signaling the end of the game, Aubrey turned to you.

“I was going to go see Travis,” she hesitated, “Do you want to come? Or I can meet you right after?”

“I’ll wait for you,” you encouraged.

Aubrey thanked you, squeezing your hand before getting up and heading downstairs. Instead of going to the main concourse to wait, you stayed in your seat, waiting for the crowds to clear out before you moved. Pulling your phone out of your pocket, you started mindlessly scrolling as a distraction.

But your distraction didn’t last for long.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Your eyes slipped shut when you heard his voice, that same voice that left you weak in the knees. You immediately felt your heart begin to race and your palms sweat. You felt caught. After taking a moment to pause, you finally mustered up the courage to look up at him.

Nolan’s eyes were focused on your own, his hair slicked back and soaking wet still with sweat. He had definitely not showered yet, between the fact that the game just ended minutes ago and his appearance. He was dressed in his undergarments and slides, clearly he wasted no time before coming up here to find you.

“How did you even know I was here?” you questioned back, already feeling yourself on the defense.

“Really?” Nolan scoffed, “Travis told me. How else would I have known? It’s not like you talk to me.” He trailed off, his words becoming quieter.

“Nolan, please,” you pleaded, “Please sit down.”

There was no doubt in your mind that it was time for you to come clean. You could see the pain in his eyes and the hurt behind his voice. He obliged, sinking to sit in the seat beside you, but he didn’t turn to face you. His coldness was evident, and you knew that you deserved nothing else.

“I’m sorry,” you began, “I’m so sorry, Nolan. I- I shouldn’t have left like that, with no explanation-”

“I thought I had you,” he interrupted, “Finally, Y/N, after all those weeks of tiptoeing around it, I thought we were done pretending.”

You could feel the tears burning behind your irises, and it was taking everything within you not to let them out. Nolan’s words broke you, even more than you were already broken.

“Nolan, I wanted- I want,” you corrected yourself, “Nothing more than to give myself to you, but I- I just can’t. I’m not ready.”

“Then why did you sleep with me?” his voice cracked, “And what does that even mean, ‘you’re not ready’?”

“I can’t let myself get hurt again, okay? I can’t do it,” you sighed, finally succumbing to your emotion, “I am so sorry for dragging you into my mess, but I can’t let myself go through that again. And you deserve so much better.”

Your head fell to your hands, hiding your face from him as you cried. Even just speaking out loud your last heartbreak made you a wreck. Deep down you knew Nolan wasn’t capable of hurting you like that, but you wouldn’t let him take care of you anymore. You couldn’t. He deserved someone who didn’t need to be taken care of.

“Y/N,” Nolan hummed, gently placing a hand on your back. He cringed when you jumped at his touch. “Y/N, look at me, please.”

You did as he asked, your red, puffy eyes lifting to meet his baby blues, putting you at ease almost right away.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Nolan murmured, “I don’t know what you think, but you’re not a burden. You’re the complete opposite and I want to show you that. If you’ll let me.” He paused, his eyes frantically scanning your face for any sign of your reaction. You were staring ahead of you, entranced with the ice below as you processed his words. Despite knowing how much it could potentially hurt, Nolan said what he thought he had to, “Even if it’s just as friends, but you can’t disappear on me again.”

You made Nolan feel at peace, like when he was with you nothing else mattered. But no matter how strong his feelings were, he cared for you enough to put them aside if that’s what it took to keep you in his life.

“I don't want to be friends,” you whispered, finally breaking the silence.

As if there was some kind of magnifying force between the two of you, your body lunged towards Nolan’s, your lips crashing together instantly. He was stunned, his body frozen in shock, but within seconds he melted against your touch with one hand on your lower back and the other tangled in your hair. It felt like time stopped in that moment, the only thing making you pull away was the lack of air.

You were both breathless, your foreheads resting against one another. Nolan took both of your hands in his, intertwining his much larger fingers with yours.

“I trust you,” you breathed out.

The grin that spread on Nolan’s face was like nothing you had ever seen before. You matched him right away, smiling as you watched the pure joy and relief wash over. The same joy and relief that you were feeling.

“Does this mean I finally get to take you out?” he asked, his deep mumble making you feel right at home again.

“Maybe,” you teased, “Only if you shower,” you added, pretending to push him off of you.

Nolan couldn’t help but fall into a fit of laughter at your subtle jab. That’s what he loved about you most, the way you could earn a smile or chuckle out of him like no one else.

He stood up from his seat, extending his hand out as he stared down at you. Without even a crumb of doubt creeping its way into your mind, you took his hand. Wrapping your arms around Nolan’s and resting your head against his shoulder, you walked out and into the hallway together.

Nolan leaned down and pressed a gentle peck to your forehead, and for the first time in longer than you could remember, you felt untouchable.

~

[starshine583]

New Girl on the Block (18)

(Hey, everyone! I have an announcement to make! After posting this chapter, I am going to be taking a temporary leave due to family matters. They’re fun family matters, so don’t worry! but they will prevent me from writing any further chapters at this time. I plan to post the next chapter on June 27th. Sorry for the long wait! That’s just how things worked out, but I hope I’ll get to see you all then, and please enjoy this new update! Feel free to check out the mini series connected to this called Journal Entries!)

Ch. 1 / Ch. 17 / Ch. 19 (ao3)

Chapter 18: It’s the Little Moments

Felix grumbled to himself as he picked up his tie to pull it around his neck. Valentine’s Day parties were bad enough already with all of the love-sick couples that tended to crowd around him throughout the evening. Did he really have to further his torment by dressing up as well? His previous suit was perfectly fine for an event such as this. Fashionable, sleek, formal- there was no reason to change. Especially when it came to this ridiculous, unseemly-

“Oh, lighten up.” His mother told him, shooing his hands away so she could tie the tie herself. “It’s just a Valentine’s Day suit, and you’re wearing it for one night. There’s no need to scowl over it. I’m sure the other boys will be wearing some form of pink too.”

Felix scoffed. “Mother, don’t patronize me. You know I don’t care about the pink color. It’s the fact that you’re dressing me up to match the theme.”

Bridgette eyed him. “And?  You’re supposed to match the theme for parties. That’s why it’s called a theme.”

“But if I match the theme, other girls at the party will probably think I approve of the theme too.” Felix argued. “And then they’ll be asking me to dance or trying to talk with me in general. I’ll have to spend the entire evening trying to shoo them off.”

A laugh tumbled from his mother’s lips. “Aw~, it must be so exhausting having all of the girls fall in love with you.”

Felix shot her a flat look. “Would you want to spend an evening rejecting people?”

Bridgette tilted her head in a nod. “I’ll give you that one, but you know Allegra could always scare them off if they become too overbearing.”

Felix blew out a relenting sigh. He supposed that was true.

“Besides, even if the girls are chasing you, you still need to look nice Marinette, don’t you?”

Felix furrowed his eyebrows, confused. “No? Marinette’s not going to care what I look like, so long as I’m not a fashion disaster, that is.”

Which, in this suit, he might very well be, to be honest. Perhaps he should text her a warning.

“I thought you two were supposed to be going on a fake date tonight.” His mother replied, tugging lightly on Felix’s tie to straighten it.

Felix’s gaze snapped to her. “Where did you hear that?”

Bridgette chuckled, offering him a teasing glance as she said, “Oh, please. You know Allegra and I talk.”

Felix tisked and rolled his shoulders, making sure his suit wasn’t too tight. Of course Allegra would mention that ridiculous suggestion to his mother. Those two loved to gossip together, specifically about him.

“Well, we’re not.” He remarked, leveling out the annoyance in his tone. “That was just some frivolous idea that Claude came up with the other day.”

“Really? I thought the idea sounded rather exciting.”

Felix resisted the urge to scoff again. Her too? “Why on earth would it be exciting? You galivant around with someone, probably doing the exact same thing you would do with them on a normal basis, but you call it a ‘fake date’ for what? A good laugh when someone assumes you’re a real couple? I can’t wrap my brain around the reasoning.”

Another chuckle came from Bridgette. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t, but consider this: If you and Marinette pretend you’re dating for the evening, you might not have so many girls coming to ask you for a dance.”

Felix paused, his eyes widening slightly. That.. actually wasn’t such a bad idea. He might even consider it if the thought of asking Marinette didn’t sound so incredibly arrogant. ‘Would you mind being my fake date to help me escape the supposed hoards of girls who are going to chase after me tonight?’ You can’t convince him that that proposal didn’t sound anything less than tacky. She’d probably tease him about it the whole night.

“If it bothers you so much, though,” his mother spoke again, “why not ask Marinette out on a real date?”

Felix sputtered a bit at the comment, blurting out a bewildered, “Excuse me?”

Don’t get him wrong, Marinette was an extraordinary person and anyone who ended up with her would undoubtedly be lucky, but the very thought of him asking her out on a date felt.. strange. He couldn’t imagine asking her for anything more than what she was giving him right now, and he didn’t think there was anything she’d want from him when it came to a relationship anyway. Their dynamic was comfortable as it was. Why should they try to complicate things?

“Alright, alright, I was just asking.” his mother assured, almost seeming to laugh as she did. “You two are only friends. I understand.”

Something about the smile in her eyes told him that she didn’t understand, but he simply glanced to the side, electing to ignore it. Arguing wouldn’t change her mind either way, and in the end it was just a question. His friendship with Marinette wasn’t going to change over it, because neither of them harbored romantic feelings for each other. He was perfectly content to keep it that way. 

~~~~~~

Marinette stood in front of her vanity mirror, twisting her hair into a side ponytail for the fifth time that evening. She’d spent the last hour trying over and over again to perfect the hairstyle, but she could never seem to get it right. The ponytail was always too lopsided or too messy or the braid tied into it would begin to unwind. Now, the ponytail was tied tightly enough, but the braid was crooked, and there were too many stray hairs flying around for it to look neat. How can she still be struggling after practicing this for an hour?

“Ugh! I give up!” She huffed, throwing her hands down and staring ruefully at her nearly knotted locks. This is what she gets for taking the easy route and always putting her hair in pigtails. “I’m just going to stay home.”

“No, don’t do that!” Tikki quickly spoke up, flying to her holder’s side. “You’ve worked too hard on your dress to stay home! And your hair really doesn’t look all that bad. I’m sure no one will think twice about it.”

Marinette tisked, plopping into her rolling chair and crossing her arms. “But I’ll think about it, Tikki, and I’ll be more self-conscious than I was going to be before.”

Tonight wasn’t just a Valentine’s Day party for Marinette. That was mainly what it was, of course, but she also saw it as a sort of debut. With the amount of time she spent hanging around Allegra and Claude and the others, she hadn’t had time to truly meet her other classmates at Rosemary, but tonight, they would all be gathered together for her convenience and she would finally have a chance to introduce herself to the school as a whole. It was exhilarating.. and a tad frightening. She’d seen plenty of students in passing that appeared to be less than friendly. How were they going to react to her? Were they going to be as sweet as her current friends? Or did she happen to run into the best group in the school first? There was no telling.

“Try not to overthink it.” Her kwami said softly, though they both knew she would. “Why don’t you try a different hairstyle?”

“Because I don’t know any other hairstyles.” Marinette sighed. “Well.. I know a bun, I guess, but I really wanted this hairstyle for tonight. I feel like it would really bring the dress together, you know?”

“It would.” Tikki agreed. “And it does. But if you think you can’t figure it out-”

“Marinette! Felix is here to pick you up!”

Panic seized Marinette’s chest at the call, and she leapt out of her chair to look in the mirror again. Felix was there already? The party wasn’t for another thirty minutes! Why did he always have to be early? 

“Uh- j-just a second, Maman!” She called back, frantically trying to straighten her braid and smooth the wisps of hair around her ponytail. It didn’t work, unfortunately, so she threw a silver pin in her hair as a last ditch effort and made her way downstairs, trying not to whimper too much.

“Oh, Marinette, you look wonderful!” Her mother cooed as Marinette descended the stairs. “I need to go get Tom. Oh, and a camera!”

Marinette pulled a wince. They were going to have photo evidence of this failure of a hairstyle? 

“Maman, are you sure that’s necessary? I get dressed up like this all the time.” She tried to dissuade, but Sabine merely waved off her comment. 

“Of course it is! This is your first party at Rosemary. We must have pictures.”

“Best be prepared.” A voice cut in, catching Marinette’s attention immediately. “Claude will undoubtedly be thinking the same thing when we arrive.”

Marinette turned towards the front door with a smile, but a gasp escaped her when she saw Felix standing there. She knew it would be him, of course. She simply hadn’t expected him to be wearing a different outfit. 

“You..” She paused, briefly wondering if it would be rude to finish, then continued, “you changed your suit.”

Logically, she knew he had more than one suit. No one can wear the same suit forever, and Felix seemed to be too proper to do it even if he could. However, when he didn’t wear his usual suit, he continued to maintain the black and grey color scheme, so it never quite stuck with her that he’d changed. Tonight, though, his suit was entirely red, so deep a red that she might acquate it with blood, and he had a wonderfully pink tie on, along with a pink cloth folded in his front vest pocket to complement it. The sight nearly knocked her off her feet. He was even matching the party’s theme! She didn’t think he cared for things such as that.

A smirk ghosted Felix’s lips, and he nodded. “Yes, courtesy of my mother. I see you changed your hair as well.”

A blush crept across her cheeks, and Marinette reached up to feel how horrible the hairstyle was again. Here Felix was, doing his best and looking great as always, and she was just standing there looking like a mess. Typical.

“O-Oh, yeah, I mean.. I tried to change it. I don’t think it worked out too well..” She muttered, glancing down at the ground. Maybe she still had time to take it out before they left? 

Felix’s footsteps brought her gaze back upwards, and she watched him cross the room to her. His eyes were squinted ever-so-slightly, the way they always were when he was pondering something, and once he was close enough, he reached out, his hand lightly tracing over the side braid she’d attempted. 

Marinette stood still, allowing him to ‘examine’ her for a moment before saying, “It’s awful, isn’t it? I couldn’t get anything to stay where it was supposed to.”

Felix hummed absently, bringing his hand down to let the tip of her ponytail slide off of his fingertips. “No, not awful. If you practice a few more times, I’m sure it would be perfect.”

Marinette blew out a small sigh. That meant it wasn’t perfect now.

“Do you have the reference you used? If I see it, I might be able to straighten the braid out before we leave at least.” Felix inquired, causing Marinette’s eyes to widen. Oh?

“You know how to do hair?”

“Not quite,” he admitted, “but I learned some of the basics during a few sleepovers. For some reason, Claude and Allegra thought it important that I had a decent grasp on the subject.”

A smile came to Marinette’s lips. That sounded like something they would do. “And you think you can fix my hairstyle from your limited knowledge?”

“Possibly, if you have reference,” Felix smirked, “but it’s alright if you prefer to keep what you have.”

“Oh no, please.” Marinette said, quickly pulling her phone out of her heart shaped purse. “Anything’s probably better than what I have in now. Are you sure we have time, though?”

Felix nodded. “I always leave around ten or fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, so we should have plenty of time.”

Marinette nodded as well and opened the reference video she’d used for her hairstyle. Felix took the phone from her and watched it once or twice as she pulled out the pins in her hair. Then, when everything was down again, Felix handed the phone back to her and let it play in her hands for a third time while he set to work. His fingers brushed through her hair, carefully separating the different locks and tying them together. The feeling behind it was quite strange, mostly because she could hardly feel it at all. His hands were so gentle, so cautious that even when he had to tug on her hair to tighten the braid, it seemed as light as a cloud. Felix was always soft like that. He spoke harshly to others and liked to scowl often, but when it came to his actions, she couldn’t recall a single time he’d been rough. 

Recently, she’s been hearing that secret softness in his voice too, and it never failed to make her smile. 

“Aw, did her hair fall out?”

Sabine’s voice brought the two’s gaze to the living room doorway. She was standing there with Tom, a camera in her hands and a slight, disappointed frown on her lips.

“No, I took it out.” Marinette assured over her shoulder. “Felix offered to do the hairdo himself so it would look better.”

“Oh, how gentlemanly of him.” Tom chimed in with a satisfied smile. 

“Do you mind if I get a picture?” Sabine requested, prepping the camera in her hands.

“Uh..” Marinette looked to Felix as best she could. “Are you okay with that?”

“I don’t mind.” Felix shrugged. “Mother already bombarded me with pictures before I left. What’s a few more?”

Marinette chuckled. “You said she was the one who gave you the suit right?”

“No, she’s the one who made me wear it.” Felix corrected. “Something about having to match the theme.”

“Ah, I see.” Marinette said. She should have known Felix wouldn’t throw away his black and grey color scheme willingly. “She has great taste. You’ll have to let me meet her sometime so I can tell her ‘thank you’.”

A playful scoff passed his lips and brushed against her ear. “You know, I’m sure she would be delighted to do just that.”

*Click!*

The camera flash brought the two’s attention back to Sabine and Tom, who were both holding giddy smiles at this point.

“I think you both look fantastic.” Tom grinned. “Those boys will be falling over each other to get to Marinette tonight, I’m sure.”

Felix hummed as he twisted her hair to pin it into a side ponytail, muttering, “I quite agree.”

The comment was soft and absent, and it sent a blush exploding across Marinette’s face. That’s the second time he’s agreed to her being pretty and a supposed ‘boy magnet’. Does he ever think about what he’s saying or is it just some logical fact to him that shouldn’t mean anything? She’s not sure which one she prefers. 

“Done.” 

Felix’s hands fell back to his sides, and Marinette reached up to feel the hairstyle- gently, though, so as not to mess it up. The pull of the bobby pins was comfortable and tight, and her braid felt nice and straight as she grazed her fingers over it. Overall, it felt perfect, which was exactly what she’d wanted.

“Thanks, Felix.” She said, offering him a quick smile as she checked the reflection in her phone. “It looks great. You’re a life-saver.”

“And you two are going to be late if you don’t hurry up.” Her maman cut in. “Now gather together for a picture so we can send you off.”

Marinette rolled her eyes with a smile and tucked her phone back in her purse, then turned to stand next to Felix. He, in turn, straightened slightly next to her and clasped his hand behind his back for the picture.

“Alright, say cheese!” Sabine coaxed, holding up her camera.

The pair smiled. “Cheese!”

*Click!*

~~~~~~~

Claude’s grin stretched from ear to ear as he watched his fellow Rosemary students pile into the Mandarin Oriental. As usual, people of all shapes and sizes were here. The ‘cool’ kids, the music kids, the nerd kids, the geeks, the dancers- anyone and everyone who had a popular status at the school, along with a good group of others who counted as the stalking crowd. The younger, less-popular students who tended to follow the social hierarchies like loyal dogs. The ‘baby paparazzis’, if you will. They were all crowding inside with an urgency that only his- and Allegra and Allan and Marinette and Felix’s -parties could bring. Soon, Marinette and Felix will be there as well, and then the fun will really begin.

“Alright, Marinette just texted.” Allegra spoke up behind him. She was currently hovering around the buffet table to ensure the punch drinks were being dispersed properly. Claude, of course, was hovering around Allegra in case she needed his help with anything. 

“She said they’re parking now.” His ‘fake date’ continued, glancing over her phone screen as she re-read the text. “You remember what to do, right?”

Claude huffed out a playful scoff, reaching for the platter of shrimp as he replied, “Of course I do. Take her onto the dance floor to help her get comfortable in the ‘party atmosphere’, convince her to dance with Felix while you convince Felix to dance with her, and-”

Allegra slapped his hand, coaxing a yelp from the brunette.

“Don’t touch the shrimp until the other guests have some first.” She scolded.

Claude rubbed his hand with a pout. So touchy. Why should he have to wait for the guests to eat? If they wanted shrimp, they should come up and get some. Why can’t he have the food that he helped pay for? (Well, the food that his parents helped pay for.)

“And keep your voice down too.” Allegra added, flipping her hair over her shoulder when it fell in the way. Wearing it in a half-up-half-down style wasn’t nearly as convenient as her casual braid, but he had to admit, the free curls that fell around her shoulders were extremely nice. “Do you know the amount of people here who would love to get their grubby little hands on the fact that we’re trying to set stubborn, stuck-up, stone-faced Felix with the new, cotton-candy-sweet, bakery-girl Marinette? The gossip would reach both of them within seconds.”

“Yeah, it probably would.” He agreed. “But at least they’ll both know they like each other then. Saves us the trouble, right?”

Allegra shot him a flat look, meaning he probably said something wildly inaccurate again.

“Claude, the only gossip that would be spreading would be the fact that we’re trying to get them together. Not that they like each other. How do you think Felix is going to react when he realizes we’re playing matchmaker? What about Marinette? I think they’d probably be a little uncomfortable considering neither of them probably think that the other person likes them. Which is why we decided to be subtle about this in the first place.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“That makes sense.”

“Yes, it does.” Allegra said, crossing her arms. “So keep your voice down when talking about it from now on, please.”

Claude nodded, leaning back on the buffet table as he faced the crowd again. “Sure, sorry.”

This was going to be a tough evening, trying to get Marinette and Felix together while not blurting the scheme out to the world. He just felt like everything would be easier if they simply talked to each other about it openly. But Allegra was more perceptive than he was. She probably knew things he didn’t about the situation. So he’ll go along with her plan and hope it works out. 

Besides, this way he gets to mess with Felix as much as he wants. And he won’t get scolded, this time! 

And if everything does work out, Marinette and Felix will be all the happier for it.

Win-win-win-win.

“Hey, guys.” Allan spoke up, joining them at the table and swiping a shrimp. “Do you know if Felix and Marinette are here yet? I haven’t seen them.”

Allegra opened her mouth to scold him about the shrimp as she had Claude, but Allan popped it into his mouth before she could. Claude held back a snort, watching Allegra purse her lips in annoyance. If he couldn’t have a shrimp, at least Allan got one.

“They’re on their way up now.” The blonde replied with narrowed eyes, unbeknownst to Allan. “They just parked a few minutes ago.”

“Cool. We’re still having Claude do his thing, right?”

“Yep.” Claude said, a devilish grin spreading across his lips. “And I am so ready to cause mischief.”

Allegra snorted and lightly nudged him in the arm. “Not too much mischief. This is supposed to be romantic, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Claude waved her off. “I’ll get them to be romantic. After I get to mess with them.”

“Claude-”

“Oh- there they are! Hey, guys!” 

Claude perked up at the interruption, the familiar voice drawing his gaze to the front of the Mandarin Oriental. It was the very voice they’d been waiting for, and the source wasn’t hard to find.

Marinette and Felix were making their way through the crowd towards them, Marinette clearly excited as she waved them down with a bright smile. The designer dress she was wearing looked fantastic, as Felix had predicted, and the hearts littering it matched the theme perfectly. She even had her hair all done up tonight! (Which really brought out the elegance of the dress, in his opinion.) An outfit like that was only going to make his job of setting up a romantic thought process between the two that much easier.

(Of course, with the way Felix was staring at Marinette right now, Claude had a feeling that that thought process might already be set up.)

“Hey!” he greeted, meeting the pair halfway to give Marinette a hug. Was it the flowers on the table or did this girl actually smell like roses tonight? Did she use a special perfume? Oh, Allegra was going to love this.

“You two look awesome! I was starting to think you’d never get here.” He teased, stepping back again to get a better view of her face. She decided to go with a pinker shade of lipstick tonight, along with a glittering, light pink eyeshadow, and it’s a wonder that Felix hasn’t collapsed from swooning at this point. (Though maybe Claude can catch that when the two dance later. The video footage would be priceless!)

Marinette let out a light laugh, touching the tip of her side ponytail with a sheepish smile. “Yeah, sorry about that. Felix was helping me with my hair.”

“Aw, Felix!” Allegra cooed, coming up behind Claude just then to join them. “You did Marinette’s hair? It looks lovely.”

“I knew those lessons would come in handy.” Claude smirked. 

“Yes, who would’ve guessed?” Felix muttered, briefly rolling his eyes, but Claude wasn’t fooled. He could hear the almost airy tone to Felix’s voice, see his eyes soften anytime he so much as glanced at Marinette. That guy had probably been ecstatic to do Marinette’s hair, and he just didn’t want to show it. 

He would, though.. Soon enough.

“Hey, guys.” Allan chimed in, finally joining them as well. “You both look great. I haven’t seen Felix wear that dark of red in a while.”

“Or red in general.” Allegra remarked with a smile. 

“Or pink.” Claude added, eyeing Felix’s shirt sleeves. “Actually, I haven’t seen you wear anything besides gray or black since Marinette had you wear that green, plaid shirt after the ‘flour incident’.”

“In other words.. Your mom made you wear that, didn’t she?” Allegra asked lightheartedly.

“Of course she did.” Felix said. “Why else would I wear it?”

“Well, I imagine you’d just want to look nice.” Claude joked, wrapping his arm around Felix’s shoulders and ignoring the blond’s scowl. “Either way, remind your mom how awesome she is for me when you get home.”

“I’m sure she already knows.” Felix replied curtly, shoving Claude’s arm off of him again.

A giggle brought Claude’s attention back to Marinette, who was now observing the party with sparkling interest.

“Everything looks incredible, you guys!” She nearly squealed. “The lights, the flowers, the food.. But I thought the party started at six. Did I get the times mixed up again?”

“No, it does- er, did.” Claude said. “People just get excited and like to get in as soon as they can.”

“Oh.” Marinette muttered, relief smoothing out her features. “So we’re not late?”

“Not at all. In fact..” Claude swept into a bow, offering his hand to her with a grin. “We were just about to start the dancing. Would you mind giving me the honors?”

A surprised laugh fell from Marinette’s lips. “Me? I thought Allegra was your ‘fake date’ for the evening.”

“She is, but I have to save the best for last, right?” Claude threw a wink at Allegra, who also let out a laugh and rolled her eyes. The slight blush on the her cheeks gave her away, though, and it caused his grin to widen.

Marinette gave an “Aw~.” and slipped her hand into his. “Well, in that case, I’d be delighted to dance with you.”

“Great!” Claude cheered, pulling her close. 

They glided onto the dance floor, quickly catching the attention of the room, and with that, the first part of the plan fell into place. Claude was dancing with Marinette. Now he needed to convince her to dance with Felix.

Out of the corner of his eye, Claude could already see Felix starting to flounder. He simply stood there, quietly watching them dance with that neutral expression of his and occasionally looking elsewhere. Without Marinette to anchor him in a room of people, the blond would no doubt resort to being a wallflower again and wander over to some corner. A nice, hidden corner where Allegra could easily- and discreetly -convince Felix to dance with Marinette. They all knew him too well.

“Are we the only ones dancing?” Marinette asked, bringing Claude’s attention back to her.

“For now,” he confirmed, “but someone has to start it, right? Look, they’re already joining in.”

“I guess that’s true..” Marinette said, glancing at the few couples that had indeed started to join them. “I don’t normally dance all that much, to be honest. So it’s a little weird for me to be the one starting it for once.”

Claude laughed and took a step back to spin her around. “Really? You’re a natural at it!”

“Oh, thanks. That’s a relief to hear.” Marinette smiled, hobbling into a spin.

“Course. But you know who else is a natural at it?”

Marinette hummed. “Let me guess.. Is it you?”

Claude snorted. “Well, duh, but I was actually talking about Felix.”

Marinette’s eyes widened. “Felix?”

“Yeah! He takes waltzing classes at the school and everything, but he never dances! Can you believe it?”

A chuckle passed Marinette’s lips. “Kind of. This is Felix we’re talking about. Maybe his mom wanted him to take dance lessons like she wanted him to wear that tuxedo.”

“Maybe.. But it’s still a shame to waste such carefully crafted skills. You should try to get him to dance tonight.”

Marinette snorted. “Oh? And who would I get him to dance with? He doesn’t like getting close to random people.” 

Claude hummed. “Now, that’s a question, isn’t it? Who should dance with Felix tonight..” 

He made a show of looking around the dance floor as he and Marinette waltzed in a circle, then looked back to her. “..Why don’t you dance with him?”

Marinette nearly tripped over her own two feet at the suggestion, and Claude had to hold back a smile. Was she getting flustered? That’s a good sign.

“You want me to.. Are you sure he’d be comfortable with that? I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even want to dance.”

“Come on, who else could get Felix to dance?” Claude insisted. “He’ll say yes if it’s you, and we can’t let him be a wallflower forever.”

Marinette let out a soft laugh, looking quite bashful as a blush curled onto her cheeks, and she glanced over at Felix. He was already standing next to the wall near the punch bowl, looking idle as he watched the dancing crowd. 

“I don’t know, Claude. I think he rather enjoys being a wallflower.”

Claude chuckled. “Just say you’ll try? At the very least, it’ll make Allegra happy to see Felix out and about.”

Marinette turned her attention back to him and smiled. “..Alright. I guess I’ll try, but no promises about actually getting him to dance.”

“Deal.” Claude grinned. Mission success!

“On an entirely different note, though, your dress is incredible. You made that yourself, right?”

Marinette brightened and nodded. “Yes, I did! I had lots of fun with it so I’m glad you guys like it.”

“Aw, I’m pretty sure I’d like anything you make. You always put a cool twist on things.” Claude smiled. “By the way, how’s my prince suit coming along? Have you started it yet?”

“I have! It’s actually pretty close to being done. I’m on the ‘details’ stage.”

A gasp of delight escaped him. He hadn’t realized how close she was to finishing it! 

“Oh, sweet! You’re gonna have to come over to my house when you finish it. We can even have a mini-fashion show for you!”

Marinette giggled. “That sounds like a blast.”

“Yes!” Claude briefly let go of Marinette’s waist to pump his fist. “Man, am I glad you came to Rosemary. I mean, not just because of the prince suit- even though that is pretty awesome -but also because you’re a fun person to be around, ya know? Everyone thinks so.”

“Really?” Marinette’s steps lagged slightly, clearly taken aback by the statement. “That’s.. Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

For a moment, she almost looked relieved.. Or even sad. But another blinding smile appeared before he could figure out why.

“I think you guys are fun to be around too.” She said warmly.

Claude smiled, feeling his uneasiness melt away. She didn’t sound sad or solemn at all. He was probably just imagining things, or seeing a trick of the light.

“Excuse me.”

Claude and Marinette slowed to a stop, turning to another boy who had come to interrupt them. 

“Mind switching off with me?” He asked, offering his hand to Marinette. Was that even allowed during an informal dance such as this?

Nevertheless, Claude caught Marinette’s eye. “What do you say, Mari? Wanna switch off?”

Marinette blinked. “Oh- uh -sure. If you’re okay with it.”

“Absolutely.” Claude smirked, jokingly spinning Marinette into the other boy’s arms. “Just don’t forget your promise to try!”

Marinette chuckled as she re-situated herself into the dance position. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Claude watched the two dance away, smiling proudly at the seed he’d sown for Marinette and Felix’s romantic evening. Allegra was surely going to be pleased with his work, and he was going to be pleased watching it unfold.

Now to get that shrimp.

~~~~~~~

Felix leaned against the wall, quietly observing the other party members dance, specifically Marinette. Her smile shined brightly as a boy twirled her, and her shoulders shook with giggles when the boy dipped her a second later. She appeared to be enjoying herself, and Felix was enjoying watching her. He had a feeling the other boys from Rosemary would be showering her with attention tonight- it was one of the rare times when she wasn’t being smothered by himself and the trio, after all -but he was admittedly surprised by the amount of stamina she possessed. It’d been at least an hour or two since the dancing started, yet she was still going as strong as ever, non-stop.

Well, he supposed it wasn’t non-stop. She had spun over to his little corner a few times to talk, which was how he ended up carrying two cups of punch instead of his one. Still, she should probably take a seat soon. Those heels she’d decided to wear were bound to be painful after a while. Perhaps he should grab her attention and find an empty table-

“U-um, excuse me, Felix?”

Felix glanced to his right, meeting the face of a girl that seemed vaguely familiar and a tad timid. She stood a certain distance away from him, her lips stretched into a nervous smile, and gave a little wave. Was that all she intended to do?  

“Can I help you?” He asked, raising a brow.

“Oh- well-” The girl faltered, as though she hadn’t expected to get this far, and rubbed her arm. “A-actually, I was wondering if maybe you’d like to.. Dance? With me. Of course.”

Ah, Felix thought, heaving a mental sigh. He should have known that that would be her intention. Now her visible anxiety made sense.

“Apologies, but I don’t dance.” He replied smoothly.

The girl’s shoulders sank. “Oh.. really? I thought you took waltzing classes at the school.”

Felix schooled a neutral expression, if only to avoid glaring. What, was she stalking him or something?

“I assure you they are for my Mother’s pleasure only, but I myself do not dance.” He said, a flatter note in his voice than before. Take the hint.

Thankfully, she did, but not in the way Felix was hoping.

“Ah, I see.. How about I keep you company then?” The girl suggested, getting entirely too comfortable next to him. “You’ve been over here by yourself for a while now.”

Felix’s grip on the cups tightened. So she was stalking him. 

“While I appreciate the gesture, it’s quite unnecessary. I’m simply waiting for my friend to get back.”

“Your friend?” The girl asked, glancing into the crowd curiously. “You mean the black-haired girl who gave you that drink, right?”

Felix held back another scowl, his eye twitching. Seriously, how long had this girl been watching him? Didn’t she have someone better to bother? There were plenty of other guys here that would be willing to dance or talk with her. Why did she have to choose to annoy him specifically?

“Her hair is raven, and yes, she’s the one that gave me this drink.” He responded curtly, taking a sip of his own punch.

The girl nodded thoughtfully, blissfully unaware of his thinning patience. “I guess her hair does have a blue shine to it. Do you want me to hold one of the drinks? I imagine they get heavy after a while.”

Felix pulled the drinks away from her grasp, finally fixing her with a look. 

I want you to mind your business, you little-

“Felix!”

Marinette’s punch was plucked from his hands, and an arm settled on his left shoulder. He whipped to the new interruption, thinking what now? and about ready to snap at someone, until he saw Allegra’s smiling face. She must have noticed him getting irritated and came over to investigate.

“You look like you’re having fun.” She said brightly, swirling Marinette’s punch in her hand. “Thanks for holding my drink for me.”

Felix winced, practically feeling the gears in the girl’s head turning. He’d just told her that the drink was Marinette’s, not Allegra’s. She was no doubt going to pick up on that. (Unless she was dimmer than he gave her credit for. That could always be a possibility.)

“Wait-” The girl said, her brows furrowing. Great. “Your drink? Felix just told me that that raven-haired girl gave him the drink.”

Felix gave Allegra a tired look. Try getting out of this one now.

At least she got Marinette’s hair color right that time.

Allegra ignored Felix’s look, instead throwing the girl a sharp smile. It was a rare sight to behold, but a welcome one. (So long as it wasn’t directed at him, of course.) It meant she was preparing herself to tear someone apart.

“Yes,” She replied shortly, “I gave the drink to Marinette, so she could give it to Felix. Is there a problem?”

The girl frowned. “But that doesn’t make any sense. I saw her-”

“You don’t believe me?” Allegra cut her off. “That’s rather rude to say to the hostess of the party, don’t you think? Go ask her yourself if you’re so skeptical. I wouldn’t recommend coming back to me afterwards, though.”

The girl huffed and crossed her arms, but turned around anyway, marching right off to a small group of girls that must have encouraged her to come talk with him in the first place. They swarmed her quickly, asking what happened and glaring at Allegra, but all Felix cared to do was take Marinette’s punch back from the blonde.

“I’m grateful, but I’m still going to need this back.” He said.

Allegra laughed and straightened to throw her hands in the air as a sign of surrender. “Fine with me. I didn’t realize you’d grown so attached to the beverage.”

Felix rolled his eyes. “I didn’t. You just might drink it by accident while we’re talking.”

Allegra tilted her head in a nod. “That’s a fair assumption. So what did that girl want from you?”

He sighed. “A dance. What else would people be asking me for at this ridiculous party?”

“Hey, it’s not ridiculous.” Allegra argued. “Marinette’s having a pretty good time.”

Felix’s gaze swept over the crowd again, finding Marinette easily as she switched off to a new dance partner. Her smile was contagious as always, and it spread onto Felix’s lips with little resistance.

“Yes, I suppose she is.” He agreed, taking another sip of his punch.

Allegra leaned against the wall next to him with a light chuckle. “You know, I bet if Marinette asked you to dance with her, you would.”

Felix scoffed at the implication her tone gave. Of course he would dance with Marinette if she asked, but only because it would make her happy, not because he wanted to dance with her. (Not that he particularly minded dancing with her either-)

“She wouldn’t ask me to dance,” he said before his thoughts could get out of hand, “because she knows I don’t fancy it.”

Allegra hummed. “Maybe you should ask her then.”

Felix shot her a look. This was going to be as tiresome as the other girl, wasn’t it?

“And why would I do that?”

“Because you need to not be a total wallflower this evening.” Allegra smiled. “And it would make Marinette happy. She’s already danced with Allan and Claude tonight, but with your professional lessons, I’m sure she’d have a blast.”

“I believe we just established that she is already having a blast.” Felix remarked, to which Allegra groaned.

“Just think about it, alright?”

“Unlikely.”

Why should he have to entertain an uncomfortable idea when Marinette was already enjoying herself? Granted, dancing with her didn’t sound awful, but the thought that it might encourage others to attempt dancing with him did. People were already asking him to dance while he was hiding near a wall. Imagine how many girls would come out of the woodwork once they actually saw him dancing.

Allegra rolled her eyes and waved him off. “Alright, whatever. I’m going back to the buffet table. Feel free to walk over if you start getting the urge to snap on someone again.”

Felix smirked. “In other words, I’ll see you in a few minutes?”

Allegra snorted as she walked away, and Felix settled back against the wall.. Just in time to see Marinette making her way towards him from the midst of the crowd. She appeared to be out of breath, though she offered him a tired smile when they locked eyes, and he moved forward to meet her halfway. That way she won’t have to trek all the way across the room for a drink.

“Are you finally taking another break?” He asked, handing her her punch when they joined at the edge of the crowd.

Marinette breathed out a laugh and took her drink with a “thanks”. It amazed him how well her outfit was staying together. The bow that held the dress together over her shoulders hadn’t loosened at all, and her hair seemed to be in place as well, save for a few stray strands. One would think that that amount of dancing would have her looking more disheveled.

“Yeah, just for a second.” She panted. “I’m starting to get dizzy from spinning so much.”

Felix chuckled. “Would you like to go find a table for a bit?”

“Uh..” Marinette glanced around the room for a moment, thinking it over. “You know what? Sure. I could sit for a bit.”

Felix smiled and gestured for her to lead the way, though he did point out an empty table that he had spotted earlier.

Marinette sat down first, with Felix pulling out her chair for her, and he sat down next to her. Their position faced the party rather than the wall, which allowed them- or at least Marinette -to continue enjoying the party atmosphere while they spoke.

“So are you having a decent time?” Marinette asked, taking a quick sip of her punch. “I know parties aren’t your thing, but you’re not too miserable, right?”

A bitter laugh escaped him, and he twirled his cup on the table as he said, “Miserable is certainly a good word to describe this evening.”

“Aw~, I’m sorry. Do you think going out to get some air would help?”

Felix offered her a smile. “That sounds delightful, but it’s as you said: Parties simply aren’t my preference. This party especially.”

Marinette’s eyebrows knitted together. “Because it’s a Valentine’s Day party or because there are so many people?”

“The Valentine’s Day theme.” Felix confirmed. “Not only are people more inclined to invade my personal space, but they also like to make the ‘Day of Love’ about romance exclusively. It diminishes the other definition to a ridiculous amount in my opinion.”

“Other definitions?” Marinette inquired. “What do you mean?”

Felix allowed a small, humorous smile to catch his lips. She’d just inadvertently proven his point right there. People were so focused on the romantic sense of love that they seemed to forget the several other types of love that exist. 

“There’s more than one type of love, such as platonic love or familial love. In fact, the Greeks had seven different words for love. I believe they’re all important, so to see them all be dwindled down to just romantic love is aggravating.”

“Huh..” Marinette muttered, absorbing his words. “I never knew about the Greeks using seven different words for love. What were they?”

Felix briefly glanced up in thought. “If I remember correctly, they were Philia, Ludus, Storge, Philautia, Pragma, Agape, and Eros.”

“Wow.” Marinette smiled. “They sound beautiful. What do they mean?”

Felix smirked as well. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Always willing to listen and learn from my random facts.

“Well, the meanings are all decently complicated, but I supposed they can be summed up to this: Philia is the type of intimate love between friends. Ludus is the playful and ‘exciting’ type of love that one would get with a random crush. Storge is familial love, Philautia is the love of self, Pragma is the enduring type of love- which is the type of love needed for marriages or serious relationships -Agape is the unconditional love for humanity as a whole- which I clearly do not have-” He gained a snort from that “-and Eros is that of sexual love.”

The meaning of the last one felt a bit awkward on his tongue, but he pushed away the uneasiness. She had asked for the definitions, after all.

“I like those definitions.” Marinette said, a soft look coming to her features. “It’s cool that you know so much about them.”

“I have mentioned that I enjoy knowing things.”

Marinette giggled. “So you have. Just out of curiosity, though- and this may be a bit contradictory to the conversation -but have you ever had a crush on anyone? Or just, you know.. Been in a relationship in general? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

Felix’s eyes widened slightly. He honestly hadn’t expected her to ever ask him such a thing. It made sense, considering the topic of the conversation they were having, but it was still surprising coming from her.

Nevertheless, he answered. 

“No, neither. I’ve never been interested in anyone enough to pursue them, and anyone interested in me has always been too clingy. If I wanted someone to fawn over me constantly, I would simply invite Claude and Allegra to my house more often.”

For some reason, his answer didn’t feel quite right as he said it, and he found himself gauging Marinette’s reaction. Did he answer the question incorrectly? Was she going to be upset? Or possibly disappointed? Why would she be either? How could there possibly be an ‘incorrect’ answer to the question he’d just been asked?

Marinette snorted, clearly not upset at all, and it left him wondering why he’d bothered to worry.

“I figured you’d say that. You don’t seem like the type to get caught up in feelings like that.”

Felix nodded, though he silently questioned what she meant by the comment. Was she implying that he couldn’t get caught up in those types of feelings? Why did that seem so offensive to him?

“What about you?” he asked, brushing his thoughts to the side. He was just being ridiculous anyway. “Have you ever had romantic feelings towards another or been in a relationship?”

He already knew about her affections for Adrien Agreste, of course, but he’d yet to find out how far they went. And, on top of that, there was always the possibility of her having more than one lover. So it only made sense to ask the question, especially since she had asked him first.

A grimace overtook her features, clearly telling him that she had, in fact, had a romantic encounter before.

“Well.. I’ll admit I’ve had a lot of crushes, but there was this one that really got me. You, uh, you’ve actually met him already. Technically, anyway.”

Felix took a guess. “Adrien Agreste?”

She nodded, a bitter smile coming to her lips. “Cliché, right? The baker girl falling for the famous model..” She glanced down at her drink, absently tilting the cup to watch the liquid swirl. “I didn’t like him because he was a model, though. I liked him because he was sweet, and he was thoughtful, and.. I don’t know, I guess I thought.. that we could live a happy life together.”

Felix frowned at the cloud that seemed to pass over her, the pain that swelled in her eyes. He hadn’t realized how strong her attachment to Agreste was.

Marinette shook her head, breaking free of the thought process, and plastered on a smile. “I’m sorry, you didn’t ask about that.”

“No, it’s alright.” He assured her. “You can’t let things weigh on your mind unattended. If you feel you need to talk about it, then I’m willing to lend an ear.”

Marinette’s posture relaxed, relief making her smile a bit more genuine as she said, “Thank you. I appreciate it.. I don’t have any feelings for him now, but the pain is.. It still comes back, especially with how things ended. Sometimes I wish it had been different, sometimes I wish I had been different, and sometimes I wish I hadn’t fallen for him at all.. but mostly, I’m just glad it’s over.”

“What happened?”

“Well.. nothing happened, to be honest. And I think that was the hardest part.” Marinette drew in a deep breath, allowing herself to relax before continuing, “He came to my school a little over two years ago. Everyone was excited, but I didn’t even know who he was. When I did find out, though, we actually had a little bit of a misunderstanding. It’s funny when I think about it now, the way things turned out during that first day.”

“He apologized about it later, even though it wasn’t his fault, and I think that’s when I started to see him as something more than a friend. The more I got to know him, the more I started falling head over heels, and soon my friends found out about it. They thought we would be a great couple too, which kind of made me excited, and we all started planning these elaborate schemes to get him to notice me.”

She put her head in her hands and groaned. “It was so embarrassing, Felix, you should have seen them. One even involved me dressing up like a cat since he loved Chat Noir so much.” 

Felix grimaced, though he tried not to show it. Marinette dressing up like a cat for some random guy’s attention? He couldn’t even fathom it. Who came up with that suggestion?

“Did it.. work?” He almost hesitated to ask.

Marinette laid her head on the table then, shaking it with a whine. “Not even close. This group of dogs saw me on my way over, and I guess my costume was too convincing because they chased me all around Paris. I ended up muddy and scratched up when Adrien actually saw me, which didn’t help at all.”

Felix was careful not to react, but he almost felt the need to pat her on the shoulder. How had she not died from embarrassment yet? If someone put him through that, he’d never go outside again.

“You see? That’s how all of it was. All. of. It.” Marinette said, lifting her head again to lean her chin into her palm. “Two years I spent chasing after him, making all of these plans and trying to catch his eye just once, but no matter what I did, I was only ever his ‘good friend’. A-And I’m not saying I hated being his friend or anything, I just.. I was trying so hard to be more, wondering why I wasn’t enough, and my friends were constantly cheering me on to keep going. It was exhausting.”

Felix offered her a sympathetic look as she went on, though he couldn’t help feeling annoyed by the story. What kind of ‘friends’ did she use to have that they would willingly push her to make a fool of herself in front of her love? What kind of friends would encourage her to continue chasing after someone who clearly wasn’t interested in her? That wasn’t healthy at all, and he could only imagine how miserable it would have made her.

Wait..

“Is that why he’s coming to see you now?” Felix asked. (or more of blurted out.) “Because of your previous feelings for him?”

“Oh, no.” Marinette said, going so far as to let out a laugh. “No, I doubt he’s ever going to see me in that light, but it’s still frustrating that he’s trying to visit me. Moving to Rosemary was supposed to be an easy break, but he just has to follow me here too.. Again, it’s not that I mind being his friend or anything, it’s.. I need time. To get over him. I don’t like the person I became when I only lived to gain his affection, and it’s hard to get over that mindset, ya know?”

Felix nodded. He didn’t quite understand her experience since he’d never loved someone himself, but he knew that old habits were hard to break, and that love can be known as an intoxicating and addicting emotion. It wouldn’t be easy to get rid of.

“You’re strong for deciding that.” He said sincerely. “It takes an immense amount of will power to let go of something that you think will make you happy, but I believe you’re right in thinking you’ll be better for it.”

Marinette pulled a small smile, twisting the small tip of her ponytail. “Thanks. I hope I am.”

Felix smiled as well and turned his chair to face Marinette more fully. He wanted to ensure that she would hear the words he was about to say.

“Marinette, you are.. an incredible person. And I’m not just telling you this to lift your spirits, I am saying it because it’s true. You are talented, intelligent, kind, and capable all on your own. You don’t need anyone to validate how amazing you are, because it’s evident in everything you do, and I truly hope you don’t ever doubt yourself because of Adrien’s foolishness.”

A blush bloomed across Marinette’s cheeks, and she glanced down to fiddle with her hands. “O-Oh, uhm.. Thanks.. Again. I won’t.”

Felix smiled, satisfied with the reaction, and picked up his cup to extend it towards her.

“Here,” he said light-heartedly, “to finding someone new, someone who appreciates you, even if that someone is yourself.”

Marinette giggled and picked up her drink as well, clinking the glasses together. “To finding someone new.”

Felix took a sip of his cup to complete the toast, but to his surprise, Marinette set hers to the side, instead standing up and offering her hand to him.

“Let’s go dance.”

Felix choked on his drink.

“Pardon?”

“Come on, it’ll be fun!” Marinette insisted. “I mean, you only have to come if you want to, of course, but I haven’t danced with you yet, and Claude said that you took waltzing lessons at the school.”

Felix held back a scoff and glanced around the room, hoping to catch Claude’s eyes so he could glare at him. Why did that dolt keep telling people he took waltzing lessons? It only made it harder for Felix’s to reject people when asked to dance. 

However.

He looked back to Marinette, who held a fresh, bright smile, waiting for his response.

“I bet if Marinette asked you to dance, you would.”

Allegra’s words resurfaced in his mind, unwelcomed. Why did she always have to be right? It only made her more smug as a person.

Nevertheless, Felix took Marinette’s hand. “Alright, but only one dance. I don’t want anyone else thinking I’m open to the idea.”

Marinette chuckled and pulled Felix to his feet. “Of course not. We’ll dance near the darker spots of the room so your face won’t be seen.”

They moved to the dance floor, and Marinette put her hand on his shoulder, while Felix wrapped his arm around her waist. It was a bit awkward pulling each other close, since the only other person he’d been this close to was his mother and father, but once they actually started to dance, his years of practice easily took over. Felix slid into the role of leading, and Marinette followed him willingly as he spun her around the party room, smiling when she laughed during a dip.

Such a fool.. He thought, tugging her back up to him. How anyone could pass up Marinette’s affection was beyond him, but in a way, Felix was delighted that Adrien had. He might not have been able to meet her otherwise.

With the two being so enveloped in each other’s movements, they didn’t notice Allegra, Claude, and Allan watching them from across the room, nor did they catch the smiles and high-fives that the trio shared.

Tag List: @sasstrashforlike5fandoms  @artbyknigit @athena452 @nickristus-dreamer @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @arsaem @abrx2002 @neakco @pawsitivelymiraculous @too0bsessedformyowngood @nathleigh @lusicing @officiallydarkgeek @all-mights-asscheeks @tbehartoo @woe-is-me0 @raeuberprinzessin @lazuli-11 @miss-chaos27 @trippingovermyfeet @sadpotatoondrugs @ladybug-182 @jaggedheart11 @marinahrasauce @i-need-blog-ideas @thewheezingbubbledragon @crazylittlemunchkin @unabashedbookworm @moonystars14 @sunflowers-and-mooncakes @2confused-2doanything @magnificentcrapposts @moonnette @nickristus-dreamer @vixen-uchiha @casual-darkness @luxmorningstarr @jjmjjktth @kaithehero @itsme1598 @theymakeupfairies @xjaccyx @miraculous-ninja @miraculouspenta @swiftie-miraculer13 @justafanwarrior @all-mights-asscheeks @ira-sairain @lookatthestars1 @dahjokester @blissful-passing @solangelo252 @canivialemonsquints07  @derbygracie  @pleaseignorejustheretoread

[raspberryranpo]

No golden deer wedding headcanons? Outrageous, this must be fixed immediately /j You don’t have to do all of them or you could just completely ignore this ask. I’d like you to know though that your writing is fantastic!! <3

what their weddings are like

fire emblem three houses: golden deer boys

i hope you don’t mind that i’ve only done the boys!! all of the girls would have really magical fairytale weddings & i’m not prepared to write that

and thank you so much!! it really makes me happy to see that people like my writing :((

CLAUDE

lorenz has to physically hold him back from bursting into your dressing room for the sake of tradition

news flash: it doesn’t work. he slips through the window when nobody else is looking

ends up being kicked back out of the window by lysithea though

anyway....... claude definitely gets married in one of those suits with all of the badges and medals on. one of the really pretty ones

and i’m not very imaginative so i can’t really give you any examples BUT he definitely has a traditional almyran wedding in almyra

it’s very warm. your clothes are thin and cool so that you don’t actually overheat. your faerghus friends are dropping off one by one

dimitri actually faints during the ceremony and everyone thinks that he’s just too happy for his friend, but he’s actually on the verge of death

he picks you up and carries you out when the ceremony is over

anyway - your first dance is probably very romantic. he holds you close and kisses you every five seconds

he’s whispering words of affection into your ear throughout the entire dance, but the second the song ends, he breaks out into some sort of frenzied breakdance

and you have no choice but to join in because his smile and his laughter are that infectious :))

LORENZ

religiously follows all traditions because he wouldn’t be lorenz hellman gloucester without following traditions

claude is (reluctantly) his best man, simply because lorenz secretly believes that claude is a very just and noble man

actually cries when he sees you walking down the aisle because he’s head over heels for you

holds your hands very gently throughout the entire thing because he’s incredibly nervous + holding your hands makes him feel better

also sits with you for the entire reception because he claims that “a good man never leaves his spouse on their wedding day” but nobody really knows where he got that tradition from

your first dance is some sort of waltz & it’s very romantic - lorenz definitely knows how to ballroom dance and you cannot change my mind

claude definitely hijacks the music and turns it into something that he thinks lorenz will definitely hate

but lorenz actually laughs and thinks it’s funny!! he’s too happy to care at this point and he eventually starts dancing along to the music

dances with claude at some point during the night but he’ll never admit that it was slightly fun

his speech is also extra long and extra detailed, so be prepared for that

RAPHAEL

tries to whisper to you about how beautiful you look once you reach him at the end of the aisle but his voice is too loud & literally everyone can hear him

and he’s not even embarrassed because he wants everyone to hear about how much you guys love each other

isn’t that what a wedding is about? - he thinks, and then proceeds to very loudly proclaim his love to you for the rest of the night

you stand on his feet when you have your first dance, or rather he stands on yours

raph cannot dance to save his life so you’ll have to take a few classes beforehand

oh the buffet. there will be a very big buffet and you know it

it literally spans from one wall to the other and raphael LOVES it

he is constantly within a five metre radius from the buffet table and he won’t allow himself to be pulled from there i’m sorry

always has his hand around your waist or around your shoulders too, so you’re kind of stuck by the buffet table too

sings along really loudly to the music and it’s slightly embarrassing but also very cute

IGNATZ

the most artsy wedding you’ll ever attend. oh wait, it’s your wedding...

he plans it & the wedding is definitely something to be bragged about for the next fifty years. you will not regret letting ignatz do the decorating

begs to design your dress but he has to be held back. he wants nothing more than to see you in something he’s designed himself

has the shakiest voice when he’s saying his vows and his hands are also incredibly sweaty

calms down a bit when he sees that you’re just as nervous - eventually, he even forgets that there’s people watching

raphael is the best man, of course, and he’s the best best man you could ever ask for

he’s always there to reassure both you or ignatz. what a man. such a good boy

your first dance is rather awkward but ignatz cannot take his eyes off of you

the cake is also very aesthetically pleasing and lysithea practically begs you not to cut it, which is surprising

sits by your side for the remainder of the reception because talking to people is a tad bit awkward

[philliamwrites]

The Dawn Will Come [Chpt.5]

Fandom: Fire Emblem Three Houses

Pairing: Dimitri x Reader, Claude x Reader, Edelgard x Reader, Yuri x Reader, Edelgard x Byleth, lots of minor pairings

Tags: #gn reader, # platonic love byleth & reader, #reader is a tactical unit, #angst, #slow burn, #subplots, #unreliable narrator, #pining, #remporary amnesia, #reluctant herp, #canon divergence, #lost twin au, #many chapters, #original content

Words: 5.4k

Summary: Waking up in a forest without any knowledge of your past and who you are, you join the house leaders of the Officers Academy to search for a way to return your memories. Unfortunately, the church has different plans for you, and Fate places you in the centre of a cruel game with deadly stakes. It certainly doesn’t help to fall in love with a house leader who is doomed to be your demise.

Notes: Chapter 4 | Chapter 6

Chapter 05: Born to Trouble

Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.

[Hiob 5:7]

    A breeze picks up loose leaves and carries them over a steep hill. The sun, directly above your heads, emits no blazing head and still, wearing light armour and carrying weapons leaves a layer of perspiration on your forehead. Every minute marching towards where the Eagle House students and their astute professor are waiting builds worry and the desire to turn around and put as much distance as possible between you and them but the rope tying you to the task called obligation makes it impossible to sate it.

    A slight pull makes you pause and scratch the thin skin under your eye, the feeling so strange as if someone is tugging your mind in the complete opposite direction. Now that is a new sensation, and you’re careful to remember that when answering the onslaught of questions Hanneman will surely prepare once he’s back. Feeling no pain, you write it off as exhaustion for now, already looking forward to relax in the sauna later and wind down.

    “Is something the matter, Herald?” Dimitri asks. Save for a few scratches and a smudged cheek, he looks fine and appears to be in great spirits. You want to lick your thumb and wipe off the dirt but smearing spit on the heir of a kingdom might not be a great idea in front of his future subjects.

    “Everything is fine,” you, the Liar, say with as much conviction as your conscience allows, which is surprisingly easy. Maybe you were a performer before your amnesia, acting on a stage for an audience that celebrated you switching roles with an ease like changing clothes. Dimitri as well trusts your words, though he could as well be playing the role just to lessen your worry.

    The last possibility to stall the unavoidable confrontation vanishes. They are waiting for you near the stronghold just beyond the forest from which you emerge after another painful, tense march. The remaining Black Eagle students are positioned in a triangle around Byleth. At its tip stands Edelgard, strong and tall, her axe ready to strike whoever stands between her and victory. Flanking her are ever-brooding Hubert and—

    “Linhardt?” you gasp, freezing on the spot which makes everyone sticking to your heels walk right into you. Sylvain only saves himself from falling because he quickly holds onto Dedue who tolerates it like a friendly bear allowing a little bird to sit on his back.

    “Is he doing something?” he asks, tiptoeing to get a better look. “What’s going on?”

    You point a finger at the Black Eagle student. “No one told me it was allowed to bring students back from the sidelines.”

    “Because it isn’t,” Dimitri says, patiently pulling a twig out of his hair. “Those who have lost cannot re-enter the mock battle.”

    You stare at everyone separately, hoping it carries enough weight for them to understand your problem—rather why is no one questioning the obvious? They consider you with as much confusion though, at least something you have in common.

    “Then why is Linhardt participating again?”

    They share worried glances.

    “Herald, what are you talking about?” asks Dimitri with a crease between his eyebrows.

    It is enough to make your next protest come out more desperate. “An hour ago, Felix and I dealt with Ferdinand and Linhardt. I told you!”

    “But—” Sylvain’s face goes blank with surprise. “Didn’t you say you guys got Ferdinand and Dorothea?”

    “Dorothea?” You didn’t even know she participated. “No, I swear, we— Why would I claim something different?” They lack the answer to that just as you and any minute pondering it longer is stolen by a vicious MiasmaΔ that splits a tree behind you in two.

    “Hey!” Sylvain shakes a fist at Hubert. “Use magic only in moderation!”

    His answer is another MiasmaΔ that nearly knocks Sylvain off his feet. Before you can form words, Edelgard takes a swing at you. The hit would have undoubtedly leave you with a concussion were it not for Dimitri’s quick intervention. He deflects her blow though his lance gives a worrying crack.

    “Dimitri.” Edelgard’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “It’s time. We can finally settle the question of who’s stronger.”

    “Very well.” Dimitri’s stance doesn’t falter even as sweat gathers at his temples. “I accept your challenge. With you as my opponent, I won’t hold anything back.”

    Edelgard’s mouth twitches. Dimitri demands with a sharp jut of his chin for you to get out of the way. You don’t argue. Not with the rest from the Eagle house approaching. Dedue, reading your mind, or rather the frantic look in your eyes, charges towards Byleth, leaving Linhardt and Hubert to Sylvain and you.

    You focus on Linhardt, mouth burning to question, “What spell did you use to switch places with Dorothea?”

    He is so baffled by that, you move without thinking—a swift strike, the sword turned midway so the blunt end smashes into his nose. He stumbles back with a sharp cry, a hand flying up to stop the blood running in rivers down his uniform. There is no time feeling bad for catching him off guard like that. A picture flashes before your eyes. You throw yourself to the ground and feel the lance swipe over your head not a second too soon. You roll back up on your feet, glaring at Hubert. He simply raises a brow in challenge. Sure, you accept, fully aware there is only one way to win against him.

    “Edelgard!” you gasp in horror. Hubert’s head twitches but he doesn’t fall for your scheme.

    “Really, Herald? I know Her Highness can take care of herself. You need a better trick than that.”

    “Really? Then how about this trick?”

    This time, Hubert whirls around and is greeted by Sylvain’s fist to his jaw. Combined with your MiasmaΔ, he doesn’t stand a chance. That victory is only short lived though. Out of nowhere, Byleth appears and knocks Sylvain out, not batting an eyelash. She towers like a vengeful spirit, arriving to seek retribution. Trying to move around her, you don’t leave her out of sight for once, your mouth dry and your heart beating so fast your ribcage hurts. The tension is thick enough your swords could cut right through it. It is so tense, in fact, you only manage a dry, “Hey.”

    Byleth raises her sword. “Hello.”

    “Great day to … you know.” You mirror her movement. “Clobber each other with wooden swords.”

    “Less talking, more fighting.” Byleth charges.

    You turn and run away.

    She immediately pursues like a wolf chasing after a deer. If you weren’t so focused on moving your legs as if your life depended on it and not tripping over something, you could swear someone from the sidelines is cheering for you. Someone sounding like Claude.

    “Herald, try a surprise attack! She’ll never expect you to stop and swing your sword at her!”

    No, no, no, he can come down here himself if he has a death wish. But another chance emerges before you, one waiting in the lush thicket that you disappear into in hope to lose her. That hope is quickly vanquished when twigs and dry leaves break right behind you shortly after you breach the edge of the forest. In your panic, you grab onto a branch and pull it with you until you’re sure the blow will at least make Byleth stagger to catch her breath. When you let go, she already knows what you’re up to. With a vicious blow, she breaks the branch and throws her sword at you when you try to run past her back to the field. The pain is unlike anything you’ve felt during training. It brings you to your knees, the stronghold in sight and yet so far away from the forest’s borders. The impact knocks all breath out of your lungs, making you unable to call out for help.

    Byleth stands before you, her sword back in her hand and risen to deliver righteous punishment—until it isn’t Byleth, it is a man, but you can’t see his face, his features hidden by dark shadows.

    Don’t, you think but your mouth forms “You don’t have it in you” instead and before you know it, you speak those words out loud. The picture disappears in a flash so bright, a paper bursting into flames, pain explodes in your head before everything zooms back into painfully sharp focus.

    Something changes in Byleth’s eyes, her hesitation a surprise immediately costing her gravely for Dimitri appears by your side, facing her and a desperate sound of relief escapes you because that means Edelgard is out of the game. It is only a battle of stamina at this point, the battle blurring as you stumble to your feet and help Dimitri to overpower Byleth even though your back is a medley of pain. Judging from how her reacting slower, you get a picture of who from the Black Eagles was fighting the most up until this point.

    Everything happens too fast. It takes one turn, one swipe of Dimitri’s lance, incredible luck that Byleth starts to get exhausted, and a second later, her knee gives in and she’s on the ground, a wooden edge to her throat. The silence is only disturbed by the second roar of trumpets signalling the end of the mock battle.

    You gasp.

    Dimitri gasps.

    Byleth blows a strand of hair out of her face, her face a blank slate.

    Screams and shouts erupt from where everyone else is waiting for you, drowning Jeralt declaring the Blue Lion’s win.

    “Herald.” Dimitri’s smile dazzles you more than the sun’s light, radiant and handsome. “We did it. We did it thanks to you.”

    “No, it was you—” A wave of fatigue washes over you from overusing your power. Exhaustion smothers you, so suddenly that your vision blurs around the edges. Your limbs are leaden; you feel as though you are sinking into mud. Before you hit the ground, Dimitri catches your arm and steadies you.

    It is the unpredictable comedic sort of timing were the cosmos decides it is the right timing for the rest of the students to catch up.

    Sylvain lets out a loud, suggestive whistle, appearing way too chipper for someone just brought back to consciousness thanks to white magic. “Who knew His Highness would decide to court someone wide out in the open like that? Did you invite our dear Herald to dinner first?”

    Ingrid pushes him hard. “His Highness isn’t like you,” she says at the same time Dimitri asks, “But I do plan to invite our Herald to dinner.” All eyes are on him. It is suddenly really hot even though his gauntlets around your arm are cold. “We all are invited to celebrate our victory with a feast in the dining hall.”

    “Aww, goddess help him,” Sylvain sighs, looking like he’s about to facepalm his hand through his forehead.

    Any response on your part is delayed by Rhea and Seteth reaching your group after congratulating each student who participated on their work.

    “Congratulations on winning the mock battle, Herald,” Rhea says, looking incredibly pleased. From the very beginning she’s probably expected nothing less and you wonder if her smile were as content had you failed. “You showed great leadership and trust in your students, who all did exceptionally well.” She’s smiling at every one of them like a proud mother. It leaves a warm, fuzzy feeling inside your chest, her contentment a beacon that banishes the last shadows of doubt in your heart. You could get addicted to this feeling.

    “Now, please return to the monastery,” Seteth advises the students. “We have a few matters to discuss with the faculty members.”

    As the students disperse, Dimitri quickly ducks his head in your direction. “We will speak more later.” He trails after his friends, falling into step with Dedue.

    “Look at them, being so excited. How adorable.” Manuela smiles, not showing any signs of anger about losing the fight or exhaustion flicking the students back together. “Good job leading them, Herald.”

    “And yet, I must advise you to participate more actively in the battle itself next time.” Seteth crosses his arms in front of his broad chest, not sharing Rhea’s idea on how a good job looks. “Professor Byleth showed great assistance and fighting spirit. You would do well to learn from her.”

    Byleth gives a little shrug when you glance at her. She doesn’t seem to care much for that.

    “Don’t be so stern, Seteth,” Rhea chastises him fondly. “There is still so much room to grow for all of them, our dear Herald, Professor Byleth and the students. For now, let us return and allow them a moment of respite. Their first real mission awaits them at the end of next month.”

    Seteth pulls a face as if he bit into a lemon but doesn’t object.

    “I have one concern myself,” you quickly throw in before tracking back, wondering how no one else mentions it. “When Linhardt and Dorothea—”

    “I would like a word,” Byleth suddenly says, grasping your wrist lightly in such an easy, familiar way you immediately shut up. They leave you two to it as you follow them a couple hundred feet behind, both silent though the voice in your mind doesn’t shut up about the dozen of questions bouncing back and forth. After what feels like hours, Byleth finally says, “You noticed it, didn’t you?”

    You stare at the road, a yawning void in your head where just a second ago a cacophony of questions caused a headache, unable to put two and two together. When it finally clicks, you wipe your head so fast in her direction it pops in your neck. “It was you? How did you do it?”

    Byleth doesn’t answer immediately. Her gaze drifts over the treetops, calmly swaying from left to right. The battle has concluded half an hour ago, but it already feels like a lifetime has passed and the peace and quiet of nature around you is like a completely different world. The land surrounding the monastery is exceptionally beautiful, luscious and overgrown with flora that covers the ground in a colourful patchwork rug. How the rest of Fódlan must look like…

    “When we first met, you asked how I could trust you. It will sound strange but you and I, we are connected.” She’s still looking up ahead, now at the towering spires of the monastery piercing the sky.

    Your mouth is dry. “Connected how?”

    She stops now. When she turns and looks at you, again the thread that ties you two together strums in an ancient tune. You stop breathing for that second.

    “You control the flow of the future, and I control the flow of the past.”

    You still don’t understand. Byleth reads as much from your lack of response. “What I mean to say is, I rewind time. When you defeated Linhardt, I turned back time’s hands to have Dorothea walk his path instead to keep my healer. I just never expected anyone would notice. And no one did. Except you.”

    It’s like those words don’t reach you. They recoil from a waterfall that rushes through your ears, distorting the words. When your brain finally finishes freaking out about it, only one thing appears of importance. “You cheated!”

    Byleth wears an expression that clearly states, That’s rich coming from you.

    “I— That—” How can she remain so calm? This information tilts your world, turning every hour you spent lying awake at night in your chambers wondering if you’re the only one with a power like that into a painful memory. “Does that mean you have a Crest as well? If our powers are alike, surely there must be an answer to why we have it. If we talk to Hanneman about it—”

    “You won’t,” Byleth cuts you off, her tone as sharp as her sword. “You will share no word with anyone about what I just revealed, or I will strike you down.”

    The wind picks up, flickering your robes left and right and rocking trees that bow in humility to a force much greater than them—a feeling you can relate to. Cold sweat runs down the back of your neck. This isn’t a threat. It’s a promise.

    “You spend too much time with Hubert,” you manage with a trembling smile only held together when the tension dissipates from Byleth’s face.

    “Professor Hanneman is still studying my Crest,” she says, a tinge of sorrow in her voice that strikes you harder than any danger or threat, “but I can assure you my abilities are not tied to it. I’m sorry.”

    She must have felt what you so desperately wished for: a connection. The assurance that you are not alone in this world with this strange power.

    It makes the way back to the monastery like a march through mud, laden limbs walking towards a goal you don’t know will be worth all the exertion. When the silence becomes too unbearable, you build up the courage to ask, “What are we, Byleth?”

    She drops her gaze to the ground. It is the very first time you see uncertainty hover like a shadow over her face. “I wish I could tell you, but I don’t know.”

    The sky turns an orange canvas when you finally return to the monastery. The last villagers from the small town downhill start returning home, their tools laid to rest inside their carriages. You can’t wait to sink into a nice hot bath, washing away the dried sweat and grime from the battle and change into loose, comfortable evening robes. You don’t come further than past the entrance hall. Leaning against a high pillar, Dimitri is adjusting the loops on his gauntlets, blond strands falling into his face like golden strips of sunshine. Before you reach him, Byleth says with a light touch to your elbow, “Please see Professor Manuela about your wound, okay? You did great today.” You promise her you will and watch her until she disappears through a hall leading to her personal quarters.

    With your attention on him, Dimitri looks up and stands straighter. He grins at you, his smile sudden and jarring like a thunderclap.

    “I have been waiting for you, Herald,” he says and takes you by the wrist. The cold of his gauntlets bites at your skin, making you hiss. His hand immediately drops, and he turns around in panic. “Oh, apologies. It is difficult to control my strength sometimes and—”

    “No, no, that’s not it. I was just a little surprised.”

    He sighs in relief. “Still, I am sorry. I will try to refrain from doing that in the future.”

    “Dimitri.” You graze his clothed underarm with a finger, unsure if that was a wise decision when his eyes widen in surprise. How is it you only notice now how long his eyelashes are? “I think we have seen today I am not that fragile.”

    His eyes jump away, avoiding contact, the blush creeping up his neck clearly standing out against his pale skin. He clears his throat. “I just wanted to make sure you will join us for dinner. I was not joking earlier when I said we should all celebrate our victory.”

    “Are you guys sure? I’m not your teacher and in the end, I didn’t do all too much.”

    Dimitri shakes his head. “Nonsense. You fought with us and led us to victory. We would love to celebrate with you, and while you won’t be with us all the time, I’d love nothing more than to share our happiness with you. Joy can be so fleeting, after all, and I’m sure the rest of the class feels the very same.”

    “If it really is okay with you all…” You glimpse over at him. Why not. Why not enjoy some leisure time with the students. You could surely use it to get to know them better and distract your thoughts from Byleth’s revelation. “Just give me some time to get ready. I’ll see you in the dining hall.”

    “Actually, please come to our classroom,” Dimitri says. “I don’t know how Sylvain managed it, but the kitchen’s head lady allowed us to dine in the classroom.”

    Your brows fly to your hairline. Dimitri answers with a little, low chuckle. You both have a pretty good idea how he managed to pull that stunt.

    Back in your quarters, you wash away the dirt and pick a simple robe the colour of freshly pressed parchment. The water’s heat renders today’s injuries to a dull pain save for the scrapes on your knees that still burn but are clean now. Hunger quickly catches up as well, dispersing your last doubts of intruding the class’ celebration. After leaving your room, you stop by the infirmary where Manuela makes quick work of your remaining wounds with her magic, turning purple bruises into faded yellow spots you immediately forget once you step out and head to your destination.

    The tables are already laid, arranged into a formation that resembles a circle allowing conversations to flow easily. You expected them to be already stuffing their faces but when you step into the Blue Lion’s classroom, the only source of light is a dim candle flickering in the middle of some students huddled together. Only Mercedes’ soft voice is audible, not counting the little whimpers from Annette or Ashe shuffling as he tries to hide behind Dimitri who appears to be the only one invested in her story.

    “… no one knows how deep the tunnels underneath the monastery run. But once they reach where walls are built from skulls and bones, they turn and go back … or try to do so, for who knows what horror lurks behind every corner.”

    “Nooooooo,” Annette cries, clutching to Dimitri’s sleeve. “Why would anyone go somewhere like that?”

    “A-and who built it in the first place? Tunnels lined with bones…” Ashe shudders, still looking smaller than Dimitri even though he is the one sitting.

    “A fascinating idea.” Dimitri’s excitement, bright as a spark, doesn’t bounce over to his friends. “To imagine there could be a whole civilisation living right in plain sight like that.”

    “I can’t imagine we wouldn’t notice,” Ashe reasons. His conviction would be more credible, would he not still cling to a white tail of Dimitri’s shirt. Before you can join and see if you would fare better listening to stories about haunted and forgotten places, Sylvain steals past you, his voice making you jump. “Shouldn’t you guys be finished by now?”

    Seeing your sour expression, he simply winks and hurries inside, carrying a big steaming pot. Followed by the rest of the Lions, they carry plates with dried meat, slices of bread, vegetables and cheese, and place them on the tables for everyone to just pick whatever they want. With a flick of your wrist flames flicker to life inside both fireplaces and the candles on top of the chandelier above your heads. Everyone hurries to find a seat. The students have all changed out of their battle garments into the academy’s summer uniform, its fabric much lighter than the heavy embroidered regular uniform they wore upon your first meeting.

    “My dear friends.” Dimitri raises a cup, holding the thin stem between slender fingers. It would look more elegant were its contents not simply orange juice. “To our victory today and many more to follow.”

    They raise their cups to toast except for Felix who knocks his drink back as if it were strong liquor he desperately needed to sit through this evening gathering. He doesn’t look as pale as before. A quick check up by Manuela after the battle affirmed that he was alright and simply fatigued from countless sleepless nights spent at the Training Grounds.

    The other participants don’t look too bad either. Bruises that vividly blossomed hours ago have faded, swollen purple eyes already start to heal—all certainly thanks to Manuela’s quick work. Sylvain surely won’t be as successful chasing girls with a shiner that makes the prettiest violet jealous of his colour and Dimitri tries to hide it but you don’t miss him tensing from time to time or moving his hand towards his side; probably a bruised rib he doesn’t want anyone to know. He catches your stare and offers a slight, boyish grin under half-closed eyes that only whispers of a shared secret only meant for you two. It does a funny thing to your stomach, a flip or drop, a light twist like missing a step and the fear of falling only to meet solid ground a split second later. You quickly look away and focus on spreading curd on a loaf of bread, not trying to think too much about how the muscles strained under his clothes wielding his lance or the fierce determination colouring his eyes a shade brighter when victory is in palpable proximity.

    You feel a piercing gaze, hot like a solid touch on your skin. Quickly whipping your head around, you catch Felix’s glare from across the room, completely ignoring whatever Sylvain is telling him. It leaves you completely tense for the rest of the dinner, wondering what his problem is and why he is so hostile towards Dimitri specifically. You’ve heard from some students who have walked into an argument those two had, something about a massacre two years ago but details, as is their nature, grow hazy over time and distort until they evolve into something completely different and unrecognisable.

    Felix holds your gaze for a long second, and it is only later after you all clean the classroom from your festivities and decide to retire to bed that you catch him by himself. The monastery at night is a desolate, lonely place save for a couple stray souls wandering about, either on their way to their chamber or out for a quick, last evening prayer inside the chapel. Felix’s destination is none of those as he strides towards the Training Grounds and you call out to him. He slows but doesn’t stop his step until you catch up. “You’re on your way to training, right? Shouldn’t you call it a day? Especially after what happened—”

    “I’ve got no time sitting around and making smalltalk,” Felix snaps, and a month ago you would have thought he aimed his anger towards you but recently you’ve discovered he’s towards the whole world—always glaring, always hissing like a cornered, wounded animal. “There are more important matters like growing stronger—”

    “And suffering from overexertion, I suppose.”

    Felix pulls a grimace. “It was a mistake I don’t intend to repeat. You saw Professor Byleth’s strength. It took two of you to win, and even then, it was mostly luck. I just want to try out some moves Professor Byleth exerted today so I can surpass her strength next time I challenger her.”

    “Why is it that you seek to fight so much?” you ask, deciding forwardness to be a better approach than idle chatter with a person like Felix. He doesn’t give immediate response, not because he ignores you, as is your first assumption, but because he gives it some thought.

    “Why, hm… I learnt to thrust a sword before I learnt to write my name. This is how it is for all children in my country, the perfect environment where I could live free of stodgy values and virtues. Grow strong so you may live, and live to grow stronger. That’s what I was taught.”

    It is no secret Faerghus is the land of knights and chivalry, and still it is hard to imagine a small version of Felix wielding a sword even before he learnt how to use a quill, scraped knees instead of black inked fingertips. What a strange world.

    “As long as you don’t forget to take a break should it get too much. Everyone was worried today.”

    “Everyone should mind their own business. I’m not their problem, and they aren’t mine.”

    You’re too tired to argue relationships don’t work like that, any minute longer on your feet and they’ll simply give out. Wishing Felix a goodnight, you turn towards the chapel but don’t get very far.

    “Herald.” Felix is halfway through the door. “Let me give you one advice.”

    “That is?”

    “Don’t get too close to that damn boar.”

    You’re about to ask what he’s talking about, but he continues, “Beneath all that princely polish, he’s an animal, nothing more. He’s strong and skilled, sure. But don’t place your trust in him as a human being. Take care he doesn’t chew you up and spit you out.”

    Not waiting for a response, Felix moves on, leaving you with more questions than answers. Every creature with two eyes can see hostility between Dimitri and Felix crackling like lightning about to strike the ground and burn down forests and villages. But to go this far and say these words about his future king … Words that couldn’t be more contrary to the impression he’s left on you.

    Whatever Felix wanted to accomplish, his words succeed to remain in your head the whole night, driving off any sleep you direly needed after that day. But even without that, your mind is occupied with questions. It is like stumbling into a spider web, sticky tangles everywhere with no way out.

    Who is that man you remembered? It was such a brief, yet striking memory, of what moment you cannot recall. His hostility was evident in his stance, sharp sword high up to drive down with enough force to cut your head from your shoulders. And yet here you are.

    And your words, You don’t have it in you. If you were familiar enough with that person to know this, who was he to you, and what had stopped him? Did he have a change of heart and instead used the blunt end, giving you a concussion and amnesia instead? Where is he now? And would he return to finish his work?

    Since that day, you look out for anyone fitting that built: tall and lean, visible even through robes with a design completely different from anything you’ve seen around the monastery. Asking Rhea or Seteth could be an option, but strangely enough, you don’t want to reveal it to anyone yet, not until you’ve found an answer yourself first.

    That is how your first moon at the monastery passes. Now there are more questions than before, more secrets to carry with no clear goal in sight. Lessons continue, you attend seminars and life unfolds in Garreg Mach, surprising you how easy it is growing accustomed and familiar with the place and its people—some more so than others.

    Byleth still invites you to her obligatory weekend-tea time sessions, rarely accepting no for an answer even though tea isn’t really what you consume to wind down. She’s acting like your talk after the mock battle has never happened and you do your best to mimic her even though you’d love nothing more than to see her power in battle. That opportunity shows at the end of the following month when Byleth and her class are tasked to deal with bandits the knights cornered in Zanado, the Red Canyon, but Rhea has different plans and instead sends you with the Golden Deer House to the village at the foot of the mountain to help clear debris a flooding left on one of the main roads leading to Alliance territory. It takes two days until the stench from the muddy riverbank is completely washed out of your hair.

    There is still no sight of the man from your memory, even though word about the Herald’s return has reached every corner of Fódlan by now. It makes you wonder if it’s less a matter of if and rather when he sets food inside the monastery. No additional memory has resurfaced, no sudden epiphany provides explanation and you doubt that will change even though Seteth drags you inside the chapel to pray for the goddess’ help whenever his time allows. Mostly, you use those occasions to ask her to make Raphael and Ingrid leave some Nirvana Cake for you.

    Then there is your other little secret of course. After another month of waking to an indistinguishable voice calling out to you every once in a while, you’ve grown used to it, finding a strange comfort in someone or something looking over you. Maybe it is the goddess. Maybe she is trying to reach out to tell you something important, to give divine insight and reach out to her followers. You just hope once she comes through to you, her words won’t proclaim hardships and sorrow.

[onestowatch]

The Top 21 Artists to Watch in 2021

In a world where the only universal certainty seems to be opening every email with “hope you’re doing well,” the only other surefire guarantee is that there will continue to be new music worth discovering. And, we figured with the start of a new year, what better way to say to spend the waking hours of 2021 than introduce you to a few of the artists we currently have a close eye on. Often genreless and belonging to Gen Z, these are the 21 artists we are watching in 2021. 

spill tab

Where to Start: “Calvaire” 

In her breakout single “Calvaire,” spill tab sings in French over an intoxicating backbeat. The effect is akin to a spell, ushering into existence something inherently danceable and transfixing, like an Angèle B-side finding new life as a Billie Eilish cut. It is a standout moment that would be followed by similar standout moments in the form of a series of varied singles, culminating in spill tab’s debut EP, Oatmilk. Short and sweet, the four-song collection holds all the promise of a 2021 artist to watch.

Joesef

Where to Start: “The Sun Is Up Forever”

Emerging from the fog of Glasgow, Scotland, Joesef’s marriage of heartbreak, desire, regret, hope, and sublime joy is nothing short of intoxicating. Immediately making an impression with his tender, heartfelt croon, the Glasgow artist’s songs soon give way to emotionally rife personal recollections–some beautiful in their understated minimalism, some breathtaking in their expansive scope. Whatever the setting, the result is always the same–a passionate, shared moment you will not be forgetting anytime soon.

brakence

Where to Start: “dropout”

Self-described as “self-care punk,” brakence effortlessly pairs the unmatched energy of punk with an impressive showing of vulnerability. While the past few years saw the Ohio native experiment over a range of singles and on his debut album, 2020 was without a doubt the year he found his sound in the noteworthy punk2. Blending Midwest emo, trap production, hip-hop, and alternative, brakence’s sophomore effort is a masterclass in infectious emotional catharsis.

Mustafa

Where to Start: “Stay Alive”

Few artists embody the sentiment of music as poetry as emphatically as Mustafa. First leaving a mark with 2020’s “Stay Alive,” Mustafa introduced himself to the world with a breathtaking, earth-shattering ballad rife with impassioned emotional imagery. Soft-spoken but never lacking for impact, the poet, activist, filmmaker, and songwriter brings to life the lived realities of Toronto’s Regent Park, a public housing project that shaped Mustafa into the once in a lifetime artist he is today.

Holly Humberstone

Where to Start: “Falling Asleep At The Wheel”

In her 2020 debut EP, Falling Asleep at the Wheel, Holly Humberstone proves herself a master at crafting a palpable atmosphere. Rife with emotional highs and cathartic lows, all backed by Humberstone’s magnetic and graceful songwriting, the British artist lays her heart on her sleeve and in turn lays the groundwork for a debut offering poised to stand the test of time. It is no mere hyperbole to say that Humberstone is an artist to watch out for not only in 2021 but in the years to come.

AG Club

Where to Start: “Memphis”

The initial comparison of AG Club to collectives like BROCKHAMPTON and A$AP may be an easy one to draw, but a single listen tells another story. While the genreless Bay Area collective may radiate the same rapturous energy of the aforementioned groups, AG Club is clearly riding high on their own wavelength. Aiming to make hip-hop but not as you know it, the idiosyncratic collective made their vision clear with the release of 2020’s Halfway Off the Porch, an electrifying amalgamation of disparate genres, sights, sounds, and moods.

347aidan

Where to Start: “Dancing in My Room”

Euphoric, difficult to perfectly define, and haphazardly brilliant, aidan347 embodies the adventurousness and inventiveness of Gen Z. The project of 17-year-old Aidan Fuller, the Cambridge, Ontario native has spent the past five years making music. Yet at the beginning of 2020, the Cambridge artist had less than three thousand monthly listeners; now, that number sits well above five million. A testament to 347aidan’s tenacity, his devoted fanbase, and the power of a TikTok-fueled viral hit–arriving in the form of “Dancing in My Room”–it really feels we are only witnessing the prologue of what’s to come.

Frances Forever

Where to Start: “Space Girl”

When thinking of music’s future stars, what better place to look than to the galactic, lovelorn musings of Frances Forever. Making less of a splash and more of a tidal wave with the release of “Space Girl” late last year, the Boston bedroom artist’s ode to intergalactic love has been rapidly climbing the TikTok and indie charts. Now signed to Mom+Pop records, Frances Forever is more than ready to shoot for the stars and beyond in 2021.

Hope Tala

Where to Start: “Lovestained”

Hope Tala is impossible to ignore. A West Londoner to her core, the UK singer-songwriter finds inspiration in everything from ‘90s movies, classic literature, to the constantly changing world around her. Transforming what feels like a lifetime, and some, of inspiration into an undeniably spellbinding fusion of R&B and bossa nova, Hope Tala’s musings of daydreams, heartache, and fear are the sort ready to define a generation’s ails, joys, and mundane triumphs and anxieties. Universal in scope yet deeply personal, Hope Tala is without doubt an artist to keep your eye on in 2021. 

Q

Where to Start: “Take Me Your Heart Is”

Q, much like his name, is an anomaly. Releasing one album a year since 2018, the ineffable soul and R&B artist has somehow coasted under the radar in spite of releasing some of the most breathtaking music out there. And with the release of 2020’s The Shave Experiment, Q feels like he’s finally stepping into the much-deserved limelight. Leading with the striking “Take Me Your Heart Is,” Q brought to life a nostalgic, hyper-emotive track sure to stop you in your tracks. Hopefully, it’s one of many to come. 

Claire Rosinkranz

Where to Start: “Backyard Boy”

16-year-old Claire Rosinkranz has been making music for the better part of her life, and 2020 was the year that scribbling down lyrics and helping her father compose music for TV shows and ad jingles paid off in a major way. The California native’s single, “Backyard Boy,” taken from her debut EP, BeVerly Hills BoYfRiEnd, soon became a TikTok hit, racking up over 80 million streams to date, on Spotify alone. If there are two things to look out for in 2021, make sure it’s your mental wellbeing and Claire’s euphoric self-dubbed “alternative-blues-pop.”

KennyHoopla

Where to Start: “how will i rest in peace if i'm buried by a highway?//”

KennyHoopla is nothing if not electrifying. The alternative, punk, and ‘80s new wave-evoking artist moves through each track with a sense of world-ending hunger, jumping from one ensuing mosh pit to the next. It is a balancing act of new wave nostalgia and genuine inventive alternative that results in a maelstrom of palpable excitement. To best experience this cathartic form of self-expression firsthand, look no further than his debut EP, last year’s how will i rest in peace if i'm buried by a highway?//. No one is quite making music like KennyHoopla, in 2021 or beyond.

MICHELLE

Where to Start: “THE BOTTOM”

New York collective MICHELLE deftly imbues the sincerity of soul and R&B into a uniquely tender pop outlook, and the result is nothing short of infectious. The project of six predominantly queer POC individuals, the group originally earned widespread critical acclaim for their 2018 album HEATWAVE, but it was arguably their subsequent signing with Atlantic Records last year that has them set to be one of 2021’s most promising acts. Quickly making the most of their newfound major label status, MICHELLE released “Sunrise,” the sonic equivalent of the first rays of light breaking through the clouds, signaling the end of a rainy day. It’s safe to say the future is looking bright for MICHELLE.

glaive

Where to Start: “eyesore”

Few artists define and defy the label of hyperpop as readily as glaive. Falling somewhere between 100 gecs and the second coming of mid-2000s pop punk, the newly-signed Interscope artist released his major debut label EP, cypress grove, earlier this year. Yet before finding a home at Interscope, glaive’s official discography only stretched back as far as 2020. Making the most of a year we all would rather soon forget, the 15-year-old wunderkind showcased to the world a continual musical evolution that is looking to only further pick up steam in the coming year.

Claud

Where to Start: “Wish You Were Gay”

From opening for Clairo to releasing a steady stream of resonant singles, Claud has spent the last couple of years making a name for themselves in the indie music world, but 2020 saw arguably their biggest breakthrough moment yet. With the release of “Gold,” Claud became the first artist signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records. Arriving as the first taste of their upcoming debut album, Super Monster, 2021 is looking absolutely golden for Claud. And not to mention the fact they recently started a band with Clairo and friends.

María Isabel

Where to Start: “The 1”

Where has María Isabel been all our lives? First making herself known with the release of “The 1,” an ode to long-distance relationships, which soon became more prophetic than we ever could have imagined, the debut single served as lovely an introduction as they come. Thankfully, we would not have to wait too long to hear more dreamlike R&B from María, who graced us with her debut EP, Stuck in the Sky shortly thereafter. Uniquely heartfelt and velvety smooth, María’s voice is just the thing to carry you through 2021.

Remi Wolf

Where to Start: “Photo ID”

The past couple of years have seen avant-garde pop wunderkind Remi Wolf test the waters with one out of this world single after another, and 2020 felt like the year everything finally fell into place. Arriving on the Bay Area native’s sophomore album, I’m Allergic To Dogs!, “Photo ID,” and its unafraid, in your face anti pop mentality cemented itself as a surefire hit, and TikTok soon took notice. Serving as a testament to Remi Wolf’s mainstream appeal in spite of her outsider approach, “Photo ID” merely set the stage for what is to come.  

PawPaw Rod

Where to Start: “HIT EM WHERE IT HURTS”

PawPaw Rod may be the only artist on this list with only one single to their name, but in no way does that disqualify him from being an artist to watch in 2021. Releasing his debut single, “HIT EM WHERE IT HURTS,” out into the ether, the Los Angeles artist immediately landed on something special. Blending elements of hip-hop, funk, and alternative under a mellow, syrupy flow, PawPaw Rod wasted no time in setting himself apart from the pack. And with godmode–the same development company that brought us Yaeji, Channel Tres, LoveLeo, and more–it is safe to say that this is only the beginning.

Evann Mcintosh

Where to Start: “WIYULD”

In her dreamlike take on alternative R&B, Evann Mcintosh attempts to capture the turbulent act of coming-of-age. At times delicate to the touch and at times emanating a self-assured confidence well beyond her 16 years of age, Evann Mcintosh’s 2019 debut album, MOJO, laid the groundwork for an act whose promise knows no bounds. It was a promise she made good on during the tail end of 2020, with the release of singles “WIYULD” and “BULL$HIT.” Showing off two different sides of her continued musical growth, 2021 has us all the more excited for what Evann has in store.

Serena Isioma

Where to Start: “Sensitive”

In her breakout single, “Sensitive,” Serena Isioma fuses modern-day R&B and woozy indie pop with reckless abandon. The outcome is a song that not only sounds quite unlike anything else out there, but one whose own vibe seems to shift and evolve from one moment to the next. It is an electrifying opening moment that begins to define the Isioma’s artistry and her debut EP, Sensitive. The first of two EPs the Chicago-based artist would release in 2020, it is hard not to feel like Isioma is already in the process of creating a one-of-a-kind discography.

Blu DeTiger

Where to Start: “Figure It Out”

Whether you know her as the touring bassist for acts like FLETCHER and Caroline Polachek or as the TikTok famous bassist, the fact of the matter is that Blu DeTiger is an artist you need to know. A bassist since age seven and crowned the “coolest DJ around” by Vogue, the New York native’s music skirts the realms of funk, indie, and dance. Unmistakable, nonchalantly cool, and unsurprisingly bass-heavy, you deserve doing yourself the favor of diving headfirst into Blu DeTiger’s music. Just be sure to come up for air, when you’re ready.

[cassava-49]

Death 6

Part 1/ Part 2/ Part 3/ Part 4/ Part 5/ Part 7

Marinette stood in shock when Allegra and Lindalee brought in a slowly fading Kenya. This made her run to aid her fallen friend. "No, no, please, please don't die. Wake up please, please," Marinette said as tears began rolling down her cheeks. The three girls gathered around their friend hoping for the best. With that, the door burst open to the two boys who were both in shock at the sight of their friend.

"What happened?" Claude asked with concern as he rushed to the girl's side. "We stopped Cerberus, but, but he clung to her and, and dragged her down with him," Lindalee explained in between sobs. Kenya slowly turned her head to face them all and have a weak smile, as tears trailed down her face she finally disappeared back to her body for her final moments. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Lindalee apologized as she curled herself into a ball and continued crying. "It's not your fault, honey. Calm down and take a deep breath," Allegra tried to calm the blonde down as she engulfed her into a tight hug. "It's not your fault Lindalee. It's my fault, I shouldn't have let you guys protect me, I can protect myself," Marinette claimed.

"We are helping you because we want to, you never asked us to," Felix said to her. "It's no one's fault," he added. This made Marinette stand up and looked at her friends. "Please, go to the south of the building, I'll be fine," she said sternly. "This is my fight not yours. I'll take care of myself, you take care of yourselves," she added as she looked at everyone in their eyes, channeling her long forgotten Ladybug, no, Marinette courage and confidence. "I don't want anyone to die at my cost," she told them. Everyone stared at her teary eyed, not knowing what to say or do. Felix stood up and stood in front of Marinette looking down at her with his stoic face.

"No," he said to her face without hesitation. Marinette glared at him and was about to speak until he goes first. "Listen, we know that you want us to leave you, so you could protect us. How much have you've done that? All the time you'll sacrifice yourself time after time again, until to the point where you break and no one is there to help you. We are here to help you like how you have helped us, please let us," Felix lectured. "You don't have to face this alone, like what you have been enduring for a long time," he continued as he placed his hands on her arms. "Please, we aren't going to leave you and let you sacrifice yourself. Please, I don't want to lose you too," he added as he pleaded to her.

"We're with him, we aren't letting you do this on your own," Claude supported. "You don't have to endure this by yourself. We're you friends and were here for you," Allegra added. "We will stand with you to the end, like what you will do for us. Let's not waste Kenya's sacrifice," Lindalee joined. "Please, we're not them, if that's what you're fearing," Felix added. He opened his mouth to say something, only to be tackled into a hug, stumbling slightly backwards. "Thank you," she mumbled as she held on tightly. Felix smiled and returned it.

...

Allan continued the cat and mouse chase as he tired Geryon more and more. "Come back," Geryon called, getting a little exhausted. Noticing his moves were getting weaker, he immediately phased through a wall leaving Geryon panting as he tried to catch up. Allan began laughing at its predicament, but what happened next, he couldn't expect. He watched one of its paws went through each room trying to find him. Realising his mistake, he tried to get out only to nearly get caught. He continued running through the hallway, pass the rooms that held no patients.

He continued running forgetting about something, he was getting closer to Allegra's room. He continued forward trying to find the right time to escape. He began dodging, jumping and escaping from its clutches. It finally dawned to him when he passed her room. He came to a complete stop upon realising his mistake. "No!" Allan screamed as Geryon's hand went straight into the poor girl's room.

...

"Allegra!" Claude shouted as he caught the poor girl in time. "I-I feel cold," Allegra stuttered trying to stay awake her eyes slowly closing and opening. "No, no, look at me. Don't, don't," Claude pleaded as he cupped the girl's cheeks and tried to force her to keep her eyes open. "It, it hurts. I-I... ca-can't... bre-breath," Allegra said, each word coming out breathier than the other. Her soul slowly fading and coming back. Everyone began gathering around to her and tried to give her comfort in her final moments before returning back to her body one last time.

This suddenly enraged them all. "New objective," Claude said. "We're going for the head," he said grimly. "No, we are here to-," Felix tried to reason. "No problem with me," Marinette agreed. "Wait, wasn't our-," Felix tried to reason again. "No, not anymore. Marinette has given her consent," Lindalee interrupted. "But that's-," Felix tried again. "No, Lila's been hurting too many people that I love, I'm not going to stand by this time," Marinette argued. Felix then conceded as he nodded and agreed. "She's not like any other akuma. She's vicious, quick, powerful and definitely knows her objective," Felix stated.

"So far, she doesn't know anything about the soul and their ability outside of the body, mostly if they're dead. But our biggest challenge would be her goons. Since they're demons, they can see us and kill us. I don't know how far the miraculous ladybugs could go, but let's just try not to get captured," Claude stated. "Claude and I are going to take on the Furies, keep them far from her to cut off their communication. From what we could observe, she can command and control them from a 10m radius. And given how effed up Paris is, seems like she released all the monsters she can. Since we haven't seen her create new ones," Felix began. "On our way here, we saw the heroes were close, so they're probably already battling right now. So Lindalee and Marinette, this is where you factor in. You have to make openings for the heroes. Make sure that they would be able to defeat her. If possible, take her sceptre and you would be able to end this mess. If some monsters are still there, Lindalee, I would want you to distract them and take them far off the 10m radius. Make sure that you don't get caught though. And Marinette you are going to continue helping the heroes, if possible cause a few misfortunes to her," Felix added. "What about Allan?" Marinette asked. "He's busy taking care of Geryon. He'll be fine," Claude commented.

...

"You can just give me your miraculouses and everything would be over. I have a prior arrangement after this," Castigare offered again as her furies did the dirty work for her. "Look who's asking?" Lady Luck threw back. "On your left Lucky," Monsieur Noir called. Acknowledging it, she immediately threw the demon, that was tied in her yo-yo, to the incoming one sending them both away. "We need a solution fast," Monsieur Noir commented. "We can do this, we'll just end this in five minutes," Lady Luck responded as they nodded to each other. "Lucky Charm!" she called as a box of macaroons appeared. She began looking at her surroundings only to find a blank slate.

"Hey, red heads!" Claude called. "Aren't you supposed to bring souls to hell? Well you missed some!" Felix added. This enraged them as all six eyes glared at them. "What are you idiots doing! Take their miraculouses!" Castigare shouted, getting pissed off by, yet another subordination. "There's no one there! Take their miraculouses!" she demanded.

"All souls must be thrown into the cold, dark abyss called hell," Megaera called out. "Well, I guess you have to play tag first before you take us to hell," Claude taunted. Before any of them spoke Felix shouted, "One, two, three, go!" With that they were off, the Furies chased them in hopes of giving them to Minos for judgement, leaving Castigare, who was already thrusting a temper tantrum. "Idiots! There's no one there! Why are they all chasing things that aren't there!" she screamed.

With them away, Lindalee and Marinette went to place. They casually began throwing buckets of paint at her. But for them, it seemed like out of no where all the materials began flying towards Castigare. "What kind of new miraculous is this?" Castigare demanded as she tried to shield herself from the attacks. The two heroes shrugged as if it was nothing. "Invisibility? Telekinesis? What is it?" she urged. "We didn't release any miraculous for this battle," Monsieur Noir replied. She continued glaring at him. She then realized that Lady Luck was not there. "Where is she?" she asked. He shrugged and began to run towards her with his staff ready. Noticing this, she immediately countered with her sceptre. They began to fence with each other, unaware of the their invisible allies.

Castigare kicked Monsieur Noir to the ground throwing his staff away. She pointed him on the ground, and setting her sceptre on the side and reached for his hand that had the ring. With an immediate turn of events, Geryon came flying in with Allan riding him from behind, guiding the monster towards them. This made her curse as she was thrown to the side, her back hitting the building. This knocked three monster out giving Allan ample time to get off. As he got off he looked at Marinette and Lindalee but turned away as they made eye contact. He can still feel the guilt surging through him. He had indirectly killed their friend and he can't help but feel guilty.

As he pondered he didn't realize that something was approaching from behind. "Allan! Look out!" Lindalee cried as ran towards him full speed pushing him out of the way as Geryon's swift paw crushed the young girl.

...

On the far side of the battle field a group of Furies continued to chase the two souls, who continued separated them from their master. "Stop running you damned souls!" Alecto screamed at them as she tried to claw Felix, who swiftly dodged it. "Do not make us call on Medusa," Megaera threatened as she cornered Felix. "Don't think that we don't know that you are the protectors of that beast who haa wronged our Queen," she added. "Couldn't care less," Claude retorted as he guided some dust towards the fury's eyes.

"Nice shot!" Felix complimented. Taking this as an opening, Alecto got hold of his arm and threw him to the building. This almost knocked him back to his body, and just as he thought he could move Megaera immediately restrained him by twisting his arms and placed it firmly on his back with his face on the warm cement. "Got you now you little shit," she grunted out pressing him further more into the wall.

This enraged Claude more as he shouted, "Let go of him!" But just before he could move, he felt like his heart was being torn out of his chest. He fell to his knees wheezing as he was going in and out of consciousness. He glared at the furies angrily as he saw Tisiphone flying down in front of him grabbing a fistful of his hair making him face her. "What? You didn't think that we didn't have ways with souls like you," she said with a sinister grin. "Find the body then attack, very simple isn't it," she added adjusting his head. With that she dropped him and went to the squirming Felix.

Light headed and nauseous, Claude forced himself to stand up but continued to fail miserably. No, I can't let anyone get hurt again when I can do something, he thought to himself rebidding him of his accident more and more. Get up, get up, he told himself as he continued trying to push himself up but to no avail. Losing hope he looked around and thought of the risks.

"Stop squirming you. You know that it's hopeless. Your little friend will die, Castigare will revive her and turn her to stone using Medusa and grind her into dust after we're fine torturing get," Megaera said explaining Lila's plan. "It's a shame to ruin such a pretty face," Alecto said as she was about to leave to do some damage to his unconscious body. As she was about to lift off the ground, she felt it shake. The trio then felt it get stronger but missed the debris that was about to fall onto them. They were too invested at the thought of the ground splitting open only to realize the danger was from above, as they looked up they were unable to fly away as the debris fell on top of them. This made Megaera let Felix go to cover her head. With no living matter holding onto him, he was able to phase through the building to avoid the rubble toppling over them.

Once the furies were covered with heavy construction material, Felix phased out of the building only to find Claude on his knees slowly fading away. He looked at him with wide eyes, but before any of them could saw anything, Claude's soul slowly disappeared leaving his ghostly smile etched into Felix's burning heart. He felt himself tear up as he looked down whispering, "You idiot, you wasted your final energy on me instead on yourself. You such an idiot." With almost all of his friends dead, he turned to the direction to where he left Marinette and Lindalee. With a determined look on his eyes he immediately ran towards them to save them from anymore danger.

...

"Lindalee! No!" Marinette screamed at the scene in front of her. She immediately ran towards them taking Geryon by the wing, she used her new found strength to break it. This made the beast screech from the pain as it stumbled backwards, taking its paw of the poor girl, and fell on the fence of the hospital. With it on its back, she ran to the two with a painful twist in her stomach.

"No, please don't, please survive," she said as she took the little girl's slowly fading hand. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Why did you push me out of the way? I could still live unlike you," Allan stated as he pulled her frail soul close. "Oh right, I forgot about that," Lindalee said laughing lightly. "I guess I didn't want any of my friends to die on my watch by another monster again," she replied remembering Kenya. "What do you mean?" Allan asked confused about the situation. Marinette looked at him with a bleak expression saying, "Kenya's dead, Cerberus killed her. Allegra's dead, too." This made him fuel with rage as he gave Lindalee one last look as he got up and went to Geryon with a murderous look in his eyes. "Look away you two. I don't think I would be able to do this if either of you are watching," he stated as he aimed for Geryon.

"Get up, you lazy sack of meat. Get up and protect me," Castigare commanded once she got hold of her sceptre. But to no avail, the creature was unable to move for that matter. It seemed as if he was stuck in his place slowly choking as if a noose was around its neck. "You worthless minion!" she shouted as she stalked her way towards Marinette's room. "You'll get your jewels Hawkmoth, just let me do this while those two trouble makers are out of the way, for now," she told him coldly.

Hearing this Marinette turned her head as she watched the akuma ever the building. She felt a tug on her sleeve to find Lindalee smiling softly at her mouthing, "Go, I'll be fine. I'm not alone, I can feel Kenya and Allegra with me. Go now, before it's too late." Marinette nodded as she felt the tears flow down her cheeks. She set the girl on the ground as she faded back to her body.

"Marinette, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The time of reckoning had finally arrived," Castigare said as she entered the said person's room. "Who are you? Get out," Rolland said to her. "You must be her grandfather, a pleasure to meet you," she answered with a sickening voice as she pushed the old man away. But to her displeasure, she found the bed empty. She glared at our as she turned to the old man, "Where is she?" she asked menacingly. Rolland spat on her face and said, "Over my dead body. I'm never going to tell you where my granddaughter is."

This enraged her more, but as she was about to punch the old man, a yo-yo wrapped around her hand stopping her from hurting the man. Enraged by this intrusion, she pulled it towards her. Bad idea, since Lady Luck is very much armed with knowledge of almost all of the martial arts, instead of being limply dragged towards her, she got hit in the nose by the the girl's feet. "You want Marinette? Follow me," Lady Luck offered. "Why should I? For all I know it could be a trap," Castigare retorted cautiously. "Your loss," the hero taunted. "No tricks, no games," Castigare stated. "No tricks, no games," the girl parroted.

...

Felix arrived at the area only to find it completely deserted, expect for the passed out Geryon and an out of breath Allan. "Allan," he called out. "Where's Lindalee and Marinette?" he asked. Allan walked down the beast and approached the blond asking, "Where's Claude?" Felix looked the other way and said, "Gone, sacrificed himself for me." This made Allan twitch as he looked at the spot where Lindalee was. "Where's Marinette and Lindalee?" Felix asked again. Allan looked at him with a blank expression saying, "Lindalee got crushed by Geryon."

This made Felix's eyes widen with the news of another death. "And Marinette?" he asked looking down contemplating. "In the morgue," Allan replied. This made him face the boy and grabbed his shirt. "Wooh, wooh, that's not what I meant. I heard the doctors and nurses say that they had to keep her there since they got a call from Lady Luck and she has a plan," he quickly explained. This made Felix relax as he let him go, but quickly remembered the fury's words.

"I almost forgot, Megaera told me Lila's plan," he said as he continued to explain. Allan began to contemplate on it trying to find a solution. "I have an idea, I don't care about the risk any more," Felix said as he told him the plan. This made Allan's eyes widen as he looked at his friends with disbelief. "No, no, I'm not going to let you do that. I'm not going to risk it, not to mention almost all our friends are dead," Allan replied. "It's the only way I could think of. Please trust me on this, it's the only way. And I have nothing to lose," Felix stated. Allan sighed and gave in as he said a silent prayer. "Alright, let's try it," he finally said.

The two boys then went to Felix's room, which was luckily empty. "Are you sure about this?" Allan asked hesitantly. "Just do it," Felix demanded. With that Allan possessed Felix's body making him wake up, but sadly, he woke up in pain. Trying to stay awake without altering any of the nurses. He felt Felix's presence as he caused a swift breeze passed the IVs he has to remove. Allan painfully removed them and sat on the bed with all of his strength. He closed his eyes as he tried to feel Felix's presence.

Felix, on the other hand, looked at his physical face and tried to touch it only to have his hand of through it. He sighed and took a deep breath as he looked at himself as neared this fist face to his physical face. His ghost lips and physical lips touched to give breath to his body, with that the transfer began.

Felix opened his eyes only to squint at the light. But slowly he opened them and took in his surroundings and took a couple of breaths as he savoured the feeling of being alive. He began feeling pain but only smiled at the thought of feeling it again. He slowly got up, ignoring the pain, he walked out of the room. He stepped out and started to walk, he then started to get faster until he's already running towards Marinette's body.

...

Marinette followed the two into the morgue. "We're here," Lady Luck said as she opened the doors. Both of them stepped in to find Marinette's sleeping body still hooked to the machines. "What kind of hero you are. You led me right to her," Castigare stated as she placed the sceptre right above the girl's head. Marinette then felt her soul slowly reunite with her body. After a bright light of the unification, Marinette found herself surrounded by two heroes who told her to be quite. She nodded as they both whispered the plan into her ears.

Castigare smirked as she looked at Marinette's confused face at being awaken. "Where? Where am I?" the young girl asked. "Get up, you bitch," Castigare said with much rudeness to a newly awaken coma patient. "Lady Luck, what's happening?" Marinette asked with confusion. "It's alright Marinette, trust me right now. We have to do what she says so, please get up," Lady Luck reassured. Marinette nodded as she got up and looked at Castigare with sad eyes saying, "Lila, why did you do this to you? You know that this will not make you a lik-."

"Shut up," Castigare butted in. "Now you'll do as I-," she continued only to stop when she saw a second Marinette appear. "What? What is this? An illusion?" she asked taken completely off guard. "Yup," Lady Luck replied as she aimed for the sceptre, missing it by a few centimetres since Castigare caught up. "Hide Marinette," Monsieur Noir instructed as he appeared. He immediately extended his staff aiming for her knees.

Castigare tripped but had a tight grip on the sceptre. This enraged her and cursed Medusa for being late. "Give it up, Lila. Don't you see, your hurting a lot of people," Monsieur Noir tried to reason. "My name is Castigare, not that powerless Lila! Medusa turn them to stone!" she demanded as the doors opened to reveal the snake haired mythological woman. Medusa entered and immediately opened her eyes. "Close your eyes everyone!" someone shouted from behind.

Recognizing the voice, Marinette unconsciously turned around almost meeting the monster's eye. "Felix?" she asked in a quiet voice. Realising her mistake, she felt a pair of hands quickly cover her eyes. She felt warmth and suddenly the cold touch of stone. "Felix? Felix?" Marinette asked repeatedly as she touched the stone hand covering her eyes, the stone arm that held her close, and the stone body that shielded her. She felt tears run down her eyes realising that she was unable to every feel his warm skin on hers. To smell his natural scent that she yearned to know. To touch his smooth looking blond hair and run her hands through our as she pleased. Now, he is nothing but an emotionless statue with a stone heart.

"Please, don't go. The miraculous ladybugs will fix you, it's going to be OK," Marinette said trying to calm down. Speaking too soon, she felt something go through him and started to feel the statue crack. With one swift tug Felix's statue crumbled into rubble. "Did you really think that you could escape me? Even this boy's sacrifice is useless," Castigare remarked.

Marinette gritted her teeth with closed eyes. Using her sense of hearing that had been enhanced by her training as Ladybug, she was able to land a good blow. This caught Castigare off guard, stumbling back by the force, still stunned. Red eyes staring at the ground, Marinette looked at Felix's stone face that was still intact. She immediately recognised his expression as a caring and protective one despite the scowl that he gave Medusa and Castigare.

"You don't care who you step on, don't you?" Marinette asked in a low voice. Rubbing the blood off her nose, Castigare looked at her with cold eyes. "You know the answer to that. I don't care about anyone or anything, as long as I win in the end," she replied as she neared Marinette. "You don't even know how many you've killed just for a petty revenge, don't you?" Marinette asked raising her head looking Castigare in the eye. "Kill, ha! No one dies because during an akuma attack. With the miraculous ladybugs everything would be restored," Castigare replied as she stopped in front of Marinette placing her sceptre under the girl's chin. "Who told you that? Hawkmoth? Wanna bet?" Marinette asked menacingly.

This made doubt cross Lila's face, taking this chance, Marinette quickly snatched the sceptre and threw it across the room. This made the two begin their cat fight. As Castigare tried to run to her sceptre Marinette immediately grabbed her arm and tossed her overhead. Despite not having any ability or miraculous, Marinette has always been good at hand-to-hands combat, courtesy of her mother. Collecting herself, Castigare for up on her arms only to be roughly pushed back down on the ground. Noticing her near defeat, Medusa quickly left the two miraculous users to aid her.

"Wait," Lady Luck said as she placed a hand on Monsieur Noir's chest. "Lucky charm!" she called as the ladybugs hand her an adamantine sword, the same one that Perseus used to cut off Medusa's head. She began looking around and nodded at her cat and fox. Noir and Vulpes went to the hospital bed taking the blanket and getting strips of our, tying it over their man's covering their eyes. Now that their eyes are covered it would be difficult for Medusa to make eye contact with them, not knowing where they are looking.

Medusa quickly pulled Marinette off Castigare and pushed her on the ground, pinning her down not giving her a chance to escape. Marinette immediately closed her eyes, not wanting to open them. Castigare grinned maliciously as she looked at the squirming victim. "Not so powerful now, are you Marinette," Castigare taunted as she gets on on one knee and nears her face to Marinette. Marinette glared at Lila through closed eyes as she laughed and got up. "Turn her to stone," she said forgetting about the others in the room.

Medusa nodded as she turned Marinette to face her. She neared her face to the girl awaiting for her eyes to open. "Won't you open your eyes for me," she said with an enchanting tone trying to convince her to open her eyes. But before she could force her eyes open she heard a scream. As she turned the other way she felt her head being separated from her body. With that Medusa's head was kicked out of sight. "It's gone, you can open your eyes now," Lady Luck said as she pushed Medusa's body off Marinette and engulfed her into a hug they both desperately needed.

"Cataclysm" Monsieur Noir called on as he destroyed the sceptre while Vulpes had the blanket around Castigare's head. With that the little butterfly escaped and Lila detransformed, making Vulpes let go. "Stand down now, Lila, it's over," Vulpes said noticing the girl twitch to attack either of them. Lila complied and remained docile.

Lady Luck began to purify the akuma and cleansed the mess using the miraculous ladybugs. But with this Marinette was again back in her coma, given that she was awaken by Lila's magic. Buildings were fixed, wounds were healed, chaos turned to order. But the stone statue that turned into a boy didn't wake up. Vulpes approached Felix's body and looked for a pulse only to gasp at the occurrence. All the heroes looked at each other in horror as she announced, "He doesn't have a pulse."

"Miraculous ladybug has its limits," Lady Luck said quietly. Lila stared in shock at the thought of those she had possibly killed. But instead of regret and remorse, she felt vengeful as she got up to her feet and grabbed the closest pair of scissors and went straight for Marinette, while the heroes were distracted by the boy's body. She dug it into Marinette's neck, hitting the carotid artery. The heroes sprung into action and apprehended her, but as Vulpes tried to pull Lila from Marinette, only making Lila able to cut through it more. Lady Luck quickly removed the scissors, while Monsieur Noir placed a towel on it putting pressure on the wound. Lady Luck's fist collided with Lila's face as she instructed, "Vulpes, Noir, get Marinette to the ER now, she still had 10 minutes left and call some nurses to come down here. Go, I'll take care of this rat." Without being told twice, the two heroes pushed through the doors to deliver Marinette.

Lady Luck got to Lila's eye level. Lila on the other hand was glaring back at her saying, "You're as worse as Ladybug. But at least Ladybug would never hurt a civilian." This struck the last nerve, she wrapped the girl in her yo-yo and dragged her out.

Marinette, on the other hand, was starting to have a difficulty to breath. If crying was already obstructing her breathing, now she felt like she was drowning. She had hitched a ride on her hospital bed as the nurses pushed it into the ER, Vulpes and Monsieur Noir long gone because she had less than a minute to detransform. She still can't believe that Lila would go that far just to kill her. She can see that her whole being was slowly fading away ready to reunite with her body. With one last look, she could see her family's faces outside the room, she smiled and happily rejoined her body.

[yandere-sins]

33 &/or 1 with CursedKing!Claude, (how he’s Cursed it’s up to you!)

In the end, I didn’t bring up much about the king-factor, but I hope you can still simply enjoy a manipulative, cursed Claude! Thanks for requesting! ^-^

“This is a place frozen in time, haunted by old memories. But don’t worry, we can change that soon enough.”

»»————-———— ♡ ————————-««    

You couldn’t help yourself from looking back over your shoulders every few steps. The voices of the villagers, hunting after you even when you disappeared into the safety of the woods, still haunted your bones and reigned over your walking pace. Technically, you had been walking for at least two hours now, but you always feared that the next moment you knew, you’d be chased again by these people spouting nonsense.

You were no magician, you never had been.

Sure, you liked your herbal tea and the occasional spice in your food, but that didn’t qualify you as a being that everyone wanted to burn on top of a stake, right? Whoever stuck it to the elders that you were a user of forbidden arts should be the one burning at the stake, but not you, since you never had been anything else but a model citizen.

But here you were now, shivering, cold, at a loss of what to do. There hadn’t been a lot of time to pack, just to get dressed real quick and stuff your bag with the pure essentials from your home, the flickering of the torches drawing closer and closer until you had to jump out of the back of your house and run before they noticed. Going back there wasn’t and option now either.

All you could do was advance, and for that night that began to fall over you, find a safe place to rest until the morning. It was a challenging track to conquer, over roots, and through the thicket, and you knew that latest when the darkness covered everything, you’d be unable to navigate freely. The urgency drove you to move forward even if your legs began to hurt.

If anything, it was pure luck to find a cave so far out as you were. It wasn’t bound to a huge mountain, but rather, belonging to a cliff. With a small entrance, hidden away under roots and grass, it was perfect for someone like you, searching for a save hideout. You pushed away the thoughts of having to share your bed with countless bugs, using all your strength to divide the roots and slip inside.

You were surprised to find that behind the entrance which you had to bend down to enter, was a long, man-sized cave, going deep into the mountain. There was no torch or lighter you could have used, but you decided that if you managed to go as deep as the light from outside still allowed you, even if you were found, they wouldn’t be able to see you. Venturing forth, you used the roots sticking out from the wall to navigate, astonished when the cave made a sharp curve.

There, it would have been perfect to hide behind, as they would neither see you nor the curve, but just to be sure you walked onwards, not wanting to risk that this was a tunnel rather than a cave. The roots stopped halfway through your exploration, earthy, yet solid walls under your fingertips instead. Without seeing any lights yet, you were surprised to find cold stone- no, smoother than stone, marble, under your touch.

Through what seemed like vines, you saw the sparkles of light behind them, and you were almost disappointed, thinking you’d be thrown out at the other side of the cliff now. Carefully, you collected the plants between your fingers, pushing them aside, having to blink a few times as your eyes were hit with a brilliant light, just like the sun.

It took some time to get used to it, before you could see properly again, your jaw falling open in amazement of the architecture that spread before you. A building that seemed like a giant, round dome, with ceilings so high, you believed you had never seen anything as tall as those. There were golden, sparkling decorations everywhere, next to the very marble pillars and floor length windows. Though outside, there didn’t seem to be anything, just light which flooded the room.

Too caught up in taking in this wonderous building, you didn’t even notice the person standing in the middle, turned with their back to you. It caught you off-guard when you finally took note of their presence, making you halt immediately, body tense, ready to turn and run should this be another villager alerting the others.

But it was odd. While your life had been pleasant as it was, you had never been one to look for great wealth or power. But this person looked how you imagined a king or at least a noble person would, even from their back. You were pretty sure they couldn’t hear you since they were in the middle of the room while you had barely made five steps inside, but maybe your staring caught their attention, and they turned around as they noticed you.

And god, was he gorgeous.

He was everything you expected an angel to be. From the sweet, welcoming smile that he showed after an initial hesitation in his gaze, to the brilliant green eyes examining you from afar. The colors of his clothes were vibrant, shining even, just like seemingly soft hair that appeared well taken care of. “Oh, hello there,” he greeted you sweetly, and you weren’t sure about what to do.

Perhaps that was the moment you should have just turned and run again, but no matter what, he couldn’t be someone from your village, and you weren’t appalled by the thought of having a conversation with him. “It’s rare someone manages to find this place. What’s your name if I may ask?”

Crossing his arms behind his back, he began to approach you slowly. Even then, it wouldn’t have been too late to bolt, but if he ended up being a noble, you did not want to offend him. Unsure of how to act, you lowered your gaze, giving a quick, awkward bow to him, while your body was still half-way turned, ready to leave. “Oh, really,” he was quick to laugh, shaking his hand dismissively. “There’s no need for such formality. I’m Claude.”

“[Name],” you sheepishly introduced yourself back, finding it almost impossible to look directly into his eyes, with how beautifully they were shining. “How did you get here?” Claude’s questions continued, and you pointed back. “I came through the tunnel, the entrance was hard to find, but I thought I just found a cave until I reached this place.”

“Tunnel...” he mumbled, brows furrowing in confusion as he looked behind you. Unsure how to interpret his reaction, you too looked back, eyes gliding from side to side as you couldn’t manage to find the vines or the entrance you had come from. Confusion and panic rising, you stumbled back, but when you touched the place that you were so sure of was your exit, all you found was solid marble under your fingers.

Claude, too, helped you search for the unknown, tapping the wall to see if there was a hollow space behind it somewhere, maybe a mechanism keeping it hidden, but neither of you could find it. “H-How...” you asked, unable to understand what was going on. “Very strange,” he admitted thoughtfully.

But when he noticed how freaked out you had become by the situation, he took a step back which your body imitated subconsciously, holding out his arm to your back and softly leading you into the middle of the room. Even though you looked back at the non-existing exit, you let yourself be directed towards the small table standing there, Claude being so courteous to pull out the chair for you.

“I swear I came from there,” you assured him, and he nodded understandingly. “I believe you, but it’s a strange place indeed.”

He gallantly poured you a cup of tea as you slowly took off your backpack, settling in with his hospitality, finding yourself quite thankful for something warm and soothing to drink after the day you had. “If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here?” you questioned him as he sat down across from you, sipping his own tea.

“Hm, you could say this is my home... or no, more like, I have to be here.”

His words were nothing short of cryptic, but it seemed to be a sensitive topic. Your first reaction was to lift the mood, you both rather tense around each other still. “Sounds like you’ve been cursed,” you noted, grinning and looking up at him, expecting him to detect the jest in your voice.

But his expression only grew cold as he stared at you. The seconds seemed to pass slower than you liked, making you doubt your own words. “Interesting that you’d know that,” Claude noted, putting down his cup. “I always thought only magicians could make out the magic that surrounded this room, but you are not a magician, are you?”

The mood seemed to do change into one that made you wary, your own cup settling on the table as you pushed your chair back carefully. “N-No, I am not.”

“Then how do you know? Know about this place; know how to get here... the curse. Did someone tell you? Someone like the magician who put me here?”

You were up the moment he stood, the table between you shaking with the sudden eruption around you. Putting up a brave smile to try and soothe the situation, you couldn’t help looking around you for an exit you might not have seen yet. “Can you find one?” he asked, and a look into his eyes gave away his feelings of helplessness and desperation. “Because I cannot. The time never moves on, never changes here. But maybe you can find an exit that I cannot.”

Claude circled the table as you did, never letting off your eyes from each other. “Wouldn’t you consider helping me? My poor, lost soul? Nothing here can hurt you, but if we want to escape, we should work together.”

“You’re scaring me,” you finally admitted as you two came to a halt. It was undeniable that something... weird was going on. But all the talks about curses and magician made you uneasy. Especially with the sparks in his eyes, as he looked at you like a key to his misery, and yet, the desperation of a wounded animal.

“I’m scared too, you know. I’ve been here for so long, and the others, they--” he cut himself off, biting his lip. “O-Others?!” you exclaimed, barely able to trust your own ears of what you were hearing. “Let’s not talk about them,” he tried to ease the tension of his own words. “Listen,” he instructed, putting his hand down on the table to show you there was no harm coming from him.

“This is a place frozen in time, haunted by old memories. But don’t worry, we can change that soon enough. You and I, we can find a way, what do you say?”

“I want to know what happened here before me. What happened to the others that you met?” you insisted, growing more and more suspicious the longer you looked into his eyes. “They didn’t make it. None of them. They couldn’t find an exit either. But you are different, I know it, you can find an end to this curse, but we need to stick together. We have the same goal, [Name].”

It was terrible that his words made sense, and you looked around you, trusting him for a moment to not do anything rash. There didn’t seem to be any door though you’d have to try the windows first before you could make a decision of not seeing any exit. “Okay... let us try,” you agreed, and he heaved a heavy sigh. This time when he rounded the table, you let him, but it surprised you when he hugged you tightly, his arms tender and warm, despite you having to doubt his realness.

“Thank you,” he mumbled into your ear, and you could only count his actions as a sincere notion, considering you weren’t able to read his face from your position. He was lucky to have found you, another soul lost in the grand scheme of the world. It might have been right that he was cursed and trapped, but so were you now, though this time it was his doing and not the curse’s. “Don’t worry, we will find a way out. We have each other to rely on, right?” his smile returned to his face as he pushed you away, and you were able to gain back a bit of your trust in him.

To you, he was just a poor soul, trapped in a curse needing your help. And to him, you were just another poor soul to keep him company in this curse he’d never be able to break anyway. He just preferred to keep you instead of sending you away, his life endlessly boring all alone in this cursed world.

The only joy that remained for him was to see how long you’d last him. His brand new human amusement. Claude had high hopes for you to become his favorite one so far.

[thepandapopo]

A Step Through Time Ch 5: Promises

Synopsis:

The one where Felix is done with his younger self being a stubborn asshole and Sophie is determined to treat her fathers equally.

OR

In which Felix confronts his younger self and have a much needed chat while Sophie, who really should never be left alone, makes a not-so-great choice. Pairing: Sylvix

Chapter Index

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

If you had asked Ingrid a month ago if Felix would ever willingly allow someone, anyone, to touch him in even the most casual of ways, she would have laughed first, then immediately sent for Manuela because no one in their right mind would ever think such a thing.

So understandably, to say Ingrid is extremely shocked as she watches the older versions of Felix and Sylvain interact with each other is the understatement of the century.

“They’re disgustingly adorable in their own way,” Dorothea snickers from her seat on the dining hall bench beside her. “I don’t know whether I want to coo or puke.”

Ingrid wholeheartedly agrees.

Clearly fatherhood and marriage, or maybe it was being married to Sylvain of all people, has changed Felix – has made him more… domestic. The Felix and Sylvain of her timeline are already joined at the hip, regardless of how much they deny it, but married Felix and Sylvain are in a league of their own.

Everywhere Felix goes, Sylvain is always there beside him with the shorter man’s battle scarred hand tucked neatly into the crook of his right elbow, his left hand gently securing Felix’s own while also proudly showing off the glittery silver ring adoring his ring finger (his engagement ring, Ingrid reminds herself, as Sylvain had made very clear when he decided that the dining hall was a perfect place to scandalize the entire army with a borderline inappropriate kiss). And if little Sophie is with them, it is like an invisible thread ties them together, ensuring that he is standing no further than a hairs breadth apart from his husband with his daughter in his arms, or placing a hand on Felix’s lower back while he carries their little spitfire.

“I know that couples inevitably begin to adopt some of their partner’s characteristics and habits, but this is almost too much.” Ingrid frowns, finally bringing her forkful of food to her mouth after being frozen in place as she blatantly stares at the happy family. “It’s like Felix isn’t even Felix anymore.”

Across from her, Annette hums her assent. “It’s a bit unsettling, but it’s still really nice to see how happy they are. If you ask me, the really creepy thing is Sylvain’s stare. Have you seen it, yet? It’s like an exact copy of Felix.” Bits of buttery crust go flying from her fork as she waves it around to emphasize her point leaving Mercedes to pull out a handkerchief and mop up the stray crumbs that have found their way onto their once pristine table.

It’s true. Although Ingrid has not been on the receiving end of Felix’s (or Sylvain’s now, for that matter) deadpan glare for a long time, she has seen it directed at others – especially when it comes to anything regarding Sophie who is, clearly, extremely doted upon by her two fathers, even while they try to cajole her into finishing the rest of her vegetables.

“Sweetheart, you know you have to finish your meal first before you get your dessert.” Sylvain’s tone is low and chiding, but the softness of his expression very nearly undermines the authority of his words.

“I don’t wanna,” comes the sad whimper complete with puppy eyes and a wobbling lower lip. “It tastes yucky.”

“Aww, cut her some slack, guys!” Whatever else Balthus is about to say from across the table next to theirs is immediately swallowed back down when not only Felix, but Sylvain as well, levels him with a look so equally unamused that even Ingrid can feel the shiver run down her spine.

“Sophia Gabriella Fraldarius-Gautier. You know you cannot leave your seat until you’ve finished your plate.” Felix says, more stern than his husband sitting on the other side of Sophie, but still bordering the line of fond exasperation. With a grimace himself, Felix spears a few of the sprouts on his own fork and shovels them into his mouth.

“Papa is also eating them too, see? You can be a good girl and finish your food too, right, Princess?” Sylvain smiles affectionately but his voice is strained. It’s been the better part of an hour now that he has tried bargaining with his daughter and even the most patient of fathers has a limit. His eyes meets Felix’s briefly as an unspoken message flits between them before Felix nods stiffly and chimes in again.

“If you promise to be good and finish your vegetables for the rest of this month, we will think about letting you go see the market that is passing through town.”

Clearly, it is an effective bait and Sophie’s eyes light up like it’s Yule and her birthday all rolled into one.

“Really?!”

This is news to Ingrid. The last time Annette and Mercedes had mentioned it in passing to future Felix and Sylvain, testing the waters to see if they would be amenable to allowing them to take Sophie, it had resulted in a resounding ‘no’ and one teary child.

“This is war, Annie.” Felix had said in a no nonsense tone after a sniffling Sophia had been carted off to check out the pastries fresh from the kitchen. “She has only known a time of peace. Sophie doesn’t understand how dangerous it can be going out somewhere even as simple as a market in times of unrest.”

“But it’s not like we’d let her go by herself!” Annette argued. “We would be with her the whole time!”

“It’s not your babysitting skills that we’re worried about, Annie.” Sylvain said. His lips quirked upwards in a small smile that did little to lessen the gravity of his expression. “Sophie has a tendency to be ah, a bit of a curious child.”

Felix snorted. “Like someone I know,” he muttered under his breath.

“And so,” Sylvain continued, completely ignoring the barb from his husband even though he knows that later on in the privacy of their own room, he’ll get into how the curiosity may have come from him, but the utter fearlessness and stubborn will to do her own thing one hundred percent came from Felix. “Sophie has a bad habit of wandering off. Goddess knows she’s done it loads of times whenever Felix or I take her down to our local market. The only difference is that everyone there knows who she is and at the end of the day, nothing bad ever happens to her and she comes home with a treat or two and a pat on the head.”

“Well then, we can just hold her hand!” Mercedes says like it is the simplest solution in the world.

“We’ve tried that. We’ve tried literally everything under the sun short of actually tying her to us physically with a rope.”

“But what about-“

“No means no, Annette. We will not argue with you about this. It’s not safe.”

“But Feeelix-!”

And that was the end of that conversation. At least, until now.

But then again, Felix willingly reopening a topic he had previously considered closed is probably one of the lesser odd things that have been happening recently.

“Nuh uh, little missy. All your vegetables means all of them.” Sylvain scrapes the larger bits and pieces of vegetables dotting Sophie’s plate to the center, much to her dismay. The scraps amount to a decent pile of greens and not for the first time, Ingrid realizes just how wily and intelligent Sophie really is.

Raising a daughter with the will of Felix and the looks and intelligence of Sylvain will surely be a trial in itself, but that’s not a problem for Ingrid to worry about. Right now, she just has to worry about making herself scarce when Sylvain and Felix approach Mercie and Annie before she gets dragged into it as well.

----

“Why can’t Daddy come with us?” Sophie asks. Her eyes are wide and sad and Felix will never get used to how it makes his heart wrench. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, baby. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Sylvain crouches so that he’s eye level with his teary daughter. “Daddy has to go to an important meeting with Uncle Dima, Uncle Claude, and Auntie By. But I’ll come find you and Papa if we finish early.” Sylvain smooths back the unruly crimson curls that are already starting to come out of the half updo that Felix had put in this morning. After years of doing his daughter’s hair, Felix has resigned himself to always fixing it halfway through the day lest it becomes a true bird’s nest at night after the wild adventures to be had.

“Promise?” Her lower lip is wobbling and Felix is starting to think that perhaps Sophie is a lot more aware of her influence on others than they think she is.

“I promise, sweetheart.” Sylvain smiles at his daughter before turning his eyes to Felix, a mischievous glint shining through. “Your Papa can vouch that I never break a promise.”

The wink Sylvain throws at him is met with an eyeroll and scoff, but Felix cannot stop the small quirk of his lips. Sylvain has always come through with his promises, both to him and to their daughter. It’s one of the things that Felix loves so dearly about Sylvain after all – there is nothing in the world that he values more than the trust of his family and friends.

“Sophie, go check to make sure you’ve packed your coin purse and a snack. I need to speak with your father for a bit. I’ll meet you at the gates with Auntie Annie and Mercie, okay?”

Sophie doesn’t need to be told twice. She is already vibrating off the walls, eager to get going and visit the market that she has been dying to see. “Yes, Papa. Daddy, I hope you come soon! I’ll buy you a present, so make sure you hurry, okay?”

Felix and Sylvain both watch as their daughter scurries away, red hair flying behind her as she weaves through the mid morning crowd to join Annette and Mercedes standing at the foot of the stairs leading to the Entrance Hall. When she arrives with a hop and skip, Felix finally feels the knot that has been building in chest since that morning abate slightly.

“Hey.”

Felix jolts at the warm hand that cups his elbow. “It’s okay, Fe. She’ll be safe with you. We’re not going to lose her.”

“I know.” Felix huffs, taking a step forward so he can rest his forehead in the dip of Sylvain’s collar. “It’s just... I can’t help but worry.”

Sylvain chuckles, “I get it, Fe. She’s certainly got enough mischief in her to always keep us on our toes. I don’t think she’ll ever grow out of it, to be honest. Goddess knows I dread the day when I’m going to have to beat back suitors and stop her from sneaking out to gallivant with stable boys.”

“There will be no gallivanting with anyone. Period. I would prefer not to stab someone less than half my age.”

“Oh, but baby you look so hot when you’re all riled up and murderous.” The shiver that runs down Felix’s spine is undeniable and after a lifetime together, Sylvain would know the effect he has on his husband even if it weren’t for the hand sliding to wrap around his waist and the other reaching up to cup a smooth, pale cheek.

“Fuck you.” There’s no venom behind his words. Only the breathy whisper of comfort borne from unshakeable trust and love.

“Gladly, but alas I have a meeting to get to.” The red head lets out a full belly laugh and ignores the half-hearted smack from Felix (which still smarts, because Felix at half strength is still stupidly strong with his damn training regimen).  “Are you going to talk to your younger self today?”

The atmosphere takes on a decidedly more sombre note, but it’s a necessary topic.

Felix nods. “Yeah. Annie convinced him to come with us to the market to check out the blacksmith.”

“I’m sorry I can’t come. It would be easier if I were the one to talk to him, but…”

“It’s fine,” Felix shakes his head. “The next battle at Fort Merceus is important and you were a big part of the strategizing. You need to be there to make sure they make the right decisions.”

“Even still. Talking to your younger self about feelings is going to be like pulling teeth. I should know. I’m your very own Felix-whisperer after all.” Sylvain closes his eyes and lets his forehead drop to rest against Felix’s; his soft breath tickling the midnight bangs framing his husband’s visage. “Our younger selves need all the help they can get. Sothis… I don’t remember us being such a disaster.”

“Neither do I, and yet here we are stuck trying to convince our younger counterparts that the other is very much interested.”

“For the record,” Sylvain smirks. The hand that was previously wrapped around Felix’s waist is now slowly drifting lower. “I’d like to say that I’m still very much interested.”

“Pinch my ass in public and you’ll lose your hand.”

“Aw, Fe. You’re no fun!”

It’s the twitch of Felix’s cheek that betrays his amusement. “Tch. Insatiable.”

----

Awkward.

That’s the only way that Felix can even begin to describe the odd, tense energy that weighs down their group as they walk leisurely down the long winding roads descending from Garreg Mach.

To be fair, most of the awkwardness is in part due to Felix’s refusal to speak to his younger self, instead choosing to contentedly watch Sophie hop and skip around the flowers dotting their path. Ever since Sylvain’s decision to completely disregard time travel etiquette, the younger Felix had made himself scarce, pointedly avoiding him and his husband as if afraid that he would catch feelings simply by being around them.

Ha. That fucker was already head over heels in love no matter how much he denied it.

“Sophie, when we get to the market, will you go with Annie and Mercie while I visit the blacksmith please?” Felix says it quiet enough that it sounds like it is a private conversation, but in the silence of the forest around them, it easily carries.

Sophie blinks, confused, but acquiesces. “Okay.”

Felix smiles and pats her head. He can practically feel the suspicion and irritation rolling off his younger self in waves, but he can’t really bring himself to care.

He needs to address this issue now because Felix knows better than anyone else just how obstinate he can be, and if he’s right, there’s a very good chance that this younger version of himself will take his feeling for Sylvain with him to the grave out of pure stubbornness.

So when they finally arrive to the market, Felix doesn’t even try to hide the fact that he wants to talk to his counterpart – alone. He kneels and gives Sophie a quick hug after he makes her promise again to not wander off by herself before standing off to the side in the direction of the blacksmith, his arms crossed and waiting patiently while he watches young Felix scowl at the sheer number of people around.

A brusque nod from young Felix and suddenly they are face to face, and there is no denying the discomfort starting to roil in his gut.

Maybe he should have waited for Sylvain to talk to him after all.

“Well? Spit it out.” Despite asking Felix to talk, his younger self pushes past him roughly and begins stalking towards their destination.

“Stop being so stubborn.” Young Felix whirls around at him with a look of incredulity.

“Being ‘stubborn’?” He glowers. “I’m not being stubborn. I’m not being anything except for a pawn of fate apparently because my whole damn future has already been decided for me!”

Ah. So that is the core of the problem. “Your future hasn’t been decided. That’s the whole point of me being here – so that we can make sure that things do happen as they originally went.”

“Oh, so I’m just supposed to accept the fact that my life becomes sickeningly domestic –“ he all but spits the word out like poison, “- and I’m trapped in a life that I never wanted?”

Felix narrows his eyes. “So you’re saying you don’t want this life? You don’t want peace for Fodlan? You don’t want to actually feel happy for the first time your goddamn life since Glenn died?”

“Who the fuck are you to say whether I’m happy or not? I’m happy when I have a blade in my hand, not when I’m being carted around like a… like a stupid trophy wife!”

“First of all,” Felix is proud of how level his voice comes out despite his urge to throttle the man in front of him, “I’m you, so of course I know what you want. I lived that life already.”

He pauses for a bit and then decides to go for a different angle – one that he knows has always worked with him when Sylvain tries to talk him down from stabbing some of the more pompous nobles during trade talks.

He takes a deep breath to ground himself. “But you’re still you. I can’t say I know exactly what you’re feeling, but I can imagine because at the core of everything, I know what I used to be like back then. And I also know that no matter what timeline I exist in, there will always be one thing that remains constant.”

It’s true. There is one truth that Felix knows will span the test of time and space no matter what version of himself he is dealing with.

“…Are you ever going to tell me what it is?” Young Felix mutters angrily, breaking their brief standstill.

Marriage really has made him soft, Felix thinks as he feels the corners of his mouth curl up in a smile. He can practically hear Sylvain in his head telling him about how he probably has his ‘dopey love face’ on right now and his eyes are all ‘melted amber’. What a sentimental fool.

“I think you know.”

“Ugh,” Young Felix scowls and turns away to glare at the bucket of swords in front of the blacksmith’s stall. It’s an admission if Felix has ever heard one, and he knows that his younger self does know.

Despite what the majority of Fodlan thinks, Felix is quite capable at reading people’s emotions. He knows when people feel uncomfortable or when they might need a kind word, but for the most part, he just doesn’t care enough to coddle them because he knows it will only do them more harm than good. Which is exactly why he decides to jump straight to the truth.

“It’s okay to love him, you know.”

Young Felix freezes. The stiff set of his shoulders hunch up almost protectively and he stubbornly stays facing away from him.

“I know…” Felix swallows the lump in his throat, “I know that it’s hard to even think about letting anyone in after Glenn – how hard it is to trust someone enough and believe that they won’t just leave you like everyone else inevitably does.”

Felix touches the obsidian ring on his left hand. He spins it absently and the smooth slide of the black band against his hand grounds him.

“Mother… Glenn… and then Father…” Felix has long made his peace with his father’s death, but there is still the faintest of stings in his heart when he thinks about it. “They all left us. But Sylvain has always been there. He was there when Mother died. He stayed with us for weeks after Glenn died. And he never pitied or babied us when Father died. He was just there.”

It’s a bit hazy, most memories from the war blur together honestly, but Felix does remember the days after the battle at Gronder with crystal clarity – those few painful days after his father’s sacrifice. No matter how many times he told Sylvain to leave, no matter how he yelled at him or tried to chase him away, Sylvain stood by him, steadfast and most importantly, without judgement.

He simply let Felix be.

And that was exactly what he needed.

“He’s the biggest idiot in Fodlan, but you and I both know that Sylvain does everything in his power to care for his friends and family.” Felix says it like it like he’s stating the obvious. “He’s also irresponsible and completely reckless, and Goddess knows that moron wouldn’t sustain half of his injuries if he just trained more, but he does remember our promise. And he’s doing his best to keep it while also making sure we stay alive.”

Felix steps forward so that he’s now standing side by side with his younger self. From his peripheral vision, he can see the furrowed brow and tightly pursed lips that he knows only happens when he begrudgingly agrees.

“I know you don’t believe in a fated future. Honestly, neither do I. But if there’s one thing I can tell you for certain, it is that loving Sylvain, and being loved in return, is the best thing that will ever happen to you.” Felix allows the warmth in his chest to bloom. While that feeling may have scared him once upon a time, he’s learned to become fond of it because he knows that the only reason he can feel this way is because he has come so far and conquered all his demons along the way.

“You’re disgustingly sentimental.”

“Maybe so, but I can still kick your ass.”

Young Felix snorts, “maybe then I’d actually have a good spar for once that isn’t against the professor.”

Felix laughs quietly, the heavy weight on his chest lifting just as the tension eases out of Young Felix’s stance. The truth is out there, and at least his younger self isn’t denying things anymore, but ultimately it will be up to Young Felix to decide the path he wants to take.

Felix Fraldarius is many things, but most importantly he is not a coward, which is why despite not having verbally settled the matter with his younger self, he knows with absolute certainty that Young Felix will never turn away from Sylvain, especially not when he’s been given permission to chase that happiness that he’s longed for.

----

Sophie decides very quickly that the market is her new favourite place. Forget the kitchens and all their yummy baked treats, the marketplace has all that and more.

Everywhere she looks, there is something new to see. Stalls upon stalls are lined with various treasures and fancy looking things that no amount of tears would help escape the wrath of her fathers if, by some stroke of bad luck, she is unfortunate enough to break them.

“Auntie Mercie! Look, Balloons!”

Sophie tugs on the healer’s hands eagerly, careful not to let go and wander off though there is a tiny whisper in her heart that tempts her so. The large inflated animals sway merrily in the breeze, and with the hustle and bustle of the environment around them, it almost looks as if they are dancing with excitement.

“Oh, aren’t they adorable? Would you like one, Sophie?” Mercedes claps her hands together, looking just as delighted as Sophie feels and soon, the trio of females is making their way through the surprisingly large crowd that has gathered for this lively gathering as a reprieve from the war.

“The fox,” Sophie pulls on Mercedes’ hand even more urgently the closer they get. “I want the fox, please, Auntie Mercie!”

“What about the cat, Sophie? That’s one is pretty cute.” Annette giggles. The red headed mage ducks and peers left and right at the variety of floating animals attached to the belt of the balloon vendor. There is already a gaggle of children forming around the man as he hands ribbons off to parents in exchange for gold, and although Sophie feels like she might burst if she has to wait any longer, she knows to wait her turn for the man to address her.

“Hello there, young miss. And what can I get for you today?” When the man finally turns his kind face towards her, Sophie cannot tear her eyes away from her goal. “Perhaps a bird? Or maybe a puppy?”

Sophie’s voice comes out breathy and excited. Reaching a hand up, she points eagerly, “the fox please. Can I have the fox?”

“Of course! Why don’t you reach out your hand for me and I’ll tie it to your wrist?”

Obediently, Sophie sticks out her left arm and watches, enraptured as the white ribbon loops delicately around her wrist, loose enough that she can slip her hand out if she really wanted to, but tight enough that the balloon will not fly away. Reaching into the small coin purse attached to her hip, Sophie carefully counts out the appropriate amount and hands them over.

“Thank you!” Sophie calls out after the vendor as Annette and Mercedes begin leading her away from the throng. It’s much too crowded now, but the little Fraldarius-Gautier cannot help but feel comforted by her floating guardian. Papa did always say that her Daddy was ‘sly as a fox’ after all, and it feels like her father is there with her when she sees it.

“Do you think Daddy will like it?” Sophie mumbles shyly when they’ve walked far enough that the screams of delighted children are nothing more than a whisper in the distance.

“I’m sure Sylvain will love it!” Mercedes says sweetly. The healer looks at Sophie with a mixed expression, almost like she is trying to solve a puzzle that she can’t quite figure out, before Annette interrupts her with a gasp.

“Mercie, there’s the sweets vendor that we’ve been looking for!”

Sweets? Sweets are good. That sounds like something Sophie is definitely interested in.

“Come on,” Annette urges. She grabs Mercedes by the hand and by extension, also Sophie, who is clutching onto her other one, and she drags them with haste towards a brightly colored stall laden with pastries and sweet treats of all kinds.

The saccharine smell wafting from the baked goods makes Sophie’s mouth water, but her eyes dart from one flamboyantly decorated cupcake to another, helplessly unable to pick a favourite.

“Hey! I remember you two!” The friendly looking lady behind the counter smiles as they approach. “You ladies came by my stall the last time I was in town, didn’t you?”

Annette flushes and nods. “The sweets were so good, we just had to make a return visit and pick up some more!” Despite her embarrassment, she is already reaching out to grab a fluffy looking cream pastry that looks more like a cloud than anything else.

“I’m so glad you like them, miss. Business has slowed down recently because of the war. Not much extra money to go towards frivolous things like sweets anymore, you know?” Sophie frowns. War? What war?  “Regular patrons like you are always appreciated.”

“Oh, and look at you, you sweet little thing,” Suddenly the attention is turned towards Sophie and any lingering confusion flies out the window. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Sophie!” With her fathers’ voices in the back of her head telling her to mind her manners, Sophie flashes her brightest smile and bobs gracefully into a quick curtsey. “It’s very nice to meet you. Your sweets look so yummy!”

“They’re the best in all of Fodlan, that’s for sure!” The kind looking lady proudly puffs her chest. “Have you ever tried some, little miss? Since it’s your first time, why don’t you go pick one and I’ll let you try it on the house.”

“Really?” Sophie’s eyes round with excitement. Daddy was right – being well mannered really does bring good things!

There are so many choices to choose from that it feels a little bit overwhelming, but eventually a beautiful deep red velvet cupcake topped with a mountain of chocolate frosting and a small candied cherry catches Sophie’s eye.

She likes cherries. She likes cupcakes. That’s two in one, isn’t it? It’s a perfect deal.

“Good choice, little miss. That’s our red velvet cupcake with black forest icing. It’s one of our more popular cakes; especially with the ladies.” The sweets lady holds out the cupcake to her and Sophie quickly lets go of Mercedes’ hand to receive it.

The monstrosity of a cupcake is so large that it takes Sophie both hands to hold it, taking great pains to not drop it nor smear any icing on her dress. She still remembers the scolding Papa had given her over the grass and mud stains in her dress a couple of weeks ago and is not eager to repeat that experience.

Above, her red fox sways gently to and fro, moving every time Sophie maneuvers her hands to nibble away at equal parts frosting and icing. She has long since tuned out from the conversation between the nice sweets lady and Mercedes and Annette, instead choosing to savor and enjoy her treat while it lasts.

Sophie is halfway done her cupcake when a raucous of children shrieking with delight steals her attention back in the direction of the balloon man. There, in the middle of a cluster of children stands a rather short and odd-looking man carting around a small trolley packed with stuffed animals, and at the very bottom, shoved against a dopey looking tiger and a rather ferocious lion is a black cat stuffy, complete with slitted golden eyes stitched painstakingly above some wiry whiskers and a kitten pout.

It’s the most wonderful stuffed kitty Sophie has ever seen. She has a present for Daddy, but what about Papa? Surely Papa would also like a gift – it’s only fair since Daddy gets one, right? Right. Her fathers had always taught her to treat everyone equally, and Sophie feels like that must include her family as well.

Annette and Mercedes are still engrossed in conversation with the Sweets Lady, but now their arms are full of bags laden with goodies they are no doubt brining back to the monastery. An itch like no other claws its way up Sophie’s chest and she really, really wants to ask for permission to go see the toy merchant, but she doesn’t want to interrupt what looks to be a very lively conversation.

One quick glance back makes the anxiousness double as the man begins to move towards an intersection across the courtyard from them. If he goes any further, he will turn the corner and Sophie will lose sight of him.

The gleeful squealing of laughter is getting farther and farther away now. She really should tell Mercedes and Annette where she is going, but she’s running out of time and Sophie will be absolutely heartbroken if her Papa is sad that he did not get a gift from her as well.

It will only be for a quick minute. She isn’t going very far. All she will do is go up to the merchant and buy the cat stuffy and return back to the sweets stall in no time at all.

Right?

.

.

.

In that split second, Sophie makes a decision.

She turns back towards the bustling market square and runs.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

I'm so sorry for the delay with this chapter! I wanted to post it during my xmas holidays but I got so caught up with other things (read: sleeping) that I didn't get any writing done at all. I hope you all enjoy the chapter. Thank you again for being so patient with me and reading up until now. Things are about to get rocky so I hope you're all prepared.

The SylVix PDA thing was actually inspired by art from @emilyliuwho on twitter. You can see the post here.

If you would like to be added to a tag list, please PM me!!

Tag list: @pato-social

[kumeko]

Title: goodbye my hopeless dream

A/N: For the Sylvgrid BB, for watercolorvigilante’s heartbreaking work. I love the angst of separating the Faerghus Four.

Summary: Five years ago, Sylvain had thought they could fix it all. That they could bring Dimitri to the Alliance, that they could end the war and save everyone. Yet…Felix lay face down, Ingrid sobbing on her knees, and Dimitri frozen forever mid snarl. He wasn’t sure how he could pick the pieces up after this, but he had to try.

…

…

…

…

Something was burning. Sylvain stuck his lance in the dirt carelessly, ignoring every lesson he’d ever learned about proper weapon care, and closed his eyes. Something was burning. Possibly someone, the air was full of fat and smoke and his throat grew drier with every breath. There were dozens of small fires nearby, the only outcome in the middle of a battlefield, where mages scorched the earth and fiery arrows rained down on their ashes.

 He opened his eyes. Before him spread a war-torn field, survivors picking dragging themselves off the fields and to their respective armies. Something bitter filled his mouth as he saw the bodies strewn across the field, blood pooling in the mud. Crows cawed as they perched on bare trees, their beady eyes taking in the field, and vultures circled above as they eyed their food.

 Five years ago, the Battle of Lion and Eagle had been nothing like this. Five years ago, they had all been just kids fighting for bragging rights and victory letters to send home, for stories to seduce strangers and that shiny glory that had seemed all too important at the time.

 Five years ago, he had been in with the Kingdom, not the Alliance. Now his Golden Deer family were scattered across the field, helping each other back. The Empire was long gone, Edelgard leaving behind the wounded and the dead alike. The Kingdom was torn apart, shredded into pieces. And Dimitri…

Sylvain shivered at the memory. The one-eyed, raging monster he’d seen hours ago hadn’t been any friend he’d known. The only thing that had motivated him was a long-nursed hatred, one that Sylvain hadn’t seen for all the years he’d known him.

 Or maybe he had avoided seeing it, just like how he was now avoiding the dead spread around him, trying not to look at their faces. He didn’t want to see another classmate he used to sneak out with, another beauty he’d flirted with in the shadows.

 He was certain Ingrid was doing the exact opposite. She’d always had a masochist streak and unlike him was probably all too intent on memorizing every person she’d killed.

 Sylvain looked up. It had been hours since he’d seen her Pegasus. “Ingrid?”

 Dread filled him and he yanked his lance out of the dirt. This was Ingrid he was thinking of. She was unkillable. Even Felix’s hardest glares and Sylvain’s worst lies hadn’t done the job.

 “It’ll be fine,” he muttered. Whistling, he waited impatiently for his steed to gallop over. His horse’s silken mane was matted in blood and dirt. Grabbing the saddle, Sylvain slung himself over. “I bet I look just as bad,” he murmured, patting his horse’s neck once before squeezing his thighs. “When we find Ingrid, I’ll make sure she gives you her special mixture.”

 His horse nickered and quickly trotted through the field. Sylvain scanned his surroundings as they moved, searching for the pure white Pegasus or even just Ingrid’s blonde hair. As he looked, he avoided checking the bodies, refused to check the bodies.

 There was no need.

 Ingrid wouldn’t be lying in the dirt like that. Not after all the times she’d yelled at him for his slovenly room.

 Instead of blonde, he spotted pink. He turned his head.

 Ingrid would have stopped.

 Sylvain gritted his teeth and guided his horse across the field. A tired, limping Hilda looked up blearily. With her stockings torn, hair awry, and a nasty cut along her chest, she looked as bad as he felt. She even dragged her axe instead of carrying it. “Hey.”

 “Hey.” He slipped off his horse, wrapping an arm around her waist as he helped her out of the ditch. “You’ve looked better.”

 “I’d say you’ve looked worse, but that’s a lie.” Hilda grinned crookedly as she leaned on him. She felt impossibly small, nothing at all like the mischievous woman who was Claude’s right hand. “Glad you made it.”

 “Me too.” Sylvain swallowed. “Did you see Ingrid?”

 He held his breath as she frowned and shook her head. “No…not for a while.” Noticing his face, Hilda squeezed his arm reassuringly. “I’m sure she’s fine. She’s a strong bitch.”

 Sylvain couldn’t laugh at the old joke. They’d exchanged it many times after Ingrid had scolded them or knocked them on their asses during practice. “She’s really strong.” His voice came out more of a whisper than he’d intended.

 “The strongest,” she agreed, pulling away. Leaning on her axe, she patted his back. “You go find her.”

 Sylvain hesitated. “Your chest—”

 “Needs Marianne’s loving attention,” Hilda interrupted, winking. Though, with the dirt streaked on her cheeks and her pale skin, she didn’t look half as flirty as she acted. “I can make it back from here.” She forced herself to stand a little straighter but for all her acting, she couldn’t hide her wince. “Who knows, maybe Ingrid’s there already. She’ll be too busy nursing me to health to take care of you.”

 Hilda waggled her brows. He wanted to smile but he couldn’t muster the energy.

 Ingrid would have helped her regardless.

 For all of her faith in him, he’d never been half as good as she’d hoped and not even a quarter as good as she was. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, letting his guilt and fear chase him as he vaulted onto his horse once more, spurring it through the field as though death itself were after them.

 Hilda wasn’t critically injured, at least. She could stand and she could joke and one of the others would find her in no time. They’d laugh about it later and she’d tease that he had tunnel vision when it came to Ingrid. The dense idiot that she was, Ingrid wouldn’t understand until maybe years down the road, when he told her everything.

 He clenched his fist. “Ingrid? INGRID!”

 The only response were the grunts and moans as other survivors crawled, hoping someone, anyone could come to their rescue. He’d save them all after he found Ingrid. He’d personally pick them up, carry them to Flayn and Manuela. He’d even wrap their bandages himself.

 He just had to find Ingrid first.

 “Sylvain!”

 A familiar gold caught his eye, and for a moment Sylvain thought Ingrid before realizing it was Claude’s torn cloak. He pulled his reins tight, heels digging into his horse as he came to a stop just beside the tired leader. Byleth wasn’t by his side for once. Maybe she was out there, picking up her former students.

 Maybe she’d already found Hilda.

 “Claude.” Sylvain tried to smile. It came out like a grimace. “Have you seen Ingrid?”

 “Straight to the point, huh?” Claude chuckled wryly, pulling his gloves off his fingers. His arms had small burns on them, the attacks of enemy mages, and Sylvain tried not to think how much that must have hurt as he loosed arrow after arrow. “No, not yet.”

 “Hilda’s that way,” Sylvain blurted out, unable to stop himself. He jabbed over his shoulder. “She’ll need help.”

 “Oh.” Claude blinked, resting his hand on the flank of Sylvain’s horse as he looked. His dragon wasn’t with him. Sylvain tried not to wonder why. “I’ll get her then. Thanks.”

 They stood there a moment, neither of them moving. Sylvain’s horse panted, nostrils flaring as he caught his breath.

 “I…I didn’t think it’d end like this,” Claude admitted quietly, barely audible over the wind. “Edelgard…I knew she wouldn’t listen, but Dimitri?”

 It was like a gut punch, remembering Dimitri. When he and Ingrid had heard Dimitri had survived his execution, they’d sworn to bring him over to Claude’s side. Dimitri had been a reasonable person, after all. He should have been reasonable now.

 Goddess, why hadn’t he been reasonable now? Sylvain thought, looking away. “I thought he’d come around.”

 “Me too. We could have avoided so much…” Claude trailed off. It wasn’t like simple bloodshed could describe everything they’d experienced here today.

 “Maybe next time,” Sylvain croaked, licking his chapped lips nervously. The air was still far too dry. It was hard to breathe. “We can talk to Dimitri again. Maybe after he’s had time to calm down.”

 Claude snapped his head to him, his expression unreadable. After a few, heart-pounding seconds, he pointed to his left. “Is that a Pegasus?”

 Immediately, Sylvain jerked his head up. Further up the hill, almost at the treeline, he could just make out a white horse. A pure white horse, sitting on the ground.

 It had to be a Pegasus. It had to be Ingrid’s. He squeezed his thighs, urging his horse into a gallop as he hastily shouted, “Thanks!”

 He really did have tunnel vision. Sylvain couldn’t tell anyone, even himself, how he got to Ingrid, what the route was like, anything really. He just kept his eyes fixed on the white horse, watched as its sides became wings and the saddle on its back took on the familiar markings of Ingrid’s. There was no blood on it, as far as he could tell, no injuries at all aside from a few ruffled feathers.

 That was good, right? It must have been tired after the long fight. Maybe Ingrid was letting it rest before heading to camp. “Ingrid?” he called out as he reached, jumping off his horse without even waiting for a response.

 The silence worried him. She wasn’t beside her steed and she’d never abandon her partner. “Where is she?” he murmured, patting her Pegasus’s nose. Her partner whickered, turning to his right and further up the hill. A bright green cloak stood out amongst the bushes, a familiar coil of blonde braided hair crowning it.

 Ingrid.

 She was kneeling next to someone. He could just make out their legs, still and unmoving. Of course, she was taking care of an injured solider, the bleeding heart she was. He’d bet the farm that she hadn’t even thought to look for him before doing that.

 And if she was doing that, she couldn’t be that injured. Sighing with relief, he jogged to her. “There you are.”

 Ingrid looked over her shoulder, cheeks stained with tears. “Sylvain,” she rasped, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

 “Sorry for—” He couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe after he saw Dimitri lying in front of her. His chest squeezed and he stumbled the final few steps to her side.

 Unlike the raging man he’d seen hours ago, Dimitri was utterly still and calm as he lay there. His bright, blue eye stared unseeing at the sky, his mouth half-open as though mid-way through a roar. Ingrid whimpered and Sylvain stared at the lance stuck in Dimitri’s chest.

 Luin.

 Bile rose in his throat and Sylvain barely crawled forward more than a few steps before he vomited in the bushes. Oh no. Oh no no no. He could just picture it now. Dimitri and Ingrid. And Felix—Sylvain couldn’t stop himself before he looked for a familiar fur-lined jacket.

 There was a sword in his hand. He’d died as he’d lived. Sylvain vomited again.

 “It’s my fault,” Ingrid sobbed, curling into herself. “I’m sorry.”

 His heart broke a second time at the sound. Wiping his mouth, he forced himself to his feet and stumbled back to her side. Sylvain forced back his uneasy stomach, forced back his growing numbness and pain, and gathered her in his arms, crushing her to his chest. “It’s not.”

 “It is,” she repeated, apologizing over and over even as she pressed into him. “It is.”

 And he couldn’t argue with that, not when her lance was in Dimitri’s chest. It wasn’t like five years ago, when she’d been crushed after they’d changed houses—no one could have predicted the looming war, the fact that they’d be disowned by their own families for something as simple as following their beliefs.

 It wasn’t like years ago, after Glen’s death, when Dimitri had broken down, Felix had hardened, and Ingrid had holed herself in her room. It hadn’t been anyone’s fault then. They’d been just kids, taking on more than they should have.

 Now, there was only Ingrid.

 And Dimitri’s blood was on her hands.

 Bile rose once more, pricking his tongue, but he forced it back down. She’d break if he said anything else. She’d break and then he’d break with her. Sylvain buried his face in her hair and shook his head. “Not true.”

 “I…I did it,” she sobbed, her fingers digging into his sides.

 “He would have killed you.” He realized the truth of his words as he said them. Dimitri would have killed her. The others from their house might not have. Annette and Mercedes and maybe even Dedue could have been talked down, but not Dimitri.

 Dimitri hadn’t been himself for a long while.

 Maybe he’d always been like that. Felix had been right, calling him a boar.

 “He would have killed you,” he repeated, stronger now, hugging her tighter. Sylvain could hear her breath, hear her heart beat like a frightened rabbit. She was alive. She was in one piece. She’d made it through. “You had to protect yourself.”

 “I could have injured him,” she mumbled, pressing herself closer as though to hide away from it all. “I could have knocked him out.”

 “Anyone else, sure, but not Dimitri. Never Dimitri.” Sylvain closed his eyes. Even before it all, Dimitri would never let himself get captured. Killed, sure, but never captured. “He’s too strong. Was too strong.”

 The was stung, burned on his tongue like an ember. Felix had been loyal. Dimitri had been a friend. They’d never be anything else anymore. They might never be anything but the two, angry bodies on the grass. It was hard to remember their smiles when all he could picture was their pale, frozen faces.

 “I should have tried,” she insisted, shoulders shaking as she cried. “I should have…I…he’s dead, Sylvain. Dead. They both are and I…”

 “I know, I know.” Sylvian stroked her hair, pulling back just enough to press a tender kiss on her forehead. Years ago, she’d done the same for him when he’d killed his brother; he wasn’t sure when he’d started looking at her differently, but he was certain the roots of it had been then. He hoped it brought her twice as much comfort as it had given him, this warmth, this forgiveness and love and gentle acceptance.

 She wailed, a wordless cry that sounded more animal than human. He remembered the maids talking about banshees and their mournful screams, and it had to sound something like this. Still stroking her hair, he let her cry it all out, his eyes closed so he didn’t have to see Dimitri or Felix. There was probably a better way to help. Mercedes and Annette had been good at it. He should have learned from them when he had the chance.

 He should have done so much more before this all happened, but he’d been barely able to help himself for years, let alone others.

 And now it was just them.

 No, not just them. Sylvain bit his cheek. That was what had caused this war in the first place, this stubborn belief that they had to stand alone. That was why he and Ingrid had left the Blue Lions in after all, for Claude’s vision of unity. There was Raphael and his hugs, Hilda and her jokes, even Marianne and her quiet companionship.

 He could try again. Better this time, in fact. Ingrid hiccupped and he pulled away slightly, still keeping her in the circle of his arms. Now that he was looking at her properly, he could see the cuts on her arms, the gash on her side. Small injuries, for fighting Dimitri, but injuries nonetheless. Sylvain knew every trick in the book when it came to convincing Ingrid to do something that was good for her, even if it was something as unrelenting as guilt.

 “Let’s go back to camp together,” he suggested gently, brushing her hair out of her face. Her puffy eyes, still red from her tears, started to slide away from his, to where Dimitri’s corpse grew colder with the passing minute. Before she could, he carefully cupped her cheek, forcing her to stay still. “We need to get patched up.”

 “But…Di…Dimitri and Felix,” she mumbled, not fighting him for once.

 “We can get them later.” Sylvain didn’t even have to try this time, he just smiled. She’d always been able to draw those out of him, even if she never realized it. “I’ll come back.”

 “Me…Me too.” Ingrid shook her head. “I’ll help.”

 He bit his lip before reluctantly nodding. There was time to argue about that later. “Okay. Can you stand?”

 She nodded. Sylvain wrapped an arm around her waist, slowly hoisting her up as he stood. Keeping his grip firm, he called for his horse. “I’m not sure if I’m ready to fly, so let’s take my horse, okay?”

 “Sure.” She sounded distracted, but he didn’t think much of it. With everything that happened, it was hard to focus. As his horse stopped beside him, he let go and quickly adjusted the saddle bags and straps. “You get on first.”

 Ingrid didn’t reply and when he turned around, she was beside Dimitri once more. Silently, he cursed himself as he ran back to her side. “Ingrid!”

 She didn’t respond, unbuckling her cloak instead. Gently, she spread it out over Dimitri’s body, covering him like she used to put blankets on them as kids, all tired out from practice. Leaning forward, she pressed a chaste kiss on his cold forehead. “Could you give me your cloak?” she asked, her expression unreadable.

 Sylvain didn’t hesitate before yanking what was left of his off and draping it gently on her shoulders. Ingrid shook her head, pulling it off. “It’s not for me.”  

 She moved a little further into the forest, to Felix this time, and tucked the cloak around him. Her fingers shook as she brushed his hair out of his face. Kissing him on the cheek, she whispered something he couldn’t hear before getting up.

 “Let’s go back.” Ingrid grabbed his hand now and this time he didn’t let go.

 “Yeah.” He didn’t ask her what she said. Sylvain had his own, private words for them, things he’d never repeat to anyone. When they reached his horse, he still kept his grip tight as he hopped on first. She raised a brow, the closest to a positive expression he’d seen so far. Not bothering to explain, he helped pull her up, settling her on his lap in a side-saddle manner.

 “I haven’t ridden like this since we were kids,” Ingrid commented, a little stiff as she looked at her dangling feet.

 “Not since you realized knights had to ride on their own.” He waited a second before asking. “Just this once?”

 “It’s silly.” Yet, she didn’t jump off, didn’t protest, just leaned against him.

 He released the breath he didn’t know he was holding as he wrapped his arms around her, taking the reins and urging his horse into a gentle trot. “That’s not a bad thing.”

 “No, it’s not.” She closed her eyes. “Thanks.”  

[frostbeees]

33 & 44 for the kissing prompts please! 🥰🥰🥰

Prompt from here, 33.  An unexpected kiss that shocks the one receiving it. & 44. Tentative kisses given in the dark.

Graceling, being the absolute sweetheart she is, gave me pretty much free reign on this one BUT she suggested some grilled cheesby so here we are. about ~900 words of sweet grilled cheesby (except with feelings)

It was not unusual for the guys to go out after a win in Pittsburgh.  There was almost nothing better than celebrating a win over your rival in their own home so if they were given that chance, they were going to take it.  But what was unusual was the group of Penguins players that walked into the bar shortly after Claude got his team situated at their booths.  

Claude was walking back towards his boys when he made eye contact with Sidney.  They had managed to go a whole year of seeing each other in private without anything like this happening.  

Claude must have looked a little on edge when he took his seat next to Laughts because immediately the guys started ribbing him.

“What’s the matter G, you get turned down already?” Coots laughs.  “We’ve only been here two minutes.”

“No, he’s probably just mad that Cros and his crew decided to crash our party,” Laughts nods towards where the Penguins have taken up a couple booths on the other side of the bar.

Claude manages to distract the guys by offering to buy a round of shots, which turns into two rounds of shots, which then turns into TK and Sanny starting a round of truth or dare in the bar.

“I do not get paid enough to deal with literal children,” he says under his breath.  Except maybe it wasn’t as quiet as he thought because TK’s evil grin suggested that he was about to say something extra stupid.

“G baby, it’s your turn. Truth or Dare?” TK asked him.

“Shouldn’t captains be exempt from this game?”

“Nope!” Sanny butted in.  “Gotta choose, Cap.  Although you’re probably too much of an old man to pick dare.”

And that was it.  There was no way he was going to give in to them but the alcohol in his system said otherwise.  He blurted “Dare, you fuckos!” before his brain even had a chance to catch up.

The guys at the booth went silent.

Surprisingly, it was Laughts who spoke up next.  Because of course it was.  Laughts was the only one who knew about Claude and Sid after Claude showed up a little wine drunk at Laughts’ townhouse and admitted to being sad over missing Sid and then just ended up spilling everything right then and there.

“Dare you to go smack a big kiss on Cros’ cheek.”

“Seriously?” TK asked, looking a little surprised.  

“If we’re going to play this game, we’re going to play it right.  No dumb dares.  You don’t even have to say anything, he’s sitting right on the edge of that booth.  Just walk over, kiss those pink cheeks, and then you’re done,” Laughts says with a smirk.

Claude decides the best course of action is to just get up and do it. It’s not like he’s never kissed Sidney before.  Well, he’s never done it in front of people but it’s not like it will be hard.  And hopefully he can get out of there before one of the Penguins tries to kill him.

Luckily most of their backs are turned as he makes his way across the bar. Of course, he can’t go completely unnoticed.

“Are you lost?” Tanger asks.

But Claude doesn’t answer.  He quickens his pace and then stops right next to Sidney who has just realized it’s him approaching.  He leans down and quickly presses a kiss to Sidney’s cheek.  He stands back up and looks at Sid long enough to see the shock on his face and then Claude absolutely books it out the front door of the bar.

Claude sits himself down onto the curb and has had just enough time to get his nerves back under control before he hears the front door of the bar close behind him.  He chances a glance to see its Sidney coming out, still looking a little bit shocked.

“You can just tell your guys it was a dumb game of truth or dare if you need to cover your ass,” Claude says as Sid lowers himself to sit on the curb.  There’s just enough light from the streetlamps that Claude can make out the confused expression on Sid’s face.

“Truth or Dare?” Sid asks.

“Yeah the kids started it.  I know it’s stupid.”

“No Claude.  Truth or Dare?”

“Oh you’re - .  Well.  I guess truth this time.”

“Were you scared to kiss me on the cheek in there?”

Claude feels like the wind has been knocked out of him because he knows the answer without even thinking about it.

“No, Sid.  Actually, I fucking wish they had dared me to give you a real kiss so we could just stop hiding this all the time.”

“Is that what you really want?”

“It is.  But I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want –“

Sid cuts him off with a soft kiss.  A real one this time but pulls back before Claude can try to deepen it.

“Claude, I’m in this with you.  If that’s what you want, we can walk back in there together.  Although right now there’s a 50/50 chance the guys either figured it out by me coming out here or they think we’re kicking each other’s asses.” Sid chuckles.

Claude presses another kiss to Sid’s lips.  “I think we should just stay out here for now.  Let those fucking idiots think whatever they want.”  

[fandom-meanderer]

Is it okay for me to request a fluffy one shot? where the whole class of golden deer (+ Sylvain, Dorothea & Felix) helps Claude to come up schemes on how to confess to a dense!Fem! Reader and everytime he tries to confess, it's always thwarted either by "I am Ferdinad Von Aegir" as he wants to help her in Lance or other students. Not even yelling I love you to the reader doesn't work as she's really that dense. Later, Claude approaches her and sincerely confesses to her and she accepts it.

Ohhhh yes, you know I love my fluff! Let’s get this fic going!

~

Claude watched you bounce into the classroom, Sylvain and Felix in tow while you chimed on about your morning. You took your seat next to him and he leaned back in his chair.

“Hey, (Name).”

“Hiya, Claude,” you grace him with a short wave before turning to your notes.

He has to be honest, the day the Professor successfully invited you to join the Golden Deer was the best day of his life. To him, you were perfect. Wonderful. Smart. Strong. He could go on for days on end on how much he loved you.

Oh, and he has. He has indeed.

~

“(Name!)” You stop dead in your tracks and turn to the house leader.

“Claude! Hello,” you smile. He feels his heart race even faster as he nears you. “What can I help you with, boss?” You joke.

“I think your wonderful, amazing, lovely, and perfect,” the words tumbled out of his mouth without a second thought, and he quickly caught himself. His facade always seems to break around you.

“Oh,” a slight pink rose onto your face, before your lips curved upward. “Thank you, I think the same of you.”

What.

“Okay, bye, Claude!”

“Wait!”

“What?”

“I love you!”

“Aww, that’s so sweet! I love you too!” And you quickly turned on your heel and walked off. Claude buried his hand in his hair and groaned.

~

And it continued like that for an entire week, you couldn’t be this dense, could you? Well, turns out, yes, yes you can.

“Ferdinand,” the Professor spoke up, and the said noble looked towards them. Claude blocked it out, right now, in his head, he was piecing together the perfect scheme to get you to fall for him. He then heard the chair screech next to him, causing him to snap out of his thoughts and look towards you.

“Where are you going?” He asks. You blink a few times.

“Oh, Ferdinand’s gonna teach me some Lance techniques,” you say, pointing towards the loud boy, who was half out of the door already. “I’ll catch up with you later!”

“Okay,” he watches you walk out.

“Oh ho, that’s so sad,” Sylvain laughs. Dorothea sighs and hits the back of his head with a book.

“I’m so sorry, Claude, he’s an idiot,” Dorothea frowns. Felix scoffs next to her.

“For once, I’ll have to agree with Sylvain, your relentless attempts are starting to become tiresome,” Felix states. He juts his thumb towards the door and raises his eyebrow. “Sylvain and I know (Name) better than anyone. And I’m telling you that all you have to do is give her a heartfelt confession.”

“No, no, no,” Dorothea cuts in. “You have to-”

“Oh!” Hilda and Marianne jump into the conversation. “Are we talking about Claude’s love life? Count us in. We have the perfect idea.”

“You have to be a man about it!” Raphael chimes. Ignatz looks up from his book and shakes his head.

“I think a nice-”

“Just take her out,” Leonie shrugs.

“I personally think that (Name), being the noble lady she is, wouldn’t ever date you, Claude,” Lorenz deadpans. The room falls silent.

…

“Wait! Wait, please, let me back in!” Lorenz shouts from outside. Byleth dusts their hands on their pants and locks the door. They look back to their students, their straight face never changing.

“Continue.”

“Okay, Claude, here’s the game plan,” Hilda sits in front of him, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

~

You look down at the note in your hands. All it said was a simple: “Gazebo, tonight once the sun sets. - C.R.” Your thumb grazes the initials gently, what could he want?

As you approach the gazebo, you almost do a double take. Was that really Claude? It had to be, his uniform was adorned with that yellow cape, but why did he look like that? His hair was slicked back neatly (Courtesy of our local Songstress) and he seemed more... poised? It didn’t sit right with you, who was used to his usual laid back behavior.

“Please, (Name), sit,” he gestured toward the seat in front of him and you complied. You looked at the set up around you, the gazebo was lit up by various small lights that wrapped around it like vines, the moon and the stars shone above you by now, and the gazebo was decorated comfortably with a mix of yellow and neutrals. Before you were three lit candles and what you assumed to be dinner.

“Is this... this is a dish from my home!” Your eyes sparkle.

“It is!” Claude smiles. He cheers in his head, Sylvain had suggested it to him, after all, maybe he was good for something after all. Then, a soft tune filled the atmosphere, it sounded like singing.

“Is that Dorothea?”

“It is, she said that she would be practicing tonight,” Claude places his hand on his chin, pretending to be recalling his classmate’s words.

“Oh, how wonderful,” you smile. You take a bite of your food and a beautiful mingle of flavors entrances you. “Oh, it is so nice to eat this again...”

“Favorite of yours?”

“Oh, absolutely,” you nod. You look up at him again and catch him staring. “Oh, is something the matter?” Claude reaches over and wipes a crumb away from the corner of your mouth.

“There you go,” he says softly. “How about me?”

“Hmm...” you look at him for a moment before reaching over and rubbing the top of his head, restoring it to its usual messy locks, then you pressed his shoulders down. “There you go, much better.”

“Oh... um... thank you,” he says. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course, Claude, anything.”

“Just know that I am one hundred percent serious about this, (Name),” he says. You nod.

“Go on.”

“(Name) I really-”

“Goodness gracious! What an odd place to see you two!” A new voice shouts. You jump in your seat as a new figure approached.

“Oh! Hello, Ferdinand!” You wave. Claude places his fork down on the table, a tad bit too hard, but neither of you noticed. “What are you doing here?”

“I saw the lights and I got curious,” he laughs. Then you hear shouts behind you, and as you look back you see Sylvain stumble onto the path, followed by an angry and slightly awkward looking Felix. You can make out the conversation clearly.

“Sylvain!” Felix’s voice is shaky. “You... you idiot... You idiot! How could you have thought, how could you have believed that this would go well!” Felix throws a shaky hand behind him. Sylvain just shrugs. You continue to watch the scene, wondering if you should go break it up. Not realizing what was happening behind you.

Yes indeed, behind you, Dorothea lunged out of the bushes and tackled Ferdinand into another, covering his mouth and dragging him away while Claude processed that his scheme has ultimately failed. Finally he shook his head and tapped your shoulder. You look back at him and tilt your head.

“Let’s go back to the dorms.

“Lets,” you agree.

The walk back wasn’t awkward, so to say, you just felt like you were missing something big, which was important for you especially. Finally, you stood in front of your dorm and the two of you stand for a moment. Right as you reach for your door handle, your hand brushes against Claude’s, and you both immediately retract from each other.

“Oh, after you,” you mumble.

“No, no, you can do it,” Claude answers.

“Oh... right, it is my room,” you say. You reach for the handle and Claude speaks up again.

“(Name), wait,” he says. You look at him, resting your hand on the handle. “That thing I was going to say before we were interrupted...” he says.

“Yes?”

“(Name). I’m in love with you.” You stare at him, piecing two and two together. “I think you are the most... Gods, how do I say this? You’re perfect. You’re kind of oblivious, and you’re not the best when it comes to battle, but you’re just... You’re the perfect balance to us. To me.” You’re silent at his confession, and for a moment Claude’s hopes drop, just as he is about to cover up for his spiel, you take his hand in yours and smile, rubbing gentle circles on top of it.

“Claude, you’re such a silly boy,” you laugh lightly. “I feel the same. I have for a while now, actually. Why didn’t you just say something?”

...

You did not just say that.

Tell him right now that you did not just say that.

Claude clears his throat and hugs you, ignoring the burning pain for a moment and cherishing the moment.

“Have a good night, Claude,” you say, pulling away. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Claude opens the door for you and watches you walk in, before closing it gently behind you.

He turns around and jumps up slightly. Before him, hiding behind the pillars and bushes, is the entirety of the Golden Deer class plus the Professor themselves.

“What are you all doing here?” He whispers hurriedly.

“Moral support,” Byleth nods their head. Then they give him a simple thumbs up. “You did good.”

The door opens behind him and Claude jumps up again.

“Oh, Claude, you left-” You make eye contact with the Professor. “Oh, everyone’s here. Hello!” A collective chorus of “Hi”s and “Hello”s filled the yard in front of you. Claude sighs.

Maybe this scheme wasn’t such a disaster?

[starshine583]

New Girl on the Block (17)

(sorry for the late update everyone! I spent time with family this weekend and got a little side tracked lol anyway, please enjoy chapter 17 of “New Girl on the Block” and as always, feel free to check out the mini series connected to this called Journal Entries!)

Ch.1 / Ch.16 / Ch.18 (ao3)

Chapter 17: Subtlety Is Key

The platform ladder that Marinette was standing on sat firmly in Felix’s grip as he watched her attempt to pin a stream of hearts to the wall. She appeared to be having trouble deciding which angle was best, moving her end of the stream up and down while staring at the other end, which was already pinned up, and squinting. He half wondered if she was going to take this long on every stream of hearts she pinned up, since she'd been doing the same up-and-down motion for a while now, but he also didn’t mind waiting if she did. The longer he stood here, the better his chances were of escaping the task of writing those “thank you” cards that Allegra liked to put in her party favors. She always managed to rope him into it, saying that his handwriting was the best amongst them, which, in truth, it was, but why not save the trouble and type out the message on the computer in a curly font? Surely, it would have the same effect.

“Felix, does this look straight to you?”

Felix dragged his gaze back up to Marinette, who was frowning at the spot that she’d finally decided to stop on. The stream of hearts hung to her right, making a nice curve on the wall that looked fine, but he wouldn’t be able to say for certain until he acquired a level, which they didn’t have.

“As straight as it can get, I imagine.” He replied. Even if it was a tad off, the guests would hardly notice. They’ll be too busy mingling and dancing around.

A sigh fell from the ravenette, and she lowered the hearts to give him a tired look. “How is that supposed to help me?”

“Well, it’s definitely not straight now. Does that help?”

Marinette pressed her lips into a thin line, obviously disgruntled, and Felix clenched his jaw to avoid smiling. Perhaps he should wait until she got off the ladder to continue. She might kick him in the face otherwise.

“Why are you here if you’re not going to be useful?” She grumbled, turning back to the wall.

A snort escaped Felix’s lips. “I am being useful. I’m holding the ladder so you don’t fall and break your neck.”

“Bold of you to assume I won’t fall whether the ladder is steady or not.”

“Which is another reason why I’m here.” He replied smoothly. “To catch you.”

Marinette hummed, glancing down at him from the corner of her eye. “How kind of you.”

“Yes, it really is, isn’t it?”

She breathed out a small laugh and shook her head, coaxing a smirk from Felix as well. 

It’s been about a week since they stayed up all night talking at Allegra’s house, since things between them changed, since things with him changed. He couldn’t quite place what had caused it, except that it was most definitely her. The way she listened to him wholeheartedly throughout the entire night, hanging on his every word, offering support when needed and trading a few stories herself- It made him feel heard, which was immensely strange. Because he’d been heard before, plenty of times in fact. It was nothing new. So why was that night different? Was it because of the soft atmosphere that the moon provided? Or because they were both somewhat tired despite saying otherwise? Why did his entire being feel so clear and refreshed when they went up to bed later on?

Whatever happened, he’d assumed that the feeling would be gone by morning, since nighttime conversations hardly travel to the next day, but imagine his surprise when the feeling swelled full force in his chest the next day, specifically when he greeted Marinette in the hall. It was as crystal clear as the night before, and it had yet to fade even now. 

Felix didn’t understand. Not at all. But he certainly wasn’t going to dispute it. He actually began encouraging the feeling, talking with Marinette on a more constant basis, muttering in her direction during conversations, asking more casual questions, throwing around a joke or two about the others when it seemed appropriate- he even found himself teasing her at one point, which led him to the wonderful realization that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was much sassier than he’d given her credit for. Despite her surprise, she’d snapped back immediately, a playful glare in her eyes and a smirk on her lips, and with an unexpected reaction like that, Felix couldn’t not tease her more. That would simply be a waste.

In the following week, he continued to talk with her, and continued to learn how much of a wild card she truly was. She never reacted to his teasing the same way. For example, one minute, she would blush, the next she would smack him, or roll her eyes and shoot right back without a second thought, or even pout. There was no telling what she was going to do next, and Felix eagerly anticipated her next move each time. It was fun for him now, fun to talk with her, fun to see her smirks and glares and giggles when he did. He could understand why Claude, Allegra, and Allan would want to talk with everyone and anyone if they all acted like her.

Their dynamic had definitely changed over the last few days, and although he wasn’t sure how much Marinette had noticed it herself, Felix knew he was thoroughly enjoying the shift. 

“There.” Marinette said above him, leaning back to put her hands on her hips. “How’s that?”

Felix’s eyes glazed over the stream of hearts again, and he let out a hum. “A bit more to the left.”

Her shoulders drooped. “Are you serious?”

“No.”

The narrowed yet playful glare that she shot him had Felix holding back another chuckle, and he innocently moved to grab one of the pink, inflated balloons on the table next to them to hand it to her.

“Why do I ask you anything anymore?” She asked as she took the balloon from him. 

“Because you know I’m an excellent judge when it comes to fine craftsmanship, such as the stream of hearts hanging above us on the wall right now.”

Marinette scoffed, tacking the balloon to the wall just above the first decoration. “What, are you kissing up to me now? Are you trying to butter me up so I’ll bring you more cheesy croissants?”

Felix shot her a look of feigned offense. “I wouldn’t dream of it, not after the amount of pain and effort that went into the making of those decorations.”

Now she was glaring at him. “Exactly how long do you plan on holding that paper cut against me?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.” Felix replied, a slight smile betraying his lips as he did.

Marinette huffed, letting her eyes flick up in an eyeroll, and started back down the ladder. Felix moved back to let her off, before grabbing the ladder again to lift it over to the next wall. They still had two more streams to put up.

“You seem to be more present today.” He commented, thinking back on the get-together they had yesterday. She’d been lost in her own thoughts through the first part of it, so much so that Allegra felt the need to ask her if she was alright. Marinette didn’t get to answer due to Claude jumping in, but when Felix asked her about it again a bit later, she quickly froze up, saying that she’d rather keep it to herself for the time being. 

Felix understood, of course, and he said as much, but that didn’t stop him from being curious. Or even a bit concerned. She always had a specific look when that model was involved, and she’d worn it openly yesterday. Therefore, he could only assume that that was part of the trouble, but how much trouble? Did they run into each other again? Did he text her? Did he go looking for her somewhere? There were too many possibilities and not enough clues for Felix to draw a firm conclusion. He couldn’t even be sure that Agreste was the problem in the first place. 

“Did your troubles sort themselves out?” He added, trying not to look at her too much as he did. Felix didn’t want to pry, but he did want to make sure she was handling herself alright. (Not that that was really in question at this point. After that run-in with the akuma, they all knew quite well that Marinette could take care of things when she needed to.)

Marinette paused at the base of the ladder, tilting her head at him with a questioning glance. “My troubles?”

A slight frown tugged at the corner of Felix’s lips. Had she forgotten already? It must not have been that important, then..

“You said something was bothering you yesterday.” He said anyway.

“Oh!” Understanding washed over her features, but a grimace quickly followed. “Oh.”

Felix rose a brow. Did that mean the problem wasn’t resolved?

“Um.. no.” She said, offering a bit of clarity as she fiddled with the next stream of hearts that they were supposed to be hanging up. “No, it’s still very much there, unfortunately. I’m not sure how everything’s going to work out yet.”

Felix nodded. “I see. I apologize for bringing it up, then.”

“No, no, you’re fine.” She insisted as she climbed the ladder. “I know you were just trying to help.”

“Besides,” Marinette threw another smile over her shoulder, one that was clearly softer than the smirks she’d been giving him earlier, “if it gets to be too much, I’m sure you’ll come to rescue again. So you can have something else to brag about.”

Felix’s eyes widened, admittedly knocked off balance by the comment. Joking about being rescued wasn’t entirely unusual, but ‘again’? What did she mean ‘again’? Did she think he rescued her before? When? Why did he find himself feeling immensely pleased with the thought?

“Of course..” He muttered absently. “I do love to brag, you know.”

It was a bland remark to be sure, not nearly one of his best, but Marinette laughed anyway, as she always did, and turned back around to start pinning the next stream of hearts to the wall.

Felix continued to watch.

~~~~~~

Bzzt. Bzzt.

Adrien lunged for his phone, unlocking it with his fingerprint before it could even finish vibrating, and tapped the notification. Was it her? Had she finally decided to text him? Please let it be her!

A news app flashed onto his screen, and his shoulders sagged as he realized that Marinette hadn’t texted him. How long was she going to wait? It’s already been a full day, and winter break was fading fast. He knew these things could take time, but they honestly didn’t have a lot of that right now. Once school started up again, his schedule was going to go right back to packed, and he’d barely be able to breathe let alone go see her. He didn’t want their precious chance to hang-out to go to waste. 

“You good, dude?” Nino asked next to him. “You’ve been hovering around your phone all day. Is something going on?”

“Oh, uh-” Adrien sat up, pushing away his phone and disappointment. Marinette was going to text him eventually. He just needed to be patient. “No, everything’s fine. Père just likes to stay in touch with me while I’m out, so I want to make sure I don’t miss any text messages or anything.”

Nino frowned. “Isn’t sending Gorilla with you enough?”

Adrien shrugged. “Yeah, but you know how he is. He likes to stay on top of things.”

Disgruntlement flicked across Nino’s features, and he tugged his hat down slightly to hide it, muttering, “Or he just likes to control everything.”

Adrien smiled despite the comment. “Come on, he’s not that bad. He let us hang out today, right?”

Nino nodded, though his frown didn’t fade. “Yeah, I guess that’s true.. Just don’t let him distract you from our game. We still have a tie to break.”

Adrien straightened and grabbed the controller that he’d dropped earlier. “Course not! Père or no, I still have plenty of focus to beat you.”

Nino let out a playful scoff. “Sure, dude. We’ll see who beats who this time.”

Adrien chuckled and positioned himself on the couch, and the two jokingly counted down before starting the next match.

Keeping Nino in the dark about Marinette wasn’t something Adrien enjoyed- they were best friends, after all -but he didn’t want to risk talking about her now. The class was only just now starting to be suspicious of Lila, and even then, it was light, joking. They weren’t serious about it yet. If they knew he was meeting up with Marinette, the person they still weren’t entirely fond of, it might serve as a disadvantage to him. What if they stopped listening to him because he was talking with her? He couldn’t take that chance. He needed to get his feet planted firmly on the ground before taking any rash steps forward.

That said, he did need to take some sort of step forward. Lila trying to make a deal with him last week was extremely reassuring, since it meant that she herself thought of him as a threat, but he also knew that he couldn’t slack off because of it. Muttering over her shoulder wasn’t going to work forever, and if he didn’t find a way to crank up the pressure soon, she would start countering his subtle attacks. Maybe he could start talking to people directly? While they were alone. He could talk to them more about Lila and ask if her stories are suspicious.. But what if he talks to the wrong person? Depending on who he conversed with, they might round on him in an instant, and his plan would crumble again. No, he needed to be careful about this. He needed to start with someone he could trust.

“....So,” Adrien glanced at Nino, because who better to start with than his best friend? “what are your thoughts on Lila?”

If Adrien wanted to change everyone’s opinion of Marinette and Lila, he supposed he would have to know those opinion’s first, and Nino, he felt, was the perfect candidate for that. He was a chill, relaxed person, who pretty much liked everybody. (Everybody except Adrien’s father, that is.) His opinion of Lila should be similar to an average of everyone else’s opinion, and Adrien could use that as an estimation of Lila’s- hopefully decreasing -popularity.

Nino scrunched up his nose, clearly confused by the change of subject. “Lila? I mean, she’s alright. Pretty nice. Alya really likes her.”

Adrien nodded thoughtfully. That was about what he expected him to say. “What do you think about her stories? It seems like she’s been everywhere, doesn’t it?”

Nino snorted. “Right? She says she knows everybody and anybody. It’s pretty crazy.”

Adrien’s eyes widened slightly, though Nino didn’t notice. ‘She says she knows everybody’? Not ‘she knows everybody’? If Adrien didn’t know any better, he might say that sounded a little bit like doubt.

“You don’t believe her?” He asked, carefully.

“No, no, I do.” Nino rushed to say, ignoring the game console that was now blinking ‘defeat’ on his side. “It’s just.. you know.. crazy. She’s been all over the world, knows all these different people, and she’s only fifteen. And she kept up with the school the whole time. It sounds like a lot.”

“Yeah, it definitely does.” Adrien agreed, setting his controller aside and hiding a smile. “And now, she’s been taking up the job as class president, even though she’s still planning charity events and working at homeless shelters and hanging out with Alya and the rest of the girls and doing homework.. It makes you wonder how she fits it all into her schedule.”

Nino chuckled. “Yeah, I- It’s.. I don’t know. I definitely couldn’t do it. What about you, though? What do you think about her? You seem to be really interested in her lately.”

Adrien had to bite the inside of his cheek to avoid laughing. Interesting was a word.

“Ah, well.. I guess I’m just curious about her more than anything. I’m a model who goes places and meets people all the time, and I haven’t met nearly as many famous people as she has. I wanna learn how she’s managed to not get in any news or magazines so far-”

Bzzt. Bzzt.

Adrien paused mid-word to whirl around and check his phone. He was honestly preparing himself for the disappointment already- why would this time be any different? -when his eyes landed on the tiny speech bubble that represented his text messaging app. His insides leaped at this sight, and he tried to swallow his excitement as he tapped the notification. Was it her? Had she finally texted him?

Marinette’s name splayed across the top of the screen, and it took every ounce of discipline for Adrien not to leap off the couch and cheer. She’d texted him! Marinette had finally texted him back!

~Hey, sorry it took me so long to text you. I’ve been helping my friends out with something. If you want, I can meet up with you at (something) café for lunch on Feb. 15th? Does that work for you?~

Lunch! Adrien wanted to scream. She was inviting him to lunch! Marinette did want to hang out with him more! This was perfect!

He quickly texted her back. 

~That sounds great! I’ll see you then ;D~

Adrien hadn’t even checked his schedule yet, but that didn’t matter. He was making this lunch date no matter what. Then he could talk with Marinette about his plans and maybe convince her to come back and-

“Was that your dad?” Nino asked, breaking Adrien from his thoughts yet again. That was probably a good thing though. He shouldn’t be getting too ahead of himself. From the way things looked, Marinette was really enjoying her new school life. It will probably take a lot of convincing to get her to come back. For now, he needed to take things slowly.

Slowly.

“Oh, yeah.” Adrien said, cool as a cucumber. “He was just telling me about my next photoshoot.”

“Another one? It’s not going to stop us from hanging out, is it?”

“No, no, it shouldn’t.” Not that he knew of, anyway. The only thing his meeting with Marinette would hopefully affect was everyone’s opinions of Lila. 

Nino relaxed slightly at the answer. “Good. He over-works you way too much. You should ask for a raise or something.”

 Adrien laughed. “I think I’d rather keep the time off that he gives me. Anyway, you ready to play another round? You lost, so now you have to catch back up.”

Nino eyed his controller with a slight smile. “Whatever, man, you know I’m gonna pass you up without a problem.”

“Sure you are.” Adrien smirked. “Just like how you were gonna pass me up last round.”

Nino laughed and snatched his controller up. “Oh, it’s on, dude.”

~~~~~~

Allegra drew in a deep breath, reveling in the scent of the special candles she’d ordered. Patchouli and Rosewood- the perfect thing to accentuate the rose bouquets delicately placed on the round tables and encourage the romantic mood for their party. With the lights dimmed and everyone dancing together on top of that, hearts were bound to be captured, and she couldn’t wait to see it, especially when it came to a particular pair.

Allegra set her candle down and subtly glanced over her shoulder at Felix and Marinette, who were currently stringing up the last stream of hearts on the other side of the room. They were both laughing and talking together, completely comfortable as Felix held the ladder steady and Marinette pinned her last balloon at the end of the stream. It was a cliché couple, really- the stoic, uptight rich boy falling hard for the sweet, adorable bakery girl -but Allegra was determined to see it work out. She’s always prided herself on getting unlikely people together, and these two were going to be her ultimate achievement. Of course, at this point, she supposed she could hardly call them an unlikely couple. They’ve been rather in-step with each other as of late. What with their muttering to each other during group-hang outs and sharing secret looks and sitting near each other on a regular basis. She might be inclined to be excited for the progress if she had any idea as to why they were suddenly so close. Last week, Felix was still gritting his teeth about being caught looking at Marinette, yet today, he’s talking and smiling and laughing with her openly. Laughing! Felix doesn’t laugh. He scowls and hisses and maybe smirks when he’s in a good mood, but he doesn’t laugh. Something monumental must have happened between the two that would encourage him to do so. So what was it? When was it? Her entire body was itching to know, and the fact that she knew she couldn’t ask only made it worse. If she tried to ask Felix about the event, he might clam up again, regressing the friendship. If she tried to ask Marinette about the event, the ravenette would probably become flustered or more hyper aware of Felix’s subconscious advancements, which, again, would probably regress the friendship. She was stuck either way.

“They’re driving me crazy.” She finally said, knowing the boys would hear her. If she couldn’t confirm her theories about Felix and Marinette’s interactions, she would rant about them to Claude and Allan instead.

As usual, Claude was the first to respond, glancing up from the party favors she had him arranging to ask, “What? Who’s driving you crazy?”

Allegra turned to him with a sigh and tilted her head ever-so-slightly in the “lovebirds’” direction. “They are. They’re acting differently than they were before, and I don’t know why.”

Claude straightened to glance over her shoulder for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly.

“You mean Felix and Marinette? They look the same to me.”

Allegra scrunched up her nose with a scoff. “What do you mean they look the same? You think Felix just laughs like that on a regular basis?”

Allan wandered over to their conversation then, also watching Marinette and Felix. The blond and ravenette didn’t even look up from the hearts on the wall, which was another big sign that they were becoming increasingly engrossed in each other. Felix was normally highly aware of his surroundings, as was Allegra, and he usually would have noticed the trio’s stares by now. But he didn’t, because he was too busy looking at Marinette instead.

“They have been a bit chummy lately.” Allan agreed, bringing a smile to Allegra’s lips. At least someone besides herself was paying attention.

“Well, yeah, but we knew that already.” Claude said. “They like each other, don’t they? Of course they would be chummy.”

“Yes, but not like that.” Allegra insisted. “Whether Felix likes her or not doesn’t change the fact that he’s technically being open around all of us right now. Isn’t that a bit strange to you? Besides, we still don’t actually know for sure that Marinette has a crush on Felix.”

Claude gave her a look. “What? I thought you said that she got all blushy and stuff when you talked about Felix at the sleepover.”

“She was, but Marinette gets blushy about a lot of things. And I was talking about how comfortable Felix is around her. That would probably make any girl blush.”

“She has a point,” Allan spoke up, “but I do think she might like him. She always gets this certain vibe when he’s around.”

“Oh, it’s definitely a possibility.” Allegra agreed. “You can totally spot the little ‘glow’ she gets when he talks with her, and even that’s improved since Felix changed things up.”

Claude’s eyes widened as he glanced at the pair again, seeming to study them closer this time. “Do you think she’s glowing more because he’s changed?”

“I’d say so,” Allegra answered, tapping her finger to her lip, “But what I want to know is why he changed and when. It can’t have been anything short of last week, because they only started acting this way recently, but what could have happened that we didn’t see? We’ve been with them the whole time.”

“Maybe they’ve been hanging out by themselves?” Allan suggested. “They’re not tied to us, you know.”

“I know, but wouldn’t we have heard about it? Marinette sends us pictures and such all the time. She would have mentioned her and Felix hanging out by themselves.”

Unless Marinette simply didn’t want to offend them, but Allegra still didn’t buy that explanation. As far as she knew, Felix and Marinette’s shift happened sometime after the sleepover, if not right after. It was as though they’d fallen asleep as usual, then woke up as different people entirely when it came to each other. So whatever happened must have happened during the sleepover.. but when? They were all together most of the night. Allegra supposed it could have happened during Hide and Seek, when they were all spread across the mansion, but moments like those were too quick and too tense and she certainly would have noticed Felix’s change in behavior then. That left her with.. A dead end, because the rest of the night, Marinette and Felix were always with one of the trio, even when they were all sleeping.

Unless the two hadn’t been sleeping..

“I don’t think we should overthink it.” Allan said, lightly nudging his shoulder into Allegra’s. “Marinette seems happier around Felix, and Felix is definitely happier around Marinette, so I say we take the win and let them keep getting closer on their own.”

“I agree.” Claude chimed in, surprising Allegra. He normally enjoyed meddling in others’ affairs as much as she did. “If they’ve made it this far without us getting too involved, they're bound to confess to each other at tomorrow’s party, especially with the ‘fake date’ we have planned for them.”

A smile found its way back onto Allegra’s lips. So he did intend to meddle. He just didn’t want to overthink Felix and Marinette’s sudden progress. She should have known. 

“That reminds me: I still have to finish arranging that.” Allegra remarked.

She spun on her heel, leaving the boys to their tasks again, and began crossing the room to Felix and Marinette. Their chuckles and smiles quieted down as she approached, but she paid it no mind. Felix was mostly the one to stop laughing, anyway.

“Are you guys all done?” Allegra inquired, not missing the way Felix gently touched Marinette’s arm to help her get off the ladder.

Marinette flashed her a smile. “Yep! We just finished the last streamer. What’s next?”

Allegra let out a hum. “Well, Felix still has to write all of those ‘thank you’ letters for the party favors-”

A tired sigh left the blond.

“-and we have to set up the caterer’s foods, but they aren’t coming in till tomorrow. So I think we’re pretty much done. Claude and Allan are just now finishing their last tasks too.”

“Oh, good!” Marinette beamed. “The place looks great already. I can’t wait to see everyone’s reactions tomorrow.”

Allegra smiled. “Neither can I. By the way, since everything’s practically set up, you two can go ahead and stay home until the party starts. That way you both have time to get ready.”

A hint of concern flicked across the ravenette’s features as she knitted her eyebrows together. “Are you sure? I don’t mind coming in early with you guys.”

“I do,” Felix cut in, a slight smirk on his lips as he added, “and I will gladly take the extra free time.”

Allegra smirked as well, because she knew that comment had to be for Marinette’s viewing pleasure. He wouldn’t have had a smirk otherwise, nor would he have held that mischievous glint in his eyes.

Of course, Marinette breathed out a chuckle and briefly rolled her eyes, capturing Felix’s attention immediately. She then offered Allegra a meaningful smile. 

“Well, if you change your mind, you can always text me.”

“Of course, but in case I don’t, why don’t you have Felix pick you up for the party tomorrow? Since you’re both not going to be arriving until later.”

Marinette and Felix exchanged a look, as though they were silently asking each other’s opinions, and Allegra had to hold back a snort. They were already reading each other and communicating in their own way. It was too cute and all too obvious. How did Claude not notice the difference earlier?

“I wouldn’t mind if you need a ride,” Felix finally spoke, pulling his shoulders up in a slight shrug, “but it’s your decision.”

Allegra swallowed a coo and glanced to the side, because this person in front of her who used to be dead-set on not helping anyone or scowling the whole way was being incredibly considerate, and she desperately needed a before-and-after video.

Marinette smiled up at him. “A ride would be nice, thanks. That way I don’t have to bother Maman or Papa about taking me at the end of their work shift.”

It was just the answer Allegra wanted to hear. Felix will be the first one to see Marinette in her new dress, and he will have plenty of time to become flustered over it during their drive to the party. Missing Felix’s face when he went to fetch Marinette was going to be a shame- since he himself mentioned how stunning she would look -but if they were lucky, perhaps he’ll still be wearing the expression when the two arrive.

“Great! I’ll call my driver so we can start getting ready to leave then.” Allegra said with a smile.

Marinette nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll go grab my purse and put up the ladder.”

“I’ll put up the ladder.” Felix cut in, already moving to close it. 

A frown tugged at the corner of her lips. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. They like their tools to be put back a certain way.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks, then.”

Allegra watched Marinette walk off, feeling a fresh wave of determination.. Gosh, they were already acting like they were in love with each other. Well, Felix was at least. Marinette was about that kind to anyone. Either way, things were going smoothly now, and it should only take a carefully-timed push for the two to really get the ball rolling. 

Valentine’s Day, Marinette and Felix being dressed up, both of them being alone together while dressed up, the sudden closeness- finally, all of her plans were coming together. The only thing that could possibly make this better was if Cupid himself came out to see them swoon over each other. 

That wasn’t going to happen, of course, but it didn’t need to, because Allegra was going to be glad to take his place.

Tag List:  @artbyknigit @athena452 @nickristus-dreamer @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @arsaem @abrx2002 @neakco @pawsitivelymiraculous @too0bsessedformyowngood @nathleigh @lusicing @officiallydarkgeek @all-mights-asscheeks @tbehartoo @woe-is-me0 @raeuberprinzessin @lazuli-11 @miss-chaos27 @trippingovermyfeet @sadpotatoondrugs @ladybug-182 @jaggedheart11 @marinahrasauce @i-need-blog-ideas @thewheezingbubbledragon @crazylittlemunchkin @unabashedbookworm @moonystars14 @sunflowers-and-mooncakes @2confused-2doanything @magnificentcrapposts @moonnette @nickristus-dreamer @vixen-uchiha @casual-darkness @luxmorningstarr @jjmjjktth @kaithehero @itsme1598 @theymakeupfairies @xjaccyx @miraculous-ninja @miraculouspenta @swiftie-miraculer13 @justafanwarrior @all-mights-asscheeks @ira-sairain @lookatthestars1 @dahjokester @blissful-passing @solangelo252 @canivialemonsquints07  @derbygracie  @pleaseignorejustheretoread 

[pandawritespoorly]

With Time: Littlebug & Turtle Tot

Author’s Note: I know, I know, I know. I said 'soon'. I meant for it to be soon! I really did! It just... didn't happen. Couldn't get myself to write. But now it's done! I haven't proofread it, but I'm pleased with how it turned out!

Reference slides here.

Summary: Ladybug and Tortue Verte are the first on scene of a new akuma. Things don't go as planned.

“I can’t! I can’t!”

Allan and Marinette turn at the sound. A teenage girl with a laptop and several school supplies laid before her is clutching at her hair desperately. She’s barely audible, especially in the little corner she’s tucked herself away in, but her distress is clear. Tears seem to be forming in her eyes, and she’s shaking.

“It’s too much! I’m not ready! This- this is-! I’m only 16! I don’t know anything!”

The pair frown, not quite sure what’s going on, but clearly in agreement about wanting to help. Just as they stand, they spot the dark butterfly land on her pencil.

As the girl tenses, purple butterfly shape over her face, Allan grabs Marinette’s wrist to drag her out of sight with him.

“Wayzz, Shell On!”

“Tikki, Spots On!”

The green and pink lights fade leaving Tortue Verte and Ladybug standing next to each other.

“We should probably call the oth-” Ladybug is cut off by a flash of light and sparkles. Tortue hears her yo-yo hit the ground and glances toward his teammate.

Now standing less than a meter in height, she seems to have been de-aged to around three to five years old. Her costume has changed as well. She has pigtails again, though longer than they ever were, tied in two red ribbon bows.

She has a headband on, with two little antennas sticking out of it. Her suit is entirely black now, looking like some sort of soft onesie, though around her shoulders is a red cloak with large black ladybug spots on it. If her hands are at her sides, the cloak would likely fall to her knees. Her mask is replaced with a ladybug face paint design.

As it is, her hands are raised slightly as she looks over herself, inspecting the change. She seems calm, and eventually turns to him, slightly confused, and reaching upwards.

“Up!” Even her voice has changed, and he worries that she’s been de-aged both physically and mentally, because if she hadn’t she’d probably be coming up with a plan rather than just requesting to be held.

While he’s thinking, she takes his silence as a refusal, and a heartbroken look crosses her face.

Not wanting to risk a crying Ladybug (Littlebug?), he swiftly picks her up, making her giggle.

Yep. Definitely a child.

“Alright, let’s go,” he can’t see the akuma and assumes that it’s moved on to other places. It isn’t until he hurries around a corner and feels his shell knocked off his back that he realizes how wrong he was.

The akuma giggles triumphantly, and the turtle hero is soon in the same state as the girl he’d been carrying. They stand next to each other, the same height. Tortue similarly has a onesie, though the theme is slightly different from his usual costume.

A dark green, edging on black, is the main color, with streaks of yellow and red scattered across it. The chest is entirely red, and looks like it’s a slightly thicker material than the rest, a padding of sorts. A rounded cape hangs from his back, the outer part looking dark-gray-green with thin streaks of red. The inner portion is clearly more red, though it isn’t as visible. The onesie ends at the ankle, where socks can be partially seen from the tops of the green light up tennis shoes on his feet.

As a mask, he also has face paint, the same color as the main portion of the outfit, with similarly colored streaks coming from the eyes to the edge.

Turtle Tot looks around to see Littlebug fiddling with his shell, which is still adult sized. She’s attempting to drag it away, presumably to safety so they can use it as a shield.

He also notices how the akuma is reaching for her ears. Acting quickly, he grabs her hand and runs outside.

It’s dark. He and Marinette had been up early and had been planning on going back home before the attack happened.

Everyone else is asleep. As would be expected, seeing as it’s not even six. Of course the one night he and Marinette leave so early-

Littlebug squeezes his hand, “It’s okay. We’re heroes!”

Oh my Kwami! She’s right!

He’s a superhero! This is so cool!

“Come on, we’ll get home, an’ then…” she stops, looking around as she pauses in her once confident strides, “Where are we?”

“Uhhh... “ He looks around. The street signs are really tall, and he can’t read them anyways. Turtle Tot shrugs at her helplessly.

She hums, thinking for a moment. She spots something out of the corner of her eye. A small dandelion peeking out of the sidewalk. Littlebug gasps delightedly, and hurries over to it.

“Look! A flower!” she picks it up and puts it behind his ear, where it peeks out from his hood, “We should go this way!!”

He nods excitedly, flowers are very sound reasoning.

Eventually they stop running, out of breath, but somehow still in good spirits.

“What… wha’ now?” Littlebug huffs out.

He looks around, and recognizes a building nearby. He’s not really sure what its name is, but it’s really, really tall, and they’ve defeated akumas there before. It makes sense that if they can defeat akumas there once, they can do it again… right? Turtle Tot turns to Littlebug, explaining his solid reasoning. She nods, agreeing immediately.

They find a way inside and hurry up to the silver doors of the elevator.

They can’t reach. He frowns, clearly upset at his plan being stopped.

“Tot, look! Stairs!” Littlebug tugs on his sleeve and points energetically to a nearby stairwell. The pair race over, and hurry to head up.

Littlebug begins to pass him, and gives a sly grin, “I’m gonna’ beat ya’!”

“Nuh-uh!”

The two children break out into the fastest speed their small legs can handle, turning the corners of the landings as fast as they can.

If there’s anything they won’t do, it’s lose a race.

They’re starting to slow down significantly when they finally reach the end. Huffing from the exhaustion of the race, they tumble out to the roof, sprawling onto the ground.

“I think....” Littlebug pauses to catch her breathe again, “I think that… we tied…”

“Yeah,” Turtle Tot inhales as much air as his little lungs can fit, which eventually turns into a yawn, “Tha’ sounds… right.”

The small heroes begin yawning more and more, eventually making their way to a corner to lean against each other.

“At leas’ we beat the akuma,.”

“What?”

“In th’ race,” Littlbug yawns, “...’got here first.”

“Oh, yeah…”

Her head droops slightly, eventually settling on his shoulder. He faithfully decides he’ll stay up to keep watch, because that’s how being a hero works.

He’s asleep within five minutes. 

---

Allegra wakes up third. They’d all stayed over at Adrien and Marinette’s place after a movie marathon, because none of them felt like heading home.

Felix is drinking coffee at the table, reading the newspaper, though she can’t see Allan, Mari, or Adrien.

She heads to the kitchen, “Where is everyone?”

Felix shrugs, “Allan and Marinette were absent when I awoke, and Adrien went out to run an errand. He should be back-”

The door opens, and Adrien enters.

“-soon.”

“Hey,” Allegra greets the man, he nods at her, smiling slightly before frowning.

“Do either of you know where Allan and Mari are? I can’t reach either of them, and I don’t know where they are,” he asks as he sets a small bag down on the counter. Allegra recognizes the Kwamis’ usual treats.

They both shake their heads.

Claude pops up, “Do you think there’s an attack?”

Felix nods at this, “It could make sense. Perhaps it is one of the ones that is more subtle. Some do not get an alert after all.”

“Then why aren’t they getting us for back-up?” Allegra points out.

“Maybe they can’t get away?”

“Or it isn’t that bad?”

“Claws Out.” A disgruntled yelp of protest is all the Cat Kwami can manage as he’s sucked into the ring.

“Is Marinette alright?” Felix inquires.

“Probably,” Chat sighs, opening his baton to call his friends, “She’s not like, playing dead, or hibernating or anything, but I don’t like this. Something feels off.”

The weapon rings.

And rings.

And rings.

No answer. 

He calls Torte Verte this time.

It rings.

And rings.

And rings.

No one answers.

They’re all tense now, because if neither is answering either phone, then something must be wrong.

Chat heads to the balcony, “I’m heading out!”

Claude and Allegra follow after him, speaking in unison, “I’ll come too!”

Felix throws two granola bars at the pair, “Eat first.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Claude groans.

“That would be Allan, actually,” Felix corrects. 

Claude grins, complying. Allegra does the same, then takes care of both of the wrappers.

“We’ll keep you updated, Fe’!” She calls as they swing out the window, following the tracker for their friend’s weapons.

When they show up and find both Ladybug’s yo-yo and Tortue’s shield abandoned on the ground inside a building they tense further.

Something is definitely wrong.

Chat’s tail is flicking around, and it’s clear he’s on edge.

Before any of the trio can speak, their weapons ding simultaneously with the same message.

 Distress signal trail located: Kwami: Wayzz

Continue to the next signal.

Skip to most recent signal.

Ignore.

 “Distress signal?”

“Wayzz?”

They all choose the obvious option, and their weapons provide them with an address where Wayzz’s ‘last distress signal’ came from.

“That’s pretty far from here, especially since they must have walked,” Honey Bee points out in concern.

“Not to mention Wayzz is sending the distress signal, not Al’,” Kit agrees.

Chat frowns. “I didn’t even know those were a thing.”

Despite their confusion, the three head out across the rooftops. Honey mutters something about bad parenting when she sees a couple of children outside of a building. Their parents must have told them to wait outside, how hard is it to just take them in too? 

She lands on the roof shortly after Kit and Chat, looking around. There’s no clear sign of their teammates.

“Ladybug? Tortue?”

“Either of you guys here?”

There’s no response, but they continue to call softly, not sure if there’s a threat nearby they should be wary of.

Honey spots them first, “Oh. My. Kwami.”

“What? What is it?” Chat turns to her as soon as the words leave her mouth.

“They’re so cute!” she squeals, taking a picture with her top, directing the men’s attention to the corner.

There, resting against each other, are their missing teammates. The notable issue is that they look like they can’t be more than five.

The pair is sound asleep, and Kit soon joins in taking pictures. Chat may or may not do the same.

Eventually, Ladybug begins to stir, which causes Tortue Verte to move too. They both sit up around the same time, wiping at their tired eyes with the heel of their hands.

Ladybug is the first to notice the other three heroes. She stares at them in surprise for a little bit, her tiny mouth open in shock, as she nudges her friend.

“Tot! Look!” she no-so-quietly-whispers, “They here too!!!”

The turtle boy looks up, then similarly ‘whispers’ back, “wha’ ‘bout Felix?”

Ladybug turns to him and puts a hand in front of her face as if she’s telling him a big secret, “‘member? We don’ have the peacock yet.”

He nods solemnly.

Kit is recording the whole thing, so Honey puts her top away to greet them, “Hi guys!”

They break out into grins, waving excitedly and shouting greetings at all three of them. Making their way to their feet and approaching their friends.

Ladybug notices Chat’s silence and gives a child’s version of a smirk, “What’s da matter kitten- get-” she frowns, mumbling to herself until the boy in green whispers in her ear, and she continues, “Cat got your tongue!” She declares triumphantly.

Chat Noir shakes himself out of his silence, “No, I’m just sur-purr-ised, that’s all.”

The girl frowns, crossing her arms, “That was dumb.”

Tortue shakes his head, “Littlebug! That’s mean!” “‘Littlebug’?!” Kit squeals.

“Yeah! I’m Turtle Tot, and she’s Littlebug!” Tor- Turtle Tot informs, jumping excitedly. His shoes light up.

The adults get another notification on their weapons.

 Distress signal: Kwami: Wayzz

Already at location.

 Lady- Littlebug nods in agreement to Tot’s statement, before yawning, rubbing at her eyes once more.

Tot does the same. Both children are not nearly as good at hiding their exhaustion as they seem to think.

“Oh, are you guys tired?” Honey approaches them, speaking softly.

They nod.

“Beat the ‘kuma,” Tot mumbles.

“You did?!” The adults can’t keep the surprise from their voices.

“Yeah, got t’ the top first,” Littlebug adds, “We left Ms. Kuma after we got small, then we walked, then Tot found here, and he ‘membered that we won here b’fore, so we wen’ to the top ‘cause then we could win ‘gan, and we got here b’fore the akuma so we beat her here.”

Tot nods, as the others try to follow this reasoning. The children don’t bother to try and give them time. Tot flops towards Honey who is closest, and Littlebug makes her way to Chat, leaning against his leg sleepily. Kit continues to record the whole thing.

Chat smiles softly, bending down to scoop her up. She nuzzles against him, and he marvels at how light she feels. Honey does the same, and soon both of the mini-heroes are dozing against their friends’ shoulders, hugging them tightly.

After a moment, Kit Mime stops recording, “That was absolutely precious.”

“Right?!” Honey whispers.

“We should head back to Felix. He’ll be worried,” Chat suggests. The others nod, and they carefully make their way back, doing their best to keep from waking the sleeping boy and girl.

They land on the balcony, and Felix turns to them immediately. He opens his mouth to ask about how it went when he spots the children. He shuts his mouth again, then says, “Well, I suppose that explains it.”

Kit rushes inside first, bouncing excitedly, “They were so cute, Felix! I already sent the video to myself - Let’s Rest - and I’ve got to show you, it is the most precious thing I ever witnessed…” Claude continues their rambling, pulling out their phone and handing it to Felix to show him the video.

Honey Bee and Chat Noir also enter the apartment, shutting the door behind them. Both of them attempt to put their respective passenger onto the couch, but the kids have a stronger grip than what would be expected, even in their sleep.

Chat shrugs, flopping onto the couch and propping himself up on a pillow, so that he can comfortably allow Babynette to rest on his chest. 

“Claws In.” Plagg flies out of the ring, snickering at the children before curling up to rest on Adrien’s head.

Honey looks between the boy in her arms and the man on the couch and grins.

Somehow, she manages to get the boy to let go so that he can be transferred to join Littlebug on the couch. Adrien is now a mattress for both tiny heroes, who seem to have no trouble with this arrangement.

“Buzz Off,” Allegra is quick to get her phone out and take a picture, “Oh we’re going to have so many pictures by the end of this.”

Pollen and Trixx float nearby, clearly enjoying this.

“Most certainly,” Felix agrees, having finished the video.

Claude spots the group on the couch, grinning and snapping a picture as Adrien waves softly.

“Oh boy, Sugarcube is going to be over the moon,” Plagg remarks.

The other Kwamis nod, and Pollen elaborates, “As the Kwami of Creation, she is especially fond of young creatures.”

“I’m especially fond of these young creatures!” Claude exclaims.

“Guys?” Adrien addresses the Kwamis, “How did we not know that distress signals were a thing?”

“Ooh! Ooh! I’ll answer this!” Trixx yelps, excited to contribute, “Given that Marinette and Allan’s forms changed when they were hit, Tikki and Wayzz had to edit their transformations. The akuma would have probably changed their civilian outfits, but changing the looks of the transformations is beyond her abilities. When a human transforms, some extra features are usually added based on personality, but how or if they function is up to the Kwami. For example, being a Black Cat does not mean you are going to have a bell - that comes from you. Plagg chose to make it able to ring. So Allan contributed his shoes, and Wayzz gave them the ability to light up, as well as send alerts to your devices when you went to a location it had been set off at. Likely for this very purpose, given that you may have had trouble finding them otherwise.”

“Thank goodness for Wayzz,” Allegra says.

“Transformations can also make up for any limitations of a user - for lack of a better word,” Pollen adds, “Perhaps ‘weak spots’ would be more accurate. In this case, the ‘limitation’ or ‘weak spot’ is clearly that they do not have the ability to find their own way around, and as such, needed someone to be able to find them. That’s why the shoes lighting up went beyond something as simple as just lighting up.”

---

“Kitty, nooooo,” Marinette whines, “Don’ gooooo.”

The ‘kids’ had been awake for an hour now, having detransformed shortly afterwards.

Allan’s outfit had prompted ‘aww’s from all of them. The boy, who clearly had become just as shy as he was as a child, was in a fairly standard outfit. The defining feature was a green dinosaur hoodie he was wearing. The hood had a few spikes on the back, and there were big dot eyes on either side. Little spike-shaped teeth hung from the top.

Marinette’s outfit, on the other hand, looked like something out of Pinkalicious. She was in a pink play dress, with feathery boa wrapped around her neck - the pink turning more of a hot pink towards the ends of the feathers. Her shoes had small heels, and were completely covered by sparkly pink glitter. An equally sparkly bow sat at the front, and the little pink strap had a gold buckle. An impressively large sun hat sat atop her head, also pink. On her face sat large, sparkly, pink sunglasses with heart shaped rhinestones above the eyes.

Claude took one look and collapsed to the floor, laughing hysterically.

Now, however, the still adult heroes needed to go out to look for the akuma, which had stayed oddly quiet so far.

“Sorry, Baby Bug, but don’t you think we have to do our job?” Adrien is crouched in front of her.

“Nuh-uh!” Marinette pouts, stomping her bedazzled foot. “No job!”

“I’m with the kid,” Plagg drawls, lounging on top of her hat. “Less work, more naps.”

Adrien sighs, not sure how to reason with her.

Felix comes over, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. “Marinette, don’t you want Hawkmoth to be sad?”

“I want to punch him!” she declares. Claude snorts.

Felix determinedly does his best to not smile at that. “Well, in order for that to happen, they have to find the akuma, don’t they?”

Marinette sighs. “Yeah. I guess.”

Allan, upon noticing how sad she looks, walks over to her and quietly holds out Lucas, his dinosaur plush (Claude had excitedly rushed off to grab the plush when Turtle Tot was still asleep).

Marinette pats the dino, still looking dejected. “Hi Lucas.”

Allan holds him out more. “Hug.”

The girl hugs the dino, and Allan wanders towards Allegra, wringing his hands and looking at the floor. “Ally?”

She smiles at him. “Yeah?”

“Can… can I have a star?”

She pauses, trying to figure out what he means. When she remembers, she tries not to let her slight panic show. She got rid of those sparkly hair clips ages ago.

Allan is still looking at the floor, so he doesn’t notice Claude poke her. When she turns to look at them, they’re holding two of those hair clips, a victorious grin on their face.

Allegra stares at him, mouth fallen open slightly because what the- Claude?! 

His grin only grows, and she takes them suspiciously. Allegra takes a blue one and gently pushes Allan’s hood back a little to slip it in his hair.

He straightens, touching it gently, then beams, hugging her tightly. She smiles, returning the hug.

Allan goes over to Claude, chattering excitedly about having a star.

Allegra goes over to Marinette, holding out a purple star. She gasps, then takes it, clipping it to the brim of her hat.

“We have to go now, alright?” Allegra looks between the two ‘children’.

They nod sadly, but after several hugs, the three (still adult) heroes transform and head off.

--- 

“Careful!” Allan tells Sabrina. “Hot!”

She nods as she puts the cupcake tray into the oven. “Thank you. I’ll be careful.”

He nods. “Good.”

Marinette is bouncing on her stool. “How much longer!!!”

“You’re a baker, Mininette,” Chloe reminds her. “You know this takes time.”

She pouts.

“Marinette, while the cupcakes are in the oven, we can get started on the cookies.

Allan tilts his head. “Cookies?”

Marinette nods, hopping off her stool, ignoring how Chloe hisses at her to ‘be careful’. “Yeah! We’re gonna’ make turtle cookies! For you!!”

Allan gasps, then smiles wide. “Thanks!!!”

Sabrina snaps some sneaky pictures, while Chloe just shakes her head. “They are so pure. If you hadn’t called us over, I would have rioted.”

“I could not have handled being in charge of children without back-up,” Felix admits.

The two Kwamis are enjoying the state of their holders. Tikki has been flitting around excitedly, while Wayzz watches calmly from his perch on Allan’s head.

The door to the balcony opens.

“So,” Chat Noir says, “Tiny Kagami is adorable and calm, but still 100% capable of wielding a blade.”

“Kitty!!” Marinette races toward him, and he sweeps her up in a hug.

“Also, Aurore is just as obsessed about weather as a small child,” Kit Mime informs.

Adrien has taken Chat Noir’s place. “We didn’t manage to get the akuma yet, but we decided to take a break.”

“We couldn’t miss more Mininette and smol Allan!” Claude chirps.

Honey Bee detransforms, making her way to the kitchen. “So what are you guys up to?”

Chloe kisses her cheek. “We’re baking.”

“I brought over Pinkalicious, and Marinette wanted to make the cupcakes,” Sabrina explains. “If you give a moose a muffin…”

Adrien laughs, booping Marinette’s nose. “She’ll want to one up that muffin recipe.”

“That’s not how it goes!” Marinette cries. “The moose wants jam!”

“Yeah!” Allan agrees. “So you gotta’ get the blackberry jam!!”

“Right. My bad.”

“No!!” Both children shout. “You’re not bad!!”

Allan hugs his leg, and Marinette pats his head a bunch. “You’re a good kitty-cat!”

Claude definitely isn’t recording the interaction Trixx is. “Okay,  so what do you need help with?”

“We’re makin’ turtles!!” Marinette declares.

“The cupcakes are in the oven. We are making turtle cookies now,” Felix elaborates, “It was Marinette’s idea. For Allan.”

“Aww,” Allegra coos.

“Mari is really nice!!” Allan shouts. The girl blushes, covering her face.

“Yes she is,” Claude agrees. She squeaks, hiding her face in Adrien’s shoulder.

Allegra rescues her, taking her from Adrien. “So, Miss Baker, how do we make these cookies?”

She brightens, motioning towards the counter. “Recipe!”

Sabrina grabs the recipe that they’d been planning on using. “Here.”

“Well let’s get started then!” Claude shouts.

---

After they’d finished decorating both the cookies and cupcakes, they’d turned on some Disney movies for the ‘children’.

Everyone was enjoying the calm of the day. The akuma seemed to have disappeared, and there was no reason to be worried about it at the moment.

Adrien is sitting on the couch, his arm around Marinette. The little girl is curled into his side, eyes seeming heavy. Every time they slip closed she’d force them open again, determined to stay awake.

Allan had no such qualms, dozing where he sits on Felix’s lap.

Allegra is sitting on the other side of the couch from Adrien, Chloe stretched across her lap as she scrolls through her social media. Occasionally she’ll look at the screen when prompted by her fiancé.

Sabrina and Claude are sitting on the floor, a bowl of popcorn between them as they make quiet commentary.

Later, there would be a reliable sighting of the akuma. Later, they’d have to rush out to get it, returning triumphantly with the new knowledge that butterflies can be venomed.

Later, there would be a quick transformation, and a tiny voice casting a much bigger cure.

But now, in this moment, they enjoy their peace.

---

Author’s Note: See! It's fluff! Claude is fine!

Reference slides here.

I was going to say this at the end of the last thing I posted, but since there was a good chance some people might have made the decision to skip reading that, I'm putting it here. I just want to thank you all for your patience. I haven't been writing as much, and I want to. Sometimes I just can't get myself to write, and I'm being patient with myself because, well, the world is a bit of a mess at the moment. That's why I do want to write, because we can all use a reprieve. I also haven't been responding as quickly to comments, and for that I'm sorry. I don't want that to discourage you from commenting! I've been quarantined with my family, and as both an introvert and someone with social anxiety, sometimes I've just had my fill of people. The thought of trying to talk to other people gets stresses me out, and I wouldn't be able to respond to comments in any sort of meaningful way. I assure you though, when I do find it in me to respond, you guys make my day. It makes me so happy to see that people liked my work enough to comment, and I guarantee that I will be getting around to responding to everyone eventually.

I'd also like to thank you guys for your patience. I haven't seen a single comment asking why I haven't been posting much, or anyone being upset that I'm not as active as I used to be. You guys are so sweet, and you make things so much better! I love you all so much!

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[nicolewrites]

jack of hearts

this is absolute nonsense. i make no apologies. @tsunnychan you went to bed too early hehe

Day 6: AU / First Time

Rating: G Genre: Romance, Friendship Characters: [Sylvain Jose Gautier & Ingrid Brandl Galatea], Ashe Ubert, Claude von Riegan Words: 2,104

“I don’t think any of those kids play chess,” Ingrid pointed out.

Sylvain shrugged. “A few of them do. The others are there just to be there.”

OR: Teachers AU

AO3

“Class dismissed!”

Ingrid shifted her weight and pressed a finger against her lips to hide a smile as she watched Sylvain jump off the desk he was sitting on, closing the textbook he was holding. The bell rang loudly overhead and Ingrid stepped into the classroom so that she would be out of the way of the students who bolted for the door at the end of the period.

Sylvain didn’t notice her immediately as he headed back to his desk in the corner of the room, mumbling something to himself. Ingrid stepped back and knocked against the doorframe of the classroom and his head snapped towards her.

A grin spread across his face immediately when he saw her. “Miss Galatea! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

She crossed her arms and tipped her head, giving him a hard look. “I believe you borrowed something of mine in first period. I do need that back for Model UN.”

Sylvain snapped and turned, grabbing the rolled-up UN poster off his desk. “Thanks, Ingrid, it was very helpful.”

She looked between the poster and his desk where she had a funny feeling it had sat for the entire time he had borrowed it. She took the poster from him and tucked it under her arm. “I’m sure it was,” she said knowingly.

Sylvain leaned back against his desk and gave her a charming smirk in response. He knew exactly what he was doing and he was just waiting for her to call him out on it. Ingrid shifted and glanced at the clock above the door in the government classroom.

“You headed to the lounge?” she asked after he seemed partly content just to stare at her.

He scratched the back of his head. “No, actually, we have-”

He was cut off by something flying past Ingrid into the classroom, headed straight for Sylvain’s face. He managed to get a hand up in time to knock it away, but not catch it. He batted it aside and then he and Ingrid both stared at the yellow pool noodle now lying on the classroom floor that had come sailing through the air.

“Heads up, Gautier!” Claude von Riegan called cheerfully as he burst into the classroom, carrying three more pool noodles.

Sylvain rolled his eyes. “Chess Club,” he finished, for Ingrid’s sake.

Ingrid opened her mouth to question the projectile, but by the smug look on Claude’s face and the resigned humour on Sylvain’s, she found she really, really didn’t want to know what the senior Chemistry teacher and the Government and Politics teacher were going to do with four pool noodles when they were supposed to be leading the school’s Chess Club.

She shook her head with a smile and headed for the entrance of the classroom, still holding her UN poster. “I’ll see you later, Sylvain.”

“Bye Ingrid,” Claude called teasingly as she left.

Ingrid rolled her eyes and headed back to her own classroom in the English wing. Ashe was standing outside her classroom as she approached, his nose in a book that was bursting with yellow sticky notes.

She raised an eyebrow at her fellow English teacher. “Ashe?”

He jerked his head up and smiled sheepishly. “Hey, I just wanted to see if you had any spare copies of the Moonlight Knight. I’ve had two more kids switch into my class and the English office doesn’t have any more copies of it.”

Ingrid thought about it. “I think I might have a couple of copies from AP Lit that aren’t getting used,” she said. She strode past Ashe into her classroom and went to the bookshelf behind her desk. Sure enough, she had four copies of the Moonlight Knight that didn’t have names in them. She pulled them off and offered them to him. Ashe grinned and took them.

“You’re a life-saver, Ingrid, thanks!” He glanced at the UN poster she was holding and confusion flashed on his face. “It’s Thursday today. Don’t you usually have Model UN on Mondays?”

Ingrid sighed and placed the poster down on her desk. “Yes. Sylvain asked me to borrow it for some lesson he was teaching to the Gov 12 kids today.”

Ashe frowned. “Gov 12? I didn’t know they would be at the UN unit already.”

She grabbed her lunch bag from behind her desk and rolled her eyes. “They’re not. I have no idea why he wanted the poster. Are you headed to lunch?”

Ashe shook his head. “No, I’ve got Writing Club with Bernadetta today. I am headed to the Art Room though so I’ll walk with you.”

“Great!” Ingrid led the way out of her classroom, locking her classroom after Ashe and she had both exited the room.

They walked through the hallway and Ashe made a quick stop at his classroom to drop off the extra books. When he emerged, he was holding a folder that probably contained the stuff he needed for Writing Club.

“Have you had your one-on-one with Seteth yet?” Ashe asked, referring to their faculty administrator.

Ingrid nodded. “Yeah, we met yesterday before school.” She grinned. “Medieval Lit is mine next year.”

“Oh come on, Ingrid! This is my first year with it in three years.”

She laughed. “I know, I know. I’m happy with AP, don’t worry. At least I get to read better essays.”

Ashe’s shoulders slouched. “It’s a Grade 12 elective English course,” he bemoaned. “Why are they still such bad writers?”

Ahead of them in the hallway, Petra’s door banged open suddenly and the Spanish Teacher poked her head into the hallway. She spotted Ingrid and Ashe and immediately emerged fully from her classroom and practically jogged towards them.

“Do either of you speak French?” she asked hurriedly.

Ingrid blinked. She knew some basic French from her high school days and the intro course she had taken as an elective in her undergrad, but she was far from fluent. Beside her, Ashe shook his head.

“No, sorry, Petra.” Petra frowned. “Have you seen Ferdinand?”

Ingrid shook her head. For once, she hadn’t seen Garreg Mach’s resident everything-man. “I think he might actually be sick for once,” she admitted. “Lorenz?”

Petra shook her head. “Helping Annette with the boy’s sectional in Choir today.”

Ashe winced. “That’s unfortunate. Is this an International Students Connection thing?” Petra nodded. “I have a Belgian girl who speaks very little English and even less Spanish.”

“Wait,” Ingrid said suddenly, an idea striking her. “Sylvain speaks French. He’s running Chess Club with Claude right now, but I’m sure he can spare a bit of time.” Petra sighed in relief. “Can you be fetching him? I have two Spanish kids needing a translator.”

Ingrid’s stomach rumbled, but she nodded. “I’ll go get him.”

Ashe smiled at both of them, his cheeks flushing a bit when Petra returned the grin, “I’d come with you Ingrid, but I shouldn’t leave Bernie hanging. I have all the poems from last week anyways.”

Petra hugged Ingrid tightly before she bounced back and disappeared back into her classroom. Ingrid sighed to herself and pivoted, heading back to the humanities hallway where both hers and Sylvain’s classrooms were located. Her lunch could wait, as much as she didn’t want it to.

She heard eager chatter as she approached Sylvain’s classroom and she steeled herself for whatever the hell was going on inside the room. The door was slightly ajar so she pushed it open fully, taking in the scene.

Claude and Sylvain were sitting across from each other at Sylvain’s desk, a chessboard in between them. There were nine girls and three boys crowded around them, watching as the two teachers moved pieces back and forth in a deadly dance. There were no real stakes in a chess game, but every teacher at Garreg Mach knew that pride was on the line every time that Claude and Sylvain played against each other.

She stepped into the classroom and not a single eye in the room flickered to her. Half the girls in the room were staring at Sylvain and the other half were staring at Claude. Only two of the kids were actually looking at the chessboard that was the subject of both male teachers’ undivided attention.

Ingrid cleared her throat. Eyes darted to her and Sylvain’s head snapped up. Claude glanced back over his shoulder and smiled lazily at her.

“Miss Galatea,” he said.

“Miss Macneary needed a favour, Mr. Gautier, if I can steal you away,” Ingrid explained, switching to the formal names for the sake of the students in the room.

Sylvain looked between Ingrid and the chess game in front of him. He pointed at Claude. “Don’t touch my pieces, von Riegan. We’ll finish this later.” He smiled pleasantly at the watching students and gestured at the other chessboards sitting atop desks in the classroom. “And I guess you all have to actually put those skills to good use now.”

He stood from his desk and crossed the room to Ingrid, smiling broadly at her. Ingrid’s stomach flipped against her will at the charming smile and she immediately turned away from Sylvain to leave his classroom. He kept pace with her easily on his long legs as they strode through the humanities hall back towards Petra’s classroom.

“I don’t think any of those kids play chess,” Ingrid pointed out.

Sylvain shrugged. “A few of them do. The others are there just to be there.”

Ingrid laughed. It was obvious that the gaggle of girls were literally only in Chess Club because of the staff sponsors. Sylvain and Claude were notoriously the two most popular male teachers amongst the young, hormonal teenaged students (male and female alike).

“And what does Petra need?” Sylvain asked as they walked.

“A French translator,” Ingrid answered.

Sylvain nodded. “Well, that I can do. I was worried you were going to say Italian.”

She looked at him. “Don’t you speak Italian?”

Sylvain shrugged, but he was smirking. “Not fluently.”

She shoved his shoulder. “You’re the worst.”

He bounced right back and said something to her in what sounded like Japanese. Ingrid stopped in her tracks and stared at him. Sylvain stopped walking a pace ahead of her and looked back at her, looking a bit startled.

“Japanese? What the fuck?” she exclaimed.

The trio of tenth graders nearby giggled at her foul language and Sylvain laughed. “You can blame Fe for that one.”

She rolled her eyes. “What did you even say?”

Sylvain’s smug smile loosened into a much more casual grin. “Don’t worry about it.”

She grabbed his arm and dragged him to a stop, staring at him. “Sylvain.

“Nothing bad, I promise,” he assured.

Ingrid sighed, but released him, continuing the trek to Petra’s classroom. Sylvain glanced between her face and the lunch bag she was carrying.

“You never made it to the lounge I’m assuming?”

“No,” she grumbled. “I haven’t eaten yet.”

He hummed under his breath. “Well, it’s a good thing we’re getting take-out tonight.”

“We are?” she questioned.

He winked. “Sushi on me.”

She laughed, but couldn’t help smiling. “What’s the occasion?”

“Thought it might be fun.”

Sylvain’s smile was warm and genuine in ways that made her stomach lurch and her heart flutter. He was a charming man, that was for sure, but it wasn’t often that he truly attempted to turn his charms on her. It was almost flattering.

“What did you use the poster for?”

“An excuse to come bother you,” Sylvain admitted freely.

Ingrid laughed out loud before she could stop herself. “Wow, I wasn’t expecting you to just admit it.”

Sylvain stopped walking outside of Petra’s classroom and looked her in the eye. “I’ve kind of been sticking my foot in my mouth every time we have a conversation that’s longer than 20 words recently, so I figured interrupting your class would be an easy way to keep it short, but necessary. Plus, then it meant that I would get to see you twice in one day because you’d have to come and get the poster.”

Ingrid’s mouth opened, but no words came out. He was flirting. He was definitely flirting and all of her coherent words had abandoned her quite succinctly. Sylvain grinned at her one last time. “Go eat your lunch, Miss Galatea. I’ll come by with sushi at eight.”

He turned to walk away to enter Petra’s classroom and Ingrid desperately willed her brain to say something–ANYTHING–to him.

“Sylvain!” she called.

He glanced back.

“What on earth did you need pool noodles for in the Chess Club?”

Sylvain smirked again. “See you later, Ing.”