#beta'd by grammarly

[monpalace]

ships .. (legend of zelda) link & (original character) s'avahili dragmire.

content .. in her mourning, s'avahili is visited by an old friend.

word count .. 2,455.

warnings .. i wrote this 3 years ago, then rewrote it in january (?) and haven't looked at it since then. beta'd by grammarly (not premium), so. i think i wrote this when i had gasli go by they/she pronouns and not he/him.

notes .. link and s'avahili's love language being food will never not be my favorite thing to write even if neither of them made it. i also wrote about this before thinking about the rest of venom's plot so ig this was my personal proof of concept + this was supposed to be in an act by itself with the first chapter called the beginning but nvm that ig😋✌🏽

S'avahili has long since been accustomed to wiping blood off her hands, both literally and metaphorically.

This time, unfortunately, is literal.

It was always literal when the chosen hero reached the end of his journey.

Her brother bled like a pig when Link plunged his sword into the jewel that adorned his forehead every lifetime; he did so even more when Zelda thought it best to pierce an arrow of light through his heart.

Ganondorf was still bleeding, his pig features making themselves present as Malice caused his skin to char and crack into a coal black, his blood instead seeping into the ground as though it were lava. It even had the viscosity.

When S'avahili drops to her knees beside Ganondorf's head and reaches for the hand he held out, she wonders when she became so accustomed to the feeling of blood on her hands and tragedy in her heart.

They'd never caught any semblance of a break in any of their incarnations either.

Ganondorf's hold tightens when she slides hers against his palm. She tries to return the gesture despite feeling weak and faint. When he turns his head against her knee (despite the discomfort) to better meet her eyes, S'avahili finally feels her eyes start to burn and water.

Though his expression was neutral and anger-drowned eyes were beginning to fill with other emotions, S'avahili still felt the need to speak.

"Remember when I died of heartbreak during the Era of Prosperity?" Incidentally, her voice cracks when she speaks, but she can't bring herself to mind when it does. Her other hand lowers to hold itself against his face. "I'm having a very similar feeling to then."

Ganondorf's grip tightens before immediately becoming lax. His strength was greatly diminishing, the master sword draining him of everything he was as the light arrow kept him weak.

She'd use the Triforce of Power to heal him if it weren't for the look Zelda was giving them from over the line of Gerudo warriors.

Rubbing her finger against the back of his hand, S'avahili sniffles again. "I don't think that'll happen again this time." She meant to add that she was still a child, thirteen, but words fail her. "I just.. feel it."

Ganondorf uses the last of his strength to make his other arm cusp the back of her head, letting it fall like deadweight so her face came in contact with the junction between his chin and neck.

A guttural noise makes its way to the ear that was pressed between her head and his throat. S'avahili was able to hear his low groan of comfort as his life finally left him, the noise and vibration slowly fading off into nothing.

She refuses to move until Gasli moves behind her and spreads his wings in front of his body, waiting for her to move. Itha had followed her husband, kneeling beside S'avahili to place a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Your mothers are home preparing the ceremony," they say in a gentle tone. She places a hand on S'avahili's side when she doesn't twitch at their touch. "If we leave now, we'll arrive in the valley before they finish. Caliban had his soldiers bring a carriage large enough to fit the both of you comfortably."

Finally forcing herself off Ganondorf's corpse, S'avahili takes a deep breath as she stands. "Have them bring it here." Her voice was no longer on the verge of sobbing, but instead filled with rocks and gravel.

She takes a moment to wrap her hands around the hilt of the Master Sword and ignores the pain that shoots its way throughout her body. She refuses to place her foot on his body for leverage, instead gathering strength with their Triforce to yank it out in a single, swift, and clean yank.

S'avahili wipes the blade of his blood before dropping it onto Gasli's wings. "Take that to Link, please."

He doesn't say anything, instead doing as requested as he tucks the sword into the leather band that wrapped around his waist. Gerudo warriors switch places with him, S'avahili maneuvering herself to stand at his head.

Gasli was never good during these moments. Itha had always taken the role of the leader for the coming months after the death of Ganondorf.

There was always consistency when it came to the end of the journey; S'avahili's glad she at least had that in her life.

It always went as followed;

First, the death of Malice and, subsequently, her brother. She'd gone through it hundreds of times before and she'd go through it thousands more times due to Ouroboros they were stuck in.

Second, the dispersal of all Hylians in the near vicinity. Everyone said it was for their own safety given there were only two with a Triforce and even they could barely handle the exertion of raw malice Ganondorf's body released upon his death.

Third, all Gerudo, Twili, Sheikah, Goron, Zora, and Rito returned home to mourn their losses and bury their dead before gathering together in the Sand Temple to perform the ceremony for Ganondorf's death; which was currently underway.

When one of the warriors calls her name to break her from her thoughts, she lets out a blank hum of acknowledgment. To be truthful, she almost jumped when one reached out to touch her shoulder when the blank look doesn't leave her eyes.

("Little sister," she had called. Not "Chieftess," "Chief," or "S'ava.")

(S'avahili feels a painful throb in her heart.)

"The carriage," another says between wary breaths, "it's here."

"Lift him," S'avahili directs, already squatting as she slid her hands beneath his head. She bites her tongue to keep herself from adding on "carefully," knowing they'd be so attentive with his body regardless of if she said it.

Mindful they are when they join S'avahili in lifting him. Precise, calculated movements as they place him in a coach, the interior of it surrounded entirely by plush, pillowy walls.

They were quiet as they removed their hands from him and left the carriage. Quiet enough that she could hear Yusef whispering with Sahir about his plans to join him in Kakariko village after Ganondorf's ceremony.

S'avahili presses the jewel on her forehead to his.

Though the weight of the carriage is heavily favoring its weight to the back, it tries to balance itself out when another body joins Yusef in the front.

"Link," Sahir hums with faux pleasance. S'avahili presses her jem against Ganondorf's with more pressure. "What brings you over here? Is your princess not going to chew your head off?"

Though she can't see him, S'avahili can imagine what he was doing as he spoke in a harsh rasp.

A shake of his head as he looks at his princess from over his shoulder. "She'll be fine," he says before biting his lip and adding an airy, "hopefully. Where are you all heading?"

"The Valley." Yusef had answered Link's question this time around, his voice making it sound curt. His eyes were likely on Zelda, locked in a heated, silent battle of their own. "Then home; for all of us."

"You're going back to Hyrule?"

"Going back?" Sahir had an amused expression on his face. "Are you not returning?"

There's a baited silence from all three parties that are cut by the bells of the horses' rein being pulled.

"Yeah."

"Will you travel to another continent?" Yusef asks as the horses begin pulling the carriage along. His voice was less tense. He'd stopped his staring at Zelda, instead focusing his attention on the extra passenger. "It's been a while since I've heard anything of the Chosen Hero leaving Hyrule."

"Maybe," Link responds in a simple tone. "I don't know."

S'avahili doesn't remember the last time she didn't suck up all her feelings as she left the battlefield.

Either way, she's ashamed to admit she still cries when she's alone, so many times after doing these cycles. It was the one thing she wished her subconscious hadn't tacked onto her internal schedule lifetime and lifetime again.

All she could taste was salt despite a month having passed since Gannondorf's burial. She had thrown up several times, both from refusal to eat and a frigid chill overwhelming all the systems of her body.

S'avahili's throat was sore and she hadn't been able to have a coherent thought in two weeks because of the migraines that had haunted her for the past two weeks.

It'd been a week since Ganondorf's burial and yet she still yearns to hold his hand, warm herself with the fires that burn beneath his skin, and help him cool down after an entire day's worth of training with their mothers— she couldn't care less. Just so long as she was able to feel his comfort before they were reincarnated again.

The world was uncharacteristically dark despite Ganondorf being gone. Din always refused to raise the sun until she was finished mourning her son. It happened every incarnation.

From what S'avahili had heard from Yusef, anyone who traveled relied on doing so in groups of seven or more. Torches weren't adequate enough to light more than a few wings-lengths ahead and monsters were acting as though every night was a blood moon.

(She was too tired to calm the monsters down. She had lost his mask long ago, but she doubted Agnar had anything to do with it.)

S'avahili covers her head with her blankets when she hears a pair of boots from outside the door of her room. There were very few options for who it could be.

No one who had access to the capital of the Gerudo wore boots.

Link's knocks to the wall were weak, full of hesitance. He was a little confident with the first and second, a few seconds cutting between the third and eventual fourth.

Was he trying to annoy her into answering? Knocking some secret code they had made in another lifetime that his subconscious never forgot? Regretting his visit?

Did S'avahili care?

She wishes she didn't.

"Sand Bunny?" Link's voice was soft and reserved, unfitting of the fourteen-year-old farmhand. She's sure his voice would've cracked if he were any louder. Puberty was starting to hit him and, like always, it was essentially a golden Lynel charging straight at him.

S'avahili forces her head to lift from her pile of pillows, face freed from the silk fabric. "What," she croaks painfully, unsure of if it came out as a question or statement.

He doesn't need anything else to enter her room, using his back to push the curtain aside and slide inside. His eyes momentarily catch on the unfinished mural of her ceiling before he turns to reveal the tray of food in his hands.

"Your moms sent me up here." His drawl messes with the way he pronounces each word, making S'avahili squirm to turn on her back so she can better hear and understand him. Link briefly lifts the tray higher to bring her attention to the food plated on it, placing it on the foot of her bed once he was in close enough range. "They said you'd listen to a friend when they tell you to eat."

His voice returns to normal upon making her in the candle-lit room.

Still quiet, but more Link.

"When's the last time you ate?"

"I don't have to eat as often as a Hylian."

At some point, Link had a gentle smile on his face. It was quickly wiped off upon registering her reply. "'n' how often is that?"

".. .. .. Often enough.."

He was well enough acquainted with her tastes to know what order she wanted to eat each plate.

Link starts small with the less filling food, wiping his hand off on his shirt, having long abandoned the matching green tunic and cap. He picks the fruit up with his fingers, cupping a hand beneath it before pressing it to her lips. "Open."

"I'm not hungry."

"Stop bein' stubborn."

S'avahili turns on her side to face away from him and uses her hands to cover her face. "I didn't realize not having an appetite made me stubborn."

"S'avahili." Link puts the plate down and forces her to move onto her back again. He hops onto her bed for extra measure, sitting on her thighs to ensure she wouldn't turn again. "Koume says you haven't eaten in weeks and Kotake won't stop talking about how she has to keep the entire city from freezing over."

("S'avahili.")

(That certainly didn't make her feel any better.)

S'avahili removes her fingers from in front of her eyes, peeking out to look at him. "My mothers talked to you? The Heavens must be running rampant with malice."

"They love me," Link responds, picking the plate up to try again.

S'avahili lets out a guttural noise of displeasure. She lowers her hands but refuses to open her mouth or lips. "I'm not stupid," she groans, instead using her hands to push his away, "it'd do you better to visit Dread. I heard he came up with—"

"I didn't call you stupid," Link interrupts with a furrow in his brow. "'n' I wasn't called all the way down here just to leave because you said no. I always finish something if someone asks."

"This isn't some pre-destined fate given to you. You're just doing a friend a favor."

He rolls his eyes and instead feeds himself the food, shifting off of her to instead lay beside her. "You talk about fate a lot," he says, gaze focusing on the mural once more. Tracing each era with his eyes, he points at no one in particular. "It's very.. characteristic of you at this point."

"As a child, when our mothers are training my brother, I always beg him to tell me a story when he returns home for the night. It's always the story of," S'avahili briefly stops rasping to take hold of his wrist, directing it to an era where his hair was white, "the First War. It's just the origins of each race and what led to the Triforce being created, but I've always been fascinated by it— fate, I mean."

She pauses for a moment to rub at her eyes tiredly. "I guess I get it from him," she adds upon noticing Link staring at her rather than the mural.

"Can you tell it to me?— Our past lives too."

"You want me to tell you a bedtime story?"

"The sun hasn't risen in a month, every story is a bedtime story."

Clearing her throat and folds her arms over her stomach, S'avahili dabs at her eyes a final time. "Then get comfortable," she directs. "It's a long one."

[dotcie]

I am forever curious; would you mind answering 2, 6 and 11 for the ask game?

Hi Kez!! Lockerflockig, I love talking about myself 🤠

2. Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?

I definitely do a fair amount of planning before starting the writing process! I usually finish a ~3k chapter within 1 to 3 days, and having my thoughts sorted out definitely helps to shorten the time it takes to write. I prefer to hyperfocus on one specific project, and it’s just easier when I don’t have to stare at a blank document because I am not sure what’s gonna happen next. 

6. Do you have your work beta'd? How important is this to your process?

Yeah! If you don’t have any English speaking writer friends like me, Grammarly is a great option! Before I post something I also double-check grammar or specific wording and phrases with my boyfriend. English is his first language and it’s super helpful because I often write wacky word chains that do not make sense. :))) 

11. Link your three favorite fics right now

I don’t have any favorite cod fics to be honest, but here are some recs I could think of: In Stasis by yeyinde, Goodnight ghosts only i can see by themoonshoes, and Heavy Rotation by bugsigh.

that human, that demon by @kastlequill also sounds very promising! I wrote this down before you sent the ask! Chapter 2 when??? :'D

I also recommend this fic! The author uploads so fast I can't keep up & Simon is written very well! The story is great too! :)

[senseandaccountability]

I could ask alllll of them but 6, 10, 29 for those writer asks! (Also well done OP on those, they’re excellent questions)

6. Do you have your work beta'd? How important is this to your process?

No! Not as a general rule. I’ve always felt a little ashamed to admit this because it feels like one of those things, you know? Especially for someone with English as a second language. I’ve had betas for some stories, for Cartography and a few of my Lucifer fic, for example and it’s always been a delight, but I’m also a very impatient person. And I kind of don’t want fanfic writing to feel like a chore and anything I add to it in terms of revising/betaing can make me feel like that. 

10  Cltr+f "blinks" on your WIP & copy paste the first sentence/paragraph that comes up “You don’t have to be careful,” she tells him later, after the celebration as he pushes her up against a tree. "I can handle a little violence." The words slip out unbidden, out of habit and laced with wine; it makes him pause, his hands on her hips go still and he pulls back, looks at her.

Their connection suddenly grazes the outskirts of their memories: hers varied and mostly sordid, his frantic and full of anguish. For a heartbeat - wild and thundering - there’s a whole realm of shared experiences there, of lives lived and things that have been done to them, an incomplete map of everything they earned and never deserved.

Elnys blinks, pushes away the threads of thoughts that aren’t her own. 

"Ah, well, I’m certain you can," Astarion says, eventually, the smallest of shifts in his tone. Sharper, gentler. "But, darling, what do you want?"

29. What’s your revision or editing process like?

I write, typically very sloppy and quick in google drive when I walk to/from work (yes, drivers of all sorts of vehicles LOVE and ADORE me) and during breaks at work. So much writing gets done that way, for me. That text may or may not be half-decent and a lot of it is notes to myself or tell-don’t-show scenes.

I do the actual work with the prose and cut away roughly 60% of the text when I find sharper ways of phrasing things.

I leave the text alone for a day or so, typically. Then I read it out loud to edit flow errors and to get a better rhythm to the prose in general. Also good for catching weird dialogue. I’m not a very visual person, but I often hear the characters in my head when I read their lines out loud.

I check it for grammar errors one last time. Sometimes I use Grammarly.

[earthtodora]

hi doraaaaa

for the writers interview

6, 8, 16, and 42 pls <33

heyyy kfm!!! thankyou for the ask, ilysm!!! <3

6. Do you have your work beta'd? How important is this to your process?

well, i only have 2 beta'd fics right now, and you and sunny will always have a special place in my heart for that!!

i don't usually think it's super important, unless it's a big project, or something you're trying for the first time. my two halloween fics that you and sunny beta'd for me were both written in a style i was trying out, so having y'all's input was very helpful and helped me feel more confident about them!

when i'm editing and proofreading my fics, i usually turn grammarly on, which helps me catch typos, grammatical errors, etc.

but yeah, having a beta can definitely help, and can give you feedback or suggestions on how to improve!!

8. Do you prefer the beginning, middle, or end of a story?

depends on the situation and type of story, but usually the end!! the end is always when the plot reaches its peak, and everything comes together! plus, it's when the big confessions or big realizations happen, and it's all very dramatic and climactic.

and, as you know, i'm a sucker for a good first kiss scene, heh.

16. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Share one of them?

uhhh god. well, there are quite a couple, but among the unpublished ones, only one got to the "outline" phase (not an actual outline because i am a monster), which is a childhood friends to lovers au featuring the biggest chichés possible, aka yuuji and megumi are next door neighbours and best friends, megumi starts sleeping over when yuuji's grandpa is hospitalized, practice kissing comes up.... and it escalates. yeah, it's a big tropey mess.

i also really wanna do an enemies to lovers au where they're roommates, but writing itafushi as enemies is DAMN HARD bc their dynamic is built upon mutual respect and trust. but, uh, i'm not giving up yet.

also, one-shot ideas are constantly swirling around in my head, and the amount is insane, i'm not kidding.

42. What’s the last fic you read? Do you recommend it?

here's a screenshot of my ao3 history. i re-read this stupid fic every month because it's so damn hilarious i can't stand it. so, it's not a recent read, but a very much recommended one. though probably most naruto fans already know this.

[deadasursleepschedule]

Waltzing with the Prince of Death ♛

This is a short one-shot story inspired by this playlist currated by the wonderful yuecubed. It goes by the same name as the playlist because I'm really shitty at naming things, which is why the Empire in this story has no name and the titular Prince of Death's given name is so basic.

"And now, to commemorate Emperor Jullian the Third's coronation," the chamberlain bellowed, "He shall have his first dance as Emperor with the Imperial Consort; his Imperial Majesty's first and only spouse!"

The Prince of Death's eyes gleam at you from underneath dark lashes as the music begins to well up from the orchestra. He extends a gloved hand to you as an invitation as he bows.

"May I have this dance?" He whispers, his voice deep and melodic in a way that makes you shiver. You slip your hand, gloved in white silk, into his. "And every dance after," you smile as you curtsy. A soft smile plays at his lips as the both of you rise.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♔ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Crown Prince Jullian the Third, more famously known as the Prince of Death, is a handsome yet dangerous man. His skin is almost sickly pale, nearly translucent in a way that the finest of bone china could never hope to achieve. He towers above most people his age, with perfect posture and dignity. His eyes are dark as the inky vastness of night, and his hair is black like volcanic ash. He dresses in nothing but funeral attire trimmed with gold and always wears black silken gloves, no matter the occasion.

A striking figure, indeed; the kind of man that would be the pride of the Empire if he did not kill all that he touched. Yes, Prince Jullian is handsome, and he is indeed dangerous, but he also seems incredibly lonely.

He has had this terrible power since he was not but three years old. He has not touched a single living soul since, except when old and injured animals came to him, begging for the release that came with the touch of The Prince of Death. Often, no greater blessing can be given to these poor creatures other than the assurance that they are as comfortable as possible when they pass. The Prince of Death is a kind man, as well as a sad one.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♔ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The Prince of Death leads you towards the center of the dancefloor. The exquisite gold and silver decor of the palace glint and shine underneath the light of the grand chandeliers as the champagne flutes of the captivated attendees sparkle and glitter around you. The two of you are quite a pair, The Prince of Death and the Flower of the Countryside. You are rosy-cheeked where he is deathly pale; you are lively where he is calm. He is silent where you are talkative; He is clothed in black where you are draped in colours. You and he are opposites in every way. On the surface, at the very least.

The dance you two start is almost like an argument, but perhaps closer to playful banter. You begin simply enough, a basic waltz that's easy to keep up with. And then, like in every conversation you and The Prince of Death have, you take the lead.

You speed up, quickening your steps and performing complicated footwork. Emperor Jullian, of course, matches you step for step almost effortlessly. You go on like this, rapidly changing paces and patterns as you try and make Emperor Jullian misstep. It doesn't work, of course; he's an excellent conversationalist when he wants to be, and an even better dancer. You make a move to the left, a playful jab to spice up the dialogue. He spins you, a counterargument that makes you grin.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♔ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

It is not by chance that you are privy to all this information; it is not by chance at all. You are but the middle child of a lowly viscount, a spare that is almost certainly never going to inherit the title. The highest use your family has for you is being married off to a prosperous man, and The Prince of Death is very prosperous indeed.

It had angered you greatly at first; you knew why it was you that they betrothed to the prince. As a middle child of a relatively unimportant viscount, it wouldn't be much of a loss if you were to perish on your wedding night. Your family and the royals saw it as a good deal; your betrothal elevated you and your family's status without much consequence if you were to die suddenly. You, however, see it for what it was: leaving an innocent, unimportant noble to die like leading a lamb to the slaughterhouse.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♔ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Your gown twirls as you do, sparkling and iridescent. The guests gasp as you and The Prince of Death come together once again, this time chest-to-chest, skin almost touching. It's a close call, too close for most people's comfort.

The two of you have only been married for three days and have yet to consummate the marriage; you have never even kissed. That much must be obvious to onlookers, seeing as you're still alive. Emperor Jullian's father died two days after your marriage; Jullian had been crowned as quickly as possible. You smile at him, the only warning that you're about to try and trip him up. He smiles back, warm but tense.

You raise your hands to his shoulders as the music begins to swell; he lowers his hands to your waist instinctively. His eyes widen as he realizes what you're about to do, and you grin mischievously.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♔ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

When you had first met The Prince of Death, you had thought he was angry too. He kept his distance and did not converse with you unless you initiated. Even then he only ever gave one-worded answers. Perhaps he was offended that his spouse-to-be was unfit for a Prince, too ugly or without adequate manners or wealth or standing. Or, mayhap he was upset at the implications that he needed an unimportant spouse because he might just accidentally kill them.

Of course, this had not been the case; Prince Jullian was not angry at all. He kept his distance out of fear of harming you and kept his silence out of fear of being broken-hearted if he got too attached and lost you. His efforts were for nothing, for when two people spend as much time together as the two of you did, feelings would be inevitable.

Even as you drew him out of his shell, his quiet demeanour never left. Quiet and calm is just who he is, but more of his personality began to shine through. His love of animals became clear and so did his love of his people. His love of reading and dancing broke through to the surface and eventually, so did his love for you. The Prince of Death is surprisingly gentle and has a lot of love to give.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ♔ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The Prince of Death lifted you into the air as he turned along with the music's crescendo. For one moment, it felt as if it was only the two of you in the entire world as you are weightless in your husband's arms. Then, all at once, your feet touch the ground again. The floor is solid beneath your feet as Emperor Jullian twirls you one, two, three times before dipping you as the music comes to a close. It seems that you have come to an agreement. Unfortunately, you always have to get the last word in.

You bring up your gloved hand to cup the back of his head and pull him downwards. You press your lips to his as you look into his eyes before letting yours flutter closed. Everything is silent, the guests have stopped talking and the orchestra has stopped playing. Jullian stills for a moment before panicking as he tries to move backwards. You hold him in place. Your skin is touching and you should still be dead, but still your heart beats and still your lungs fill with air.

The Prince of Death pulls you up out of your dip and you pull apart, still holding hands. The audience that had fallen silent in fear and sorrow suddenly burst into uproarious cheers.

You too, it seems, have a lot of love to give

[mycomfortblanket]

Without Interruptions

Toph and Katara are on the dance floor, their hips swaying to the music. Toph can feel the bass pump through her as she lifts her hands over her head when she feels large hands settle on her waist and a body press against her back. 

"Can I join you?" a man yells in her ear. Toph doesn't answer, just continues to sway her hips to the beat. The man's hands start to roam her body and she can't help but close her eyes and lean her head back against his shoulder. 

She feels someone close in on her front, and for a brief moment, she panics, thinking she's about to be abducted. "The guys are watching, you know," Katara's voice shouts over the music. 

Toph feels Katara lean back and out of her space, but her hand continues to grip onto Toph's. A smile comes to her lips and she shrugs at her friend. So what if the guys are watching her? They should be proud of her for pulling some random without even having to speak a word to him. 

They dance to a few more songs, her hand never letting go of Katara's even while the guy continues to feel her up. Eventually, Katara leans in close again, "Go to the bar with me. Now," and there's an insistent tug at her hand. 

The smile drops from Toph's face as she's pulled after Katara. She can just barely hear the guy behind her say what the fuck, but the alcohol that is coursing through her system isn't allowing her to care very much right now. 

They finally make it to the bar and Katara sets her hand on an empty stool, letting her know where she can sit. Pulling the stool out, she hops up onto it. "So, what the fuck was that for?" Toph asks, her voice has just a slight slur to it but she feels completely sober... which probably isn't a good thing. 

"That guy had his hands on you in a way that..." Katara trails off. Toph thinks that she is just going to drop the subject when she hears Katara rattle off a drink order to someone. The bartender must have come up to take their order. 

"Anyways. I could tell Aang was getting upset about it. You know, you should really watch how you flirt with other guys when he is around. Doesn't exactly go over his head or make him feel good."

Toph's brow furrows, "What do you mean?" Katara lifts Toph's hand and guides it forward and rests it against a cold glass. Lifting the drink to her lips, she takes a sip and is pleasantly surprised to find a sweet-tasting drink.

"I'm giving you a look right now. A 'You're fucking kidding' look."

"Why are you giving me a look? I didn't do anything! I can dance with whoever I want. What does Aang care? He should go out there and dance, too." She sips at her drink some more, an intrusive thought telling her to chug it all, but she knows better than that. She has no idea what kind of drink this is or what kind of alcohol is in it. 

"Wow, you really don't see it, do you?" Katara says seriously. 

"I don't see a lot of things," Toph says pointedly. She is about to ask Katara to elaborate a little when she feels a hand touch the small of her back. The person leans down a little and says in her ear, "Hey."

Smiling, Toph turns to face Aang. "Hey, Katara says you're upset about something. Care to clue me in?" Toph feels Aang move a little and a muffled yell and protest comes from Katara. 

"I'm not upset," Aang says in her ear again. Usually, she would let it go, but there's something off in his voice that makes her hesitate. Before she can call him out on it, he moves away from her personal space so she can't ask him if she wants him to hear her. 

"No, wait," she reaches out and grabs his arm. Her fingers touch the soft fabric of his shirt and instantly grips the material and pulls him back to her. She feels him stumble slightly as his foot hits her stool and his arms shoot out and kind of encircle her as they brace against the bar on either side of her. She can feel how close he is to her, she knows that if she were to turn her face, they'd practically be sharing the same breath. "Talk to me," she says at a normal level and she knows Aang can hear her. 

For a moment, all she can feel is Aang's breath on her face and then a hand is grabbing hers and pulling her off her chair and away from the others. She lets him lead because A) she has no idea where he is wanting to go, B) there are way too many people here for her to navigate this place on her own, and C) she kind of likes the way his hand feels in hers. 

Eventually, they clear the crowd and she hears a door being pushed open and she's pulled into a room. The door shuts behind her and the sound of the club is immediately muffled to a dull roar. "Are we in the bathroom?"

"You asked why I was upset," is all he says to her. Toph cocks her head a little bit at his tone. It sounds just a little bit sad with a hint of anger. 

"Yeah. I mean, I had just talked to you before Katara and I had gone out to the dance floor and you were fine then."

He lets go of her hand and she hears him walk away for a second, he huffs out a breath and laughs a little, "Aang, what is it? Talk to me," she steps forward, her hand reaching out to feel for him, but he is just out of reach. 

"I saw the way you were dancing with-" he cuts himself off, "With him," he finally spits out.

She begins to nod but stops herself. Why would he be upset about her dancing with someone? he's never been upset about that before, in fact, he used to make fun of her for it. 

"I don't see what that has to do-" his hands come to her shoulders and she is roughly shoved against the wall. 

She is just about to open her mouth to yell what the fuck, but she feels lips against her own. Soft lips. Lips that feel as if they are made just for her and for no one else. Her eyes are open wide and the shock is rolling off of her in waves. 

Toph can feel Aang beginning to pull back from her, but she lifts her hands to his shoulders and pulls him tighter against her, and starts to kiss him back. She can feel the smile that pulls at his lips as his hands travel down to her hips to slip under her shirt, and runs his hands back up against her bare skin. 

"You have no idea how badly I wanted to be the one out there with you. Having you grind against me," he growls out. He moves his lips down to her jaw and nips at the skin there as he makes a trial to her ear. "Seeing his hands on you," he sucks a bruise into her skin, just under her ear and she's having a hard time keeping track of this conversation, "I'm the only one who should be touching you like that."

He bends and grabs the back of her thighs, picking her up easily. He presses her against him and the wall and she wraps her legs around his waist. Placing her hand on the back of his head, she brings their lips back together, trying to kiss him, but one of his hands leaves her and travels up to her hair. He grips the strands and pulls her head back, exposing her neck. Aang attaches his mouth to her skin and sucks another mark into the hollow of her throat. 

Toph is practically panting and a desperate whine leaves her lips when he runs his tongue over the mark he had just made and then nips at the skin. 

He moves then, walking somewhere in the room, and places her down onto a counter. She can feel water on her thighs and seeping through her shorts, but she honestly can't bring herself to care when Aang presses himself harder against her, his mouth back on hers. 

Toph wraps her arms around his neck and keeps him close to her, making sure his mouth isn't leaving hers anytime soon. His hands are gripping at the top of her hips and eventually slip up to dig into her hips. 

He pulls her tighter against him and she can feel how hard he is against her inner thigh, and an uncharacteristic moan spills from her lips. Aang chuckles and rocks his hips into hers, trying to pull that sound from her again. 

The sound of the door opening is what actually pulls them apart. Toph's head swivels towards the sound, but Aang just uses the opportunity to attach his mouth to the underside of her jaw. 

"Uh... I'll just... hold it," a man's voice says and she hears the door swing shut again. 

"Jesus, Aang. Can we go somewhere else? Like, literally anywhere else where someone won't walk in on us?"

~~~

The kitchen counter at Aang's apartment is where she's shoved next. They had left the bar and hailed a cab, barely remembering to text their friends saying they were headed home for the night. The whole ride home, Aang's hand never left the upper part of Toph's thigh, and his promises were being whispered into her ear. By the time they climbed out of the taxi, Toph could practically feel herself dripping. 

Aang had grabbed her hand in his and together, they all but ran up the stairs to his apartment complex, stopping every so often to kiss each other and giggle at how drunk the other was when they fell against the stairwell wall. 

Toph is sure the plan was to make it to his bedroom, but they didn't get further than the kitchen, and the cool granite under her burning skin feels good. The whole ride here was a new type of foreplay that she isn't used to so she's almost begging by the time his fingers start fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

She pulls away from his lips and takes the hem from his hands and rips the material over her head. She grabs his hand and immediately places it on her breast which she arches up into. She's desperate and doesn't know how to communicate that to him because her words are currently failing her. 

Somehow, bless him, somehow he knows just what he needs and he pulls the cup of her bra down and latches his lips onto her nipple. "Oh, fuck," a broken moan tumbles from her lips, and her hand comes up to grip the back of his neck, making sure he doesn't move. 

Aang swirls his tongue around her nipple as he reaches behind her to unclasp her bra. The straps slip down her shoulders and Toph tries with shaking hands to remove it from herself. 

"Goddammit, Aang. I can't, I can't-" she arches further into his mouth. His hands grip her waist, holding her against him as he works his mouth against her before he moves to her other. Reaching up with one of his hands, he gently massages the breast he just moved from. He pinches the bud between his index finger and thumb, rolling it gently. 

Toph feels like her body is on fire, she needs to be touched, touched more than what he is currently doing, and she needs it now. Her hands go to the waistband of her shorts and she fumbles with the button, trying to get another message across to him without using her words. 

Again, being the fucking saint that he is, Aang releases her breast with a pop and pulls back to look at her. She is sure she looks wrecked; sitting on his kitchen counter topless, panting, and quivering with need, there's no telling how wrecked she looks. 

"Fuck, Toph," his hand comes to cup her cheek, his wrist resting against her collarbone, "If only you could see yourself right now," he presses back up against her, leaning his forehead against hers. "You have no idea how beautiful-"

She cuts off whatever it is he is about to say by lifting her chin and pressing her lips against his. The kiss starts off slow, but when his tongue slips into her mouth and brushes against hers. But, when his hips roll against hers, it's like the temperature of the air goes up by ten degrees. 

Aang's hands go down to the button on her shorts and pop it open and slowly slide down the zipper. Toph could practically cry with the relief of finally feeling them come off. He hooks his fingers in the waistband of both her shorts and panties and pulls them off all in one go. 

She lifts her hips, trying to help as much as she can, but she's so fucking desperate. She's sure that she's creating more problems than she's helping because their heads bump together in a painful crash that leaves both of them rubbing their foreheads and giggling. Grabbing a hand to his cheek, she pulls him in again for a kiss. She continues to attempt to kick her shorts off the rest of the way but she feels them get caught on her heel, but she can't exactly bring herself to care. Especially when she feels his fingers beginning to creep along her hip and gently brush against her center. 

She lets out a whimper at the same time Aang lets out a groan, "Fuck, T., you're so wet. How are you already this wet?" He pulls away from her, and Top is about to open her mouth to protest when she feels his hand cupping her ankle, pulling at her shorts where they got caught on her heels.

Taking in a deep shaky breath, Toph presses her head back against the cabinet and lets her eyes flutter closed at the feeling of his hands skimming up her legs and pushing her knees apart. She hears him take in a breath and can feel his exhale on the inside of her thighs. 

A broken moan tears through her throat when he drags a finger through her folds gathering her juices onto his finger. He spreads her legs further apart and she just barely feels his tongue on her when the front door crashes open. 

Toph whips her head towards the sound, her eyes wide. Did they fucking forget to lock it? To deadbolt it?

"Oh my god! Oh my fucking god! My eyes, oh my god!" She hears Sokka scream.

"Hey, guys," comes Zuko's nonchalant voice. 

She feels Aang rip himself away from her and tries to stand in front of her as much as he can when she is up on the counter. 

"Your bedroom is literally 6 feet away from where you're standing! How the fuck-" Toph hears a smack and some cussing from Sokka.

"Sorry, guys. We'll leave you to it," Zuko says good-naturedly. 

"Better fucking sanitize the counter-" she hears another slap, "Ow! Zuko what the fuck?!" their voices disappearing down the hall, and then the tale-tell sound of a door shutting.

~~~

Aang drops her down onto his bed and moves away from her to close the door to his bedroom. "Fucking lock it. I don't think I can handle another interruption." Laughing, he twists the lock and even tries the door to make sure it's locked fully. 

He moves back towards the bed and she feels it dip when he places a knee onto it as he starts to crawl over her. Laying her head back onto the pillows, she feels Aang wrap his arms around her thighs as he settles himself between them after taking off her heels. 

Toph sucks in a shaky breath as she waits to feel his mouth on her. It feels like forever has passed before his tongue barely presses against her in a kitten lick. Arching up off the bed, she reaches down and threads her fingers through his hair, pulling at it, trying to actually get him closer, to use some kind of pressure. 

She feels more than hears him laugh, but the next pass with his tongue is firmer and actually spreads her lips and grazes her clit. He does this again before moving his hand to gently hold her folds apart so he can have easy access to her clit. Wrapping his lips around the little bud, he sucks gently causing Toph to cry out. 

"Fuck, Aang. Fuck, please, I need-"

"What?" he pulls away just barely. When he speaks, his lips still brush against her. "What do you need?"

"I don't know, I just- Please," she begs. Toph has never been the type to beg, has never needed to since she was always the dominant one in the bedroom, but Aang has her wound so tight, she can't form a complete thought on what she needs. The teasing that has been going on since they left the club however long ago has put her so close to the edge. She knows it's not going to take much to push her over the edge. 

Releasing one of her thighs, he rubs his fingers through her folds, gathering her wetness so it's a slick slide when he presses into her slowly. 

Toph's hips shift downwards towards him, and she moans, "God, yes. Yes, just like that." She reaches down and grabs a hold of his wrist, pushing his fingers in further. He kisses her wrist and she releases him, allowing him to take over again. 

Aang leans in and licks from her entrance up to her clit, feeling the way she shakes as he begins to pump his fingers. 

Her legs try to close around his head as his fingers begin to pick up speed, but he shoulders them open so that he has full access to her. The slick wet sound of his fingers sliding in and out of her mixed with the wet smack of his tongue and lips working her clit sounds throughout the room. 

Toph is rocking her hips against his face and chanting his name, urging him to go faster. "Please, Aang. I'm so fucking close. I'm so close."

Adding another finger, he shifts on his arm so that he is able to pump into her faster. HE curls his fingers at every thrust, brushing against that spot inside of her that has her clamping down on his fingers. His tongue continues to make quick work at her clit when he feels Toph's whole body clench. He looks up at her and sees her back arched off the bed, her head pressing down into the pillow, and her mouth open in a silent cry. 

He continues to move his fingers in and out of her, coaxing her through her orgasm. Slowly, she comes down and he gives her a few kitten licks to clean her up a little before pulling his fingers out of her and crawling up the bed. 

She's panting hard, but immediately reaches up and grabs his face, pulling him down for a kiss. Swiping his tongue into her mouth, Aang lets her taste herself and he feels her nails dig into his cheeks a little. The smirk that he presses into her mouth is definitely not something he can help. 

Toph releases his cheeks and starts pulling at his shirt with one hand and then with the other, trying to undo his belt and jeans. "Chill, Toph. We've got all night," he says against her lips. 

"Yeah, but I've been waiting for this since we were in the bathroom at the club," she growls. "Fuck. Me. Now," her voice is hard and even makes Aang pause for a moment before he is quickly undoing his belt and jeans, shimmying awkwardly out of them. When he leans back over her, Toph pulls at his shirt and manages to get it caught on his head. Both of them laugh as they continue to pull at it. 

"Jesus, are you desperate or something?" he laughs. 

Once he is free of his shirt, she takes his face back in her hands and brings his forehead down to rest against hers, "Yes, very much so," she breathes. Toph smiles a little shyly but when she lifts her chin searching for his lips, he immediately grants them to her. 

She lifts her hips, trying to get the message across that she wants him inside of her. Her wetness just barely grazes him and his hips jerk automatically, his hard length brushing against her inner thigh, smearing precum on her leg. 

"Fuck, okay. Let me get a condom," he murmurs against her lips and is just about to pull away from her when her knees tighten around his hips, not letting him move. 

"No, I want to feel you. I want to actually feel you."

"But-"

"I have an IUD." Aang searches her face for a moment but those three little contraceptive letters have enough power over him that he is pushing her back into the pillows. 

"Okay. Okay," he takes himself in hand, pumping himself a few times before leaning forward. He rubs the tip of his dick through her slick folds, brushing against her clit and making her hips jump at the contact. Toph groans out his name and wraps one of her legs around his waist, pulling him more towards her. 

He laughs a little and lifts his face to kiss her forehead. His dick prods at her entrance before gently pushing in, and he instantly drops his head so their foreheads are resting against each other. Pushing forward, he lets her hot wet heat surround him and he hearts the most beautiful moan slip through her lips. 

Toph brings her hands up to his hair and threads her fingers through it, pulling him back down for a kiss when he bottoms out. They stay like this for a moment, connected together in the most sensual way. 

Eventually, the little shifts and movements that both of them do create enough of a tease that Aang has to move or he is going to explode. He pulls his hips back until the head is just barely inside of her, and he snaps his hips forward. 

The gasp that leaves Toph makes him jerk his gaze up to her face. Her eyes are closed with her eyebrows raised and her mouth is almost a perfect O shape. 

He does this motion again, snapping his hips forward and she presses her head back into the pillow as a jagged moan sounds from the bottom of her throat. God, she is so beautiful. He leans down and presses his face into her neck, peppering kisses there as he continues to thrust into her. 

Toph starts rocking her hips up to meet him, trying to take him deeper each time their hips come into contact. A thought occurs to him then and he stops, pulling out of her just slightly so he can grab a pillow. When she feels the cool air hit her body where he once was, she opens her mouth to protest but stops when she feels him lift her hips and shove a pillow underneath her. Without hesitation or waiting for her to tell him to do something, he sinks back into her, much deeper than before. 

Toph's hands immediately clutch at his back, her nails digging into the skin so hard, Aang is sure the skin is breaking. He sets a brutal pace, and when he shifts his hips just slightly, Toph practically screams. 

"Fuck, right there, Aang. Right there, do that again," she pleads. 

Aang smirks and aims for that spot with each thrust. Toph buries her face in his shoulder, trying to smother the noises that leave her, but even so, she is really loud. He can feel his release starting to build but before he can say anything to Toph, to warn her, she clenches around him so tight. 

She bites down on his shoulder as her orgasm tears through her. Aang continues to push into her at a brutal pace, helping her through it. The fluttering of her walls around him triggers his own release and just as she is coming down, his climax comes. He fully thrusts into her three more times, milking it for all its worth before he slowly and gradually comes to a stop. 

Both of them are breathing hard, Toph with her face buried in his shoulder and Aang trying to hold himself up over her so he doesn't squish her. Gently, he pulls out of her and he can feel her flinch and her legs automatically close when he is out of the way. 

Dropping down onto his side, his breaths still coming heavy, he looks at Toph and sees that her eyes are still closed and her eyebrows drawn together. He stays like this, watching her for a while. Eventually, she opens her eyes and turns to face him, a smile on her face. 

"How long have you been wanting to do that?" she asks. 

Aang can't help but laugh at the pure delight on her face and he leans over and kisses her. He can feel her smile against him as he gently cups her face and brings her closer to him. 

When they finally break apart, she tucks her head into the crook of his neck and slings a leg over his hips. "Hope you don't mind that I'm staying the night," she whispers. 

"No, I don't mind at all."

~~~

Toph wakes up to warmth at her back and an insistent hardness poking at her ass. She immediately smiles as she remembers that Aang is behind her and that it's his morning wood rising to meet her. She wiggles her hips a little and unconsciously, Aang bucks into her. 

Giggling a little, she turns around in his arms and nuzzles her face into his chest. Hearing a hum rumble in his chest, she looks up at him. "Good morning," he says,  his voice deep with sleep and makes a fire burn in between her legs. 

Dropping her face back to his chest, she bites back a smile and says, "Good morn-" she is cut off by a shriek that is heard from outside his room. 

The pair of them pull back from each other and look towards the door as if it will give them some kind of answer. A moment later, a banging is heard on said door followed by, "Aang, I swear to fuck, if you don't get out here and disinfect this fucking counter!"

[sweetkingdomstarlight-blog]

sunlight

Pairings - Sam Wilson x Reader, Bucky Barnes x Reader, Sam Wilson x Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson x Reader x Bucky Barnes (implied)

Words - 1381

Warnings - Sam Wilson being his charming self, slight jealousy, oral sex (m+f receiving), edging, anal sex, voyeurism, cum play

a/n - no one tells you that naming your fics is the hardest bloody part! This is for @cockslut-padalecki challenge Do you feel lucky punk? - My darling @buckyownsmylife gave me the idea for this and @dreamlessinparis made it filthier as always 🤣. This was beta'd by Grammarly so if there are mistakes blame them.

You were getting ready for your date, applying your mascara while you spoke to your friend on the phone, “You can’t date them both, they know each other. You’ll get caught out and it’ll be messy.” 

You rolled your eyes, checking your outfit in the mirror one last time, “Look, you don’t turn down a date with Sam Wilson. It’s against the laws of nature, and if you think a man as fine as Bucky Barnes isn’t dating several people at once then you’re more naive than I thought.” You heard a knock at your door and quickly said goodbye, making her promise to call you in an hour just in case things weren’t going well.

You watched Sam through the peephole as he waited patiently for you to answer, you didn’t want to seem too eager and counted to 20 in your head, making him wait. “I know you’re watching me, sweetheart, c’mon open up and let me in.” You cursed yourself and opened the door, smiling at him and inviting him inside. 

He handed you over one of the most delicious looking cupcakes you had ever seen, “Flowers are old school, who doesn’t want a cupcake?” You couldn’t argue with him and took it with you into the bedroom, asking him to wait a moment while you finished getting ready. 

Closing the bedroom door and leaning against it you could only smile, he was smooth and you liked it, a lot. You checked yourself in the mirror, spritzing on some perfume and deciding you were good to go. The cupcake was calling your name, you opened the box and took a little nibble, moaning to yourself as the flavours coat your tongue. Not wanting to make him wait for you any longer you grabbed your bag, finding him leaning against the back of the sofa with his hands in his pockets.

Before you could leave he stopped you, bringing his hand up to your face and cupping your cheek. You weren’t sure what he was doing until he used his thumb to wipe away the frosting leftover on your bottom lip. He held eye contact with you as he sucked his thumb clean and hummed, “Delicious.” He didn’t give you a moment to take in what happened before he was walking you down to his car and driving you to your date.

You didn’t realise he would be taking you to this coffee shop, it was the same one Bucky had brought you to just a few days ago and you hoped no one would recognise you. You told Sam you would find a table while he ordered drinks and breathed a sigh of relief that there was a free corner table so you could keep your back to the shop.

You watched Sam over your shoulder as he effortlessly charmed everyone around him, almost missing the call lighting up your phone. “Hey Doll, come meet me I wanna see you.” You kept one eye on Sam as you talked to Bucky, telling him you were on a date but you’d call him later. You didn’t miss the jealous tone in his voice as he asked you who you were out with but you cut him off, hanging up as Sam walked over to your table. 

Two coffees and an Earl Grey later, you excused yourself to use the bathroom. Taking a moment to stare at yourself in the mirror as you washed your hands you wondered how you got lucky enough to be dating both of these men. You went to check your phone to send a quick text to Bucky when you realised you must have left it on the table. He had a habit of texting you filthy things he had read on the internet and you weren’t smart enough to save his number as anything other than Bucky so you hoped you could get to your phone before Sam saw something you’d rather keep secret.

Peering out of the bathroom everything seemed normal so you casually walked back to the table before you could sit down however Sam stood and said he needed to get back. Your stomach dropped thinking he had seen something he wasn’t supposed to but your phone was clear and he didn’t seem upset so you let him take you home, singing along to the radio with him on the short journey.

You got back to your place and were about to say goodbye when he pushed you up against your front door, wrapping one hand around the back of your head and kissing you. He pulled back breathlessly and looked down at you smiling, “Can you come in?” You asked him, holding onto his jacket so he couldn’t get away. 

He shook his head, ���I’ve got something important to do but I promise I’ll be seeing you sooner than you think.” His choice of words seemed a little unusual but you waved him off and let yourself in, kicking off your shoes and throwing your handbag on the sofa. Walking into your bedroom you jumped when you found Bucky sitting on the edge of your bed smiling at you and stretching out a hand to pull you closer.

“What the fuck are you doing in my bedroom?” He just smiled and shook his head.

“I can get into anyone’s place if I really wanted to, plus you leave your key on top of the doorframe so it’s not very difficult.” You slapped his chest and climbed into his lap, wrapping your legs around him and kissing him.

It didn’t take long for you to end up on your back, Bucky’s head under your dress. His tongue explored you with expert precision but he was being a tease tonight. He brought you to the edge three times, making you chant his name and almost rip the bedding beneath you as you gripped it tightly. 

He was having too much fun edging you and not letting you cum, you were unashamedly needy, begging him for more but he kept shaking his head and refusing. Instead, he put your panties back in place and pulled your dress back down just in time for Sam to walk in. You looked at the pair of them in horror, they were both so smug and you realised maybe you weren’t as secretive as you thought. “He’s so good with his mouth isn’t he sweetheart. Come on Bucky show her what a good boy you can be.”

You watched with your mouth wide open as Bucky unzipped him, taking him in his mouth and choking on his length. Sam gripped his hair and slowly thrust in and out, “Take it all for Daddy, get it nice and wet.” You couldn’t look away, your eyes were glued to them both, this was something that happened often between them and watching them wasn’t helping how desperate you were feeling right now.

You let out a needy whine, squeezing your thighs together. They stopped what they were doing and turned to look at you, “Look at her, let’s give her what she wants huh?”

You move back up the bed, giving them space and watch as Bucky strips and climbs over the top of you. He rummages around in your drawer and passes Sam some lube, you look at him confused, you did not need lube right now but the confusion passes when you see the absolute look of pleasure on Bucky’s face followed by the sounds of skin slapping against skin. 

You move your hand down, bunching up your dress. But before you can make any sort of contact Bucky grabs your hands and holds them above your head in one hand. It would be so hot if you weren’t absolutely desperate right now. “Bad girls don’t get to cum Doll.” 

You whisper out a plea but it goes unheard because of the sounds they’re both making. Sam uses Bucky and Bucky chants Sam’s name over and over. Bucky cums, staining your dress and running his fingers through it, bringing it to your lips and calling you a good girl when you suck them clean. He rolls off you and lays down, watching as Sam finishes in the same spot. “I think we need to have a little chat.”                              

[lettersbydahlia]

love me to death ♡ yuuji itadori

You've been King Suguru's knight since you could walk, trained to protect him until the day you die. After many lost battles leave you heavily injured, you find yourself under the care of your sworn enemy, Gojo Satoru’s knight. While the morals and values you’ve built your life around begin to crumble, you try (not) to fall in love with Yuuji Itadori.

♡ knight fem! reader x knight! yuuji itadori, ft. gojo & geto

♡ fic is part of @bbysamu‘s collab, “all is fair in love & war”

♡ wc: 8.5k (8507 words)

♡ cw: LOTS of graphic violence, warfare, cursing, small sexual themes, ptsd, body horror, insects, nightmares, (it's medieval warfare, very bloody and graphic!)

♡ a/n: so...this fic is a BIG hot piece of garbage that i had to spedrun bc i'm irresponsible and didn't finish it with time to spare. not beta'd, not proofread, just ran it thru grammarly and hoped for the best!

so have 8.5k words of hot trash and i'll prob disappear against for a few months. if u guys happen to like it pls rb + comment :)

♡ do not repost/plagiarize/use my content.

The name Yuuji Itadori has never failed to make you scowl. Anyone from the Satoru Kingdom is your enemy- especially when they’re Gojo Satoru’s knight. Another war has started between your kingdom- King Geto’s, and the Gojo kingdom. As his knight, he’s appointed you the general commander to lead the kingdom’s troops into battle.

Though inexperienced as a general commander, you’re more than certain that you’ll be able to lead Suguru’s troops into battle and claim victory. But even with your self–assurance, a knot forms at the bottom of your stomach, and a nagging voice on your shoulder warns you of the bloodshed that will spill. You hope that it’ll only be the blood of your enemies, and preferably of Yuuji Itadori and King Gojo.

Even so, there is no place for misplaced hopes and fear in war. So you exhale and let all your worries dissipate in the air before opening the doors to the royal council room. The council is quick to rise from their seats and bow before you, which has a smile tugging at the edge of your lips. All except King Suguru, who sits at the head of the circular table. You walk towards him and kneel, bowing your head before your king.

“You called for me, your majesty?” You don’t raise your head until Suguru hums in agreement, and then you take your seat at his side.

“Indeed. I’ve gathered the council here for you so we can begin planning for war. The first region to strike is the Gojo’s eastern frontier. It’s where he sends all the criminals and traitors. Once we’ve created an opening there, the kingdom will fall.” 

You nod, slowly processing the information. “Excellent. What’s the status of our supplies and troops.” Suguru smiles, and you almost shiver at the look in his eyes. Though you’ve known your King for years and have grown to call him a friend when off duty, you’ve always feared him to a certain point.

“Better than ever before. We’ve recruited thousands of young men and women who are ready to die for their country.” The way he says it doesn’t settle right with you, but you try to ignore the feeling. “We’ve also established an alliance with some smaller kingdoms near the Gojo kingdom. They’re little rats hungry for a crumb of power,” this erupts a symphony of chuckles in the room, and you force a smile. 

“Once we win the war, we can throw their pitiful alliances away,” one of the higher-up councilwoman says, inspecting her nails. Everyone seems to nod in agreement, and your nod is a bit delayed, but Suguru doesn’t seem to notice.

You know your kingdom has never prided itself on its moral righteousness or fair treatment of others, but your morals have never completely aligned with the kingdom. Being Suguru’s knight has given you a content life and there are some unpleasant things about it you’ve come to accept though they’ve never settled right with you. In a sense, you think that makes you a selfish coward. But you’d rather be a selfish coward with food, wealth, and status than a poor out-righteous fool who would get herself killed in an instant. 

A beige roll of paper is handed to you, and you’re quick to unfurl it. It’s a roughly sketched map of the Satoru kingdom, and your eyes skim over it.

“What’s the fastest you can equip the troops for battle?” Suguru’s silky voice filters your ears, and you roll up the map.

“A fully trained army? Before sunrise. But if we’ve received an influx of recruits, then at least a month.” 

Suguru doesn’t seem pleased but he nods. He intertwines his hands and leans back on his throne. 

“Very well then. I’ll give you all the resources you ask me for. I expect to see my troops marching into the war after one month.” 

You bite the inside of your cheek but nod. Suguru rises from his seat, and you take that as your cue to stand from your seat and take your stand slightly behind him, hand on your sword’s sheath.

“Any other details must be sent to General Commander L/N. She has been given this honor for she is the best swordsman of this kingdom, and I expect you all to respect this.” Your face feels warm at the not-so-subtle compliment, and the council is quick to nod. The meeting comes to an end, and you leave the room trailing behind Suguru. -Though he starts talking about banquet arrangements, your mind is far too preoccupied with war to be thinking about his upcoming ball.

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚

The month goes by faster than you had expected. You’ve trained every soldier to the best of your abilities, but you are still concerned. A month is barely enough for a soldier to be decently prepared- at best-, and Suguru wants you to take down the entire Gojo Kingdom with an amateur army. 

So you track him down to his chambers, unphased when two scantily-clad women and one man slip past you, holding back smiles of embarrassment. He raises a brow at your arrival and you clear your throat before approaching his bed, kneeling before him. 

“Tomorrow marks the end of the month, your majesty. But if I can, I implore you to give my troops more time. Many of them are like baby lambs, barely learning how to walk. They will not survive in a real battle.”

Suguru sighs, and your heart drops. You already know what that means.

“War waits for no one, L/N. As long as you’ve prepared them to the best of your capacity, I trust that. I trust you. You have protected me since we were mere children and killed a man when you were only twelve. I’ve tried my best to give you time, but I cannot spare any more time.” A lump forms in your throat and you swallow it down. Silence falls upon you two as you keep your gaze on the lush red carpet.

“Prepare the army to leave at the first light. Good luck and…stay safe, Y/N,” he places a hand on your head, and you meet his gaze. He offers you a small smile, but it is nothing more than a facade in your eyes. You know it is a facade. With another of your many forced smiles, you rise and leave Suguru’s chambers.

➶

You haven’t gotten a single wink of sleep ever since your conversation with Suguru. So instead of lying in your bed, you decide to rise and prepare for battle. When the moon begins to fade from your view, you order your Grand Officers to awaken and prepare the soldiers for battle.

A small part of you pities the troops. This is the bloodshed you had been fearing; the blood of your people. And there’s nothing you can do to stop it. All you can hope is that the Gojo Kingdom is weaker than it seems. 

Your soldiers are up and running as the sun begins to rise. They gather into their units and stand in front of you. The thousands of people staring at you makes your stomach twist, but you ignore it and keep a stoic face. 

“We are to attack the Shibou region. It is occupied by the kingdom’s criminals and delinquents who are imprisoned for life. Our goal is to seize control of the region. This means that you cannot spare a single life. Am I understood?” Your soldiers shout in unison, and a sense of pride fills your heart.

Without further ado, you mount your house and lead your troops to the Gojo Kingdom. The view of the sunrise and the wind that tickles your face gives you a sense of comfort, and you hope that this battle will end well.

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚

There are no knights or guards stationed at the entrance of the Shibou region, which makes you raise a brow. Something must be wrong. But you continue forward, steering your horse to gallop even faster. Thousands of horses galloping behind yours are making the ground tremble, and it almost makes you smile. The glory of a thousand-man army is unmatched.

Once you’ve gone past poorly built wooden fences and barriers, you unmount your horse and unsheathe your sword. Your eyes analyze your surroundings, brows furrowed. There are hundreds of small abodes and buildings, but nothing that seems like a region where criminals are imprisoned. A bonfire is still burning. You see cattle scattered throughout the region. 

Nonsense. This must be the Shibou Prison, and you must conquer it for your king. So without further ado, you shout to your soldiers and rush into battle. 

The houses are burned, and the few adults that you spot are killed in an instant. You try not to get a look at their faces. You know what comes with the price of taking someone’s life: their face will be engraved into your memory. 

Screams and shouts blend with the smell of the burning town, and your chest feels tight. You ignore the feeling and kick down the door of an untouched house. There doesn’t seem to be anyone but you walk further into the house cautiously. You half-expect someone to swing out of a room and attack you. But it never happens, and you reach the last room of the house. You don’t find anyone inside until you hear a whimper. And your sword is pointed at a trembling child’s throat, tears pouring down her face. She’s clutching an old ragged plush to her body, shaking her head vigorously. Your sword falls to the ground before you can react. The girl realizes this and races past you, and you’re quick to grab your sword and chase after her. If she goes outside, she’ll be dead in an instant. Maybe you can hide her, take her somewhere safe- you freeze as you watch one of your soldiers plunge a sword through the little girl’s chest without hesitation, and the child’s body drops to the ground. You remember the soldier’s name- Mahito. He scoffs and withdraws his bloody sword, looking at it with distaste before walking over the child’s body. You hear the crunch, the blood gushing. Even after your soldiers have massacred the whole town and taken control of the region, you’re still standing in the hallway of the house, staring at the little girl’s crushed body. 

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚

“The Shibou territory has been claimed. I have stationed one of my grand officers and a part of the army to stay there and keep the territory under control.” You hope Geto doesn’t notice the slight tremble in your voice, or your scraped fists gripping your sword’s sheath.

He doesn’t bother to look up from the document he’s reading. He nods, a slight smile on his face. 

“Very well. I knew the battle would be easy for you.” There’s an airiness to his voice and it makes you enraged. You tighten your grip around the hilt of your sword. 

“You said the Shibou region was a prison for criminals. A region where King Gojo sends his kingdom’s scum to rot.”

“Oh?” He finally looks up from his document and meets your gaze. “Did I say that?”

“It was a village!” You shout and rise to your feet, eyes burning with unshed tears. “A FARMING VILLAGE! There were no guards, no stationed knights, no criminals! Only farmers! COMMONFOLK WITH CHILDREN!” Your voice turns into a desperate screech, and Geto shows no reaction to your outburst. A few tears are streaming down your face by the end of it and you fall quiet, chest heaving. 

Geto merely stares at you before sighing with disappointment. It makes you pause, and your heart twists. You just disrespect your King.

“Your majesty-,” he stops you with a raise of his hand, his face withdrawn from any emotions.

“I have never seen you cry before, Y/N,” your first name rolling off his tongue feels unnatural. “I don’t wish to ever see it again. You are no saint. You are my knight, my general commander. You are fully aware of what happens during war. The sacrifices we must make,” he shakes his head, folding the document on his lap. “War is never fair, is it now?” There’s a slight smile on his face and it’s revolting.

“Next time you express such weakness, I will retire you and leave you with the dirty common folk of my kingdom. I am glad you have won my first battle. I expect better results for the next battle. Do you understand?” 

You can’t do anything but nod. 

➶

Geto informs you that the next battle will be in a week. He orders you to continue training the soldiers and leave before the sun rises. This time, you’ll be attacking the western frontier of the Gojo Kingdom. He does not bother lying this time and tells you it’s mostly inhabited by the kingdom’s common folk.

This time, you do not tell your soldiers anything before marching into battle. You do not flinch when blood splatters on your face, you do not flinch before slashing your sword across a young man’s neck. You do not flinch while massacring hundreds of people that you know will haunt you in your slumber.

Your army seems to be halfway into the region when you hear a familiar noise: thousands of horses stomping on the ground. Before your very eyes, you watch as the knights of the Gojo army arrive and unsheathe their swords before you.

One man is leading the army. Strawberry pink hair, light skin, and two strange incisions below both his eyes. His sword shines deadly in the sunlight, and you tighten your grip around yours.

“Soldiers of the Geto Kingdom! Surrender now and your lives will be spared.” His voice booms across the field and the battle pauses for a second as all soldiers stare at each other. A misguided hatred boils in your chest and you scoff.

“We will never surrender to scum like you.” The few words are more than enough for the battle to resume, and you mount your horse again before charging forward. Your eyes are focused on the leading man, and he seems to notice it. Your swords clash loudly and your horse neighs and steps back. You’re quick to unmount and he mimics your actions. You go into a frenzy, uncaring of the battle that rages around you as you meet swords with this strange man.

He counters every move you make and you dodge all of his. Neither of you can land a hit on each other, and it’s infuriating. Someone shouts and he gets distracted, eyes searching for the shout. You take advantage of his mistake and kick him hard in the chest. He groans as he falls to the ground, and your sword is pointed at his throat. 

“Surrender and I will spare your life.” You spit out the words, trying to ignore the drying blood on your face. He’s amused, raising his hands as he chuckles.

“I should be the one saying that.” You furrow your brows in confusion, before the sensation of something cold and sharp pressing into your back makes your heart drop.

“Your army has been defeated. Surrender now or accept death.” A masculine voice shouts behind you, and you curse under your breath. You quickly inspect your surroundings and confirm his statement: all your soldiers have been knocked to the ground, some still breathing while others are not. Your chest feels heavy. So you drop your sword, hands raised in surrender. The man behind you falters, slowly dropping his weapon.

“I would rather die before surrendering to you fools.” You swing around and disarm the man, knocking him onto the ground. The knife you keep hidden in your boot is now at his throat, and there are dozens of soldiers pointing their swords and crossbows at you.

You smile, watching the strawberry blonde man rise and scowl. 

“Release him.” There’s a look in his eyes that makes you think the man you’re holding hostage is his friend; someone important to him. So instead, you press the knife deeper into the man’s neck. A few droplets of blood roll down. 

“Why should I do that?” The man underneath your knife is breathing heavily, and you know he’s afraid. But you’ve caught him and he’s under your control. 

“Megumi. Permission to proceed.” The strawberry blonde man says and before you can question what it means, the man underneath your blade slams his feet on yours and turns, jabbing a knife into your thigh. You yelp, and he’s quick to rise to his feet. You grimace and clutch your injured thigh, glaring at the two men who stand side by side.

“What are you waiting for? Kill me already.” The unnamed man shakes his hand, forcing you to rise. 

“It would be a waste to kill someone as powerful as you. Soldiers, it’s time to recover the bodies and honor our fallen.” A harsh blow to your head knocks you out, and your surroundings blur before everything goes black. 

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚

You wake up with a bandaged thigh and a fresh set of clothes. When you scan your surroundings, you realize you can’t recognize anything. You don’t know where you are. Quickly, you try to rise from the bed you’re laying on- only to feel the strong tug of chains wrapped around both your wrists. You scoff, trying to tug at the chains but they don’t budge.

“Do not bother. Those will not open by force.” You jump as the familiar man with strawberry blonde walks towards you, setting a mug down on a wooden table. You’re laying down on a bed. You scowl, and he snorts.

“Didn’t think I would let you walk free, did you?”

You don’t respond, still trying to budge free from the chains. He sighs, dragging a wooden stool towards you and sitting on it. Your ankles are chained too. Jesus Christ. He merely watches you struggle. 

“You fool. Why did you not kill me on the battlefield?” You narrow your eyes at him, and he shrugs.

“I’ve sworn to avoid killing if possible. There are always other ways to resolve a conflict.” You snort, shaking your head. 

“Killing is unavoidable in war and you are a fool if you believe otherwise.” He hums, stroking his chin. 

“What is your name?” He changes the subject and you roll your eyes. 

“What difference does it make?” He clears his throat and gives you a small smile.

“I am Yuuji Itadori and I would like to know the name of the talented swordsman who is bent on killing me. Even if she is an enemy.” Your body stiffens.

“Yuuji…Itadori.” The name feels wrong on your tongue, and you dig your nails into your palms.

“Christ, if I had known it was you, I would’ve done the honor and killed myself.” He raises a brow. 

“Excuse me?” 

“I am King Geto’s Knight Commander, Y/N L/N.” His eyes widen and you see several emotions go through his eyes fleetingly. Surprise, animosity, and realization.

“I see,” he pauses, gaze unwavering. “I see why you would prefer death over captivity. You certainly live up to your reputation.” Yuuji chuckles and you don’t like how relaxed and upbeat he is.

 “And you don’t.” You bite back but it doesn’t seem to bother him. He nods.

“I am aware.” 

You raise a brow, expecting him to fight back.

“Why is that?” He rises from his seat and you reel back. Yuuji merely shakes his head and begins to unlock the two chains on your ankles. 

“I am only known for my greater accomplishments, as my King calls them. The deeds I wish were not necessary. The lives I’ve taken with my bare hands or my sword. Lives I wish I did not have to take.” You listen to his words silently, contemplating. One of his hands brushes over your wound and you hiss, flinching. 

“My apologies. I have to assess your wound.” You grimace as he peels the cloth off your wound, and he hums. “It will take some time to heal, but it will heal nicely. I’ve managed to get some of the better herbs for wounds like these.”

He walks towards the counters that are against the cobblestone walls, and you frown. You are far from trusting him but you can’t deny that your curiosity is piqued.

“Why are you doing this? Had you not said I would be imprisoned and await trial?” Yuuji pauses for a second before resuming his search for the herbs.

“Ah! Here they are. Sir Nanami must have used them last time he visited.” He begins to hum while moving around in the kitchen and being ignored makes you annoyed.

As you open your mouth to speak again, he cuts you off.

“I negotiated with King Gojo and the council. They know of your talent and your skills. It would be a waste to keep you locked until the end of your days. There is a possibility your war crimes can be pardoned if you serve King Gojo as one of his elite knights.”

You scoff, shaking your head. “I am King Geto’s Knight Commandeer… What makes you think I will be quick to denounce my loyalties? Even if I did- what guarantees that I won’t murder you or your King?” Yuuji merely smiles at your words and it’s infuriating. Here you are, chained to your enemy’s bed while he finds your threats amusing. 

“I won’t let you.” You scoff and turn over in the bed. You forget about your open wound and yelp, and Yuuji walks towards you laughing loudly. It makes you scowl. The moment these chains are off your wrists, you will make sure Yuuji Itadori suffers by your hands.

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚

“What has King Geto been told? Have I been denounced dead, or captured?” You decide to ask Yuuji as you roll over in bed to look at him. He walks over to you with a bowl of ointments and your stomach twists.

“Captured. I couldn’t let the glory of winning and capturing his greatest Knight go unnoticed, after all.” He grins and you scowl. 

“Now, I have to apply these ointments on your wound. It’s healing quicker, which is a good sign. You should be able to walk in a week or two.” He dips his fingers in the ointment and you bite the inside of your cheek. Though he’s gentle when applying the ointment, it still burns on the open wound and you hiss. You flinch and your hand instinctively goes to his throat. He had removed the chain from one of your wrists a few days ago and you think he’s regretting it when your hand shoots to grip his throat. He’s strong enough to rip from your grip and coughs and a tinge of guilt settles in your stomach. Guilt? Why are you guilty? Regardless of the kindness and hospitality he’s shown you, Yuuji Itadori is still your enemy. 

“Instinctual reaction. The ointment is quite painful.” You don’t apologize but you hope he’ll accept an explanation.

He clears his throat before nodding and slowly applying the ointment on your thigh. You clench your jaw, hand fisting into the bed’s blankets. It stings but maybe choking your captor isn’t the best idea.

Yuuji applies the ointment for a few more minutes before pulling away. You exhale heavily, body muscles relaxing. Your enemy smiles at you, and your heart skips a beat. You pretend that didn’t happen and roll your eyes at him.

➶

“Why did you become King Geto’s knight?” Yuuji asks you one day while you eat a bowl of warm soup. You look up from your bowl, spoon in mid-air. You set the spoon in the bowl and clear your throat.

“It was my premeditated fate, of course.” 

Yuuji raises an eyebrow and frowns. “Do elaborate.”

You set down your bowl on your left and sigh. “I come from a lineage of knights and grand commanders. It was only logical for me to become King Geto’s knight,” you pause and stare at him. “Why did you become King Gojo’s knight?”

Yuuji falls quiet for a few minutes. He scratches the top of his head and hums. 

“It was my grandfather’s dying wish.”

You raise a brow and pause. “Your grandfather asked you to become King Gojo’s knight?” He chuckles and shakes his head. Your confusion deepens and so does the furrow of your brows.

“Not quite. Before he passed, he asked me to help people. To use my strength and kindness to lift others who cannot lift themselves.” You drink in his words with a slow nod. “King Gojo found me in a vulnerable time. He gave me his protection, a roof over my head, and everything I could ask for. I am his Grand Commander Knight, but I also train his army of knights that protect the common folk."

For once in your life, you feel inferior to someone. So you swallow down a lump that formed in your throat and lick your lips.

“Your grandfather sounds like a wonderful man.” Yuuji smiles and it makes you smile, too.

“Indeed, he was.” 

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚

The dreadfully familiar village stands in front of you. Your knights are nowhere in sight yet you know what memory you’re reliving. Roaring flames tear down the buildings and lick away the skin of trapped cattle. The smell of burning flesh invades your nostrils.

The bodies of the villagers you massacred are scattered throughout the land. Your movements are slow and sluggish, your sword weighing you down. You struggle to walk forward but persist and keep walking until you reach the little girl’s house. 

You pray to the Lord and everything holy that she’s still inside her house. Still safe; still hiding in that tiny crook where you found her. Her body isn’t at the doorstep of her house and you exhale. You don’t see Mahito plunge his sword into her body, or her body lying still on the ground, blood seeping into the dirt. So you force yourself to trudge forward, to open the door to her house because you don’t have the strength to kick it down. Your sword drags on the wooden floor, leaving marks without a doubt.

You open the last door at the end of the hallway. It swings open with a creak, and your heart is in your throat. It’s beating so loud you think your whole body shakes with each beat of your heart. You hear a familiar whimper, and you ignore the constraints of your body as you rush forward. 

Her back is turned to you, but you know it’s her. You see the ragged plush peek above her shoulder. Your sword drops to the ground and your hand rests on her shoulder, gently turning her around. She turns around instantly and you stagger backward. Your heart plummets and your eyes widen.

Her face is rotten, flesh partially missing and skin loosely hanging onto her face. Flies swarm her face, flying into the crevices of her flesh. There is a wide gaping hole in the middle of her chest, and you can see her intestines hang out from the hole, blood pouring onto the wooden floor. 

You cry out in horror, but no noise leaves your throat. Your throat is shut tight. The little girl walks forward, one hand flying to grip your neck. She brings her face close to yours and you can smell the putrid smell of rotting flesh. The insects are swarming your face and it’s all so horrifying you can’t move-

-You wake up with a sob escaping your lips, chest heaving, and body covered in sweat. Your hands fly to muffle your sobs but it’s too late. You hear the creak of approaching footsteps and Yuuji appears. His hair is all ruffled and his eyes are barely open.

“What is the matter?” He half mumbles and assesses your state. He frowns, eyes slightly widening. “Are you unwell?”

You can’t respond. Your throat is closing up on you and your chest feels like it’s on fire. Your hands fly to your throat and you scratch at it desperately, hoping that it’ll help somehow. Tears are pouring down your face and Yuuji rushes towards you. He slides onto the bed and grips your hands, forcing you to place them down on your lap. You shake your head vigorously, but then you feel a few warm droplets on your neck. Your nails sunk so deep into your neck that a few blood droplets begin to appear.

“Tell me what happened. What did you dream of?” Yuuji’s voice is soft. You don’t respond immediately, focusing on controlling your breathing and stopping the flow of your tears. He sits behind you, one hand resting on your shoulder. His body is warm behind yours and you’re able to somewhat regain your composure after a while.

“I saw her.” You say, voice croaky and throat raw. Yuuji is silent, and he moves closer to you. His breath fans your shoulder. 

“Her?” He repeats and you clench your fists in your lap.

“A little girl. A little girl that died because of me.” You feel your eyes water but you blink the tears away. He stays quiet and you take that as your cue to continue.

 “I see them. I see all of them. They’re never gone.” 

You’re startled for a moment when warm arms wrap around you tightly. Then you realize Yuuji is hugging you. He doesn’t say anything while hugging you. You slowly relax into his body, and the warmth that spreads throughout your body lulls you to sleep. 

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚

The days are hard to count when you’re somewhat of a prisoner. Most of your chains have been unlocked, and you only have one on your wrist. Yuuji feeds you twice a day. He always cooks delicious and warm noodle soups. Now more than ever, your morals and values are waging war on each other in your head.

You shouldn’t be this tranquil. This… docile. You should be fighting Yuuji and murder him as soon as the opportunity presents itself. Yet, you’ve done none of that. Didn’t even attempt to do so.

Your stomach twists. You are a traitor to your kingdom; to King Geto. To the man you swore on your life to protect and serve until your dying breath. 

Your thoughts drift away. What happens if you escape? Where shall you go? Surely, your long period of absence made King Geto presume you were a traitor. A traitor who willingly chose to stay with her mortal enemy. Though, part of you says you would’ve escaped already if you wanted to. You have the capabilities to do so. You simply…have chosen not to.

The front door swings open and you snap your gaze to the entrance. Yuuji closes the door behind him and you freeze. He’s barely able to stand on his feet, hands pressed against a bleeding wound. He is covered in wounds and his armor is shredded and damaged. You jump to your feet, but the remaining chain pulls you back. You grimace, tugging at it. Yuuji makes eye contact with you. 

“Unlock it. I promise…I only wish to aid your wounds.” 

He slowly nods, and he trudges towards you. You can hear his breathing, it’s heavy and ragged. His movements are slow and it’s noticeable that even the smallest action is hard for him. You hear the click of the key unlocking the chain, and it drops on the soft bed. You help Yuuji sit down on the bed, and then you’re rushing to the kitchen cabinets. You go to the ones you know he keeps the supplies you need. You pull out two clean rags, a glass flask with alcohol, and his small sewing kit. 

Yuuji is watching you when you turn around and walk towards him. His gaze is fixed and attentive, but you try to ignore it. Instead, you ask him to lie down on the bed. Blood is seeping through his shirt and there’s no other option but for him to take him off. So as smooth and relaxed as you can, you ask him to take it off. With a bit of struggle, he’s able to take it off and you assess his wounds. They make you grimace.

There are several, but they’re not too deep so you set to work. You drag a wooden stool next to the bed and begin to work on his wounds.

Yuuji winces and grunts several times, muscles clenching and you feel sympathy for him. You know how painful wounds can be. Thankfully, he doesn’t have any split arrowheads in the wounds so you focus on stopping the bleeding and disinfecting the wounds.

“What happened?” You ask quietly while gently pressing down on one of his wounds. Perhaps conversing will distract him from the pain. 

“Lost the battle. Lost many soldiers…” his voice is a croak and you nod. Your movements are gentle and you try to be as careful as possible. Once you’ve cleaned all his wounds, you grab the sewing kit and begin. It’s even more painful, but you remind him that it’s necessary. 

 By the time you’re down, the sun has fallen and the house has grown a bit cold. So you go to his bedroom and search for a new set of clothes before returning. He’s still on the bed, looking somewhat better than earlier.

While Yuuji puts the clothes on, you assess his kitchen for any food you can immediately give him. You only find bread and cheese, and that’ll suffice. You bring him the food on a platter, and he looks at him expectantly.

“You must eat. Your body needs the energy to heal.”

Reluctantly, he nods. You place the platter on the edge of the bed and watch him eat. He eats slowly but eventually manages to leave nothing but crumbs.

“Where did you learn your medicinal knowledge?” He asks as you pick up the platter. You pause for a second before you continue walking.

“My mother. She was a nurse for King Geto’s family.” 

You hear Yuuji hum in acknowledgment and you return and sit next to him. 

“Impressive.”

You can only manage a snort. He looks at you curiously, a brow raised.

“I hardly consider basic medicinal knowledge an impressive feat.” 

He smiles. “Well, I do. My mother never taught me anything of sorts. She passed away when I was an infant.” You slowly process the information and nod. 

“I learned it before she passed, too.”

Yuuji meets your eyes and a silent mutual understanding passes between you too. It’s fleeting, but you notice it. And he notices it too.

“And your father?” You smile and roll your shoulders.

“Died in battle.”

Yuuji nods. You can’t read the expression on his face, but you nearly jump when one of his hands rests on your knees. He gives it a reassuring squeeze, and you surprisingly feel better.

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚

The loud bang and shouts have you immediately opening your eyes and jumping off the bed. It’s coming from Yuuji’s bedroom. Has someone broken into the house? 

All the candles were blown out hours ago and you see mostly darkness. So you scramble for a knife from the kitchen before racing into Yuuji’s room. Two candles are lighting the room. He’s pinned on the ground, an unfamiliar man holding him down. 

You’re quick to move, instinct taking over thought. The wooden creaks once and the person turns around. But they’re too late and you lunge forward, ripping them off Yuuji. They land on the floor and you’re on top of them. 

A rough, unfamiliar man’s voice grunts and tries to push you off. You press your weight on him and the knife lands on his palm in a split second. The knife impales the intruder’s hand and nails him to the wooden floor. He cries out and you rise from the floor, chest heaving.

“I was perfectly capable of doing that,” Yuuji’s voice is groggy and you stare at him blankly.

“We have more urgent matters. Who is this intruder?” You don’t have an answer to his question. So instead, you kneel and pull out the knife from the man’s hand. He shouts in anguish and tries to push you off him, but you press the bloody knife against his throat. 

“Who sent you? Who has ordered you to assassinate us?”

The man spits on your face. You don’t flinch or recoil. Slowly, you wipe the spit off your face. Then your fist flies into the man’s face.  

“You fool. You would die to protect the truth?” You freeze as the words leave your mouth. You don’t know who he is, but you know what kingdom he belongs to. You immediately reel back and rise to your feet.

“As Knight Commander of the Geto Kingdom, I order you to rise.” The reaction is immediate. Yuuji stares at you, and the knight rises to his feet in an instant. A lump forms in your throat.

“I was ordered to find Yuuji Itadori’s home, secure the location of Knight Commander Y/N L/N and report back to King Geto. I suppose the rumors of the Knight Commander being a filthy traitor were true…” He spews and every word feels like a tiny needle impaling itself in your chest. Your lips part and your heart sinks to your stomach. 

Geto was still insistent on retrieving you? By now, you assumed you were either presumed dead or a traitor. But if Geto found out you were truly a traitor…

The fear is overwhelming and you act before you can think your actions through. Your leg sweeps the knight to the ground and the knife returns to your palm. Before Yuuji can stop you, the knife impales the knight’s chest right where his heart is.

“No-!” Yuuji’s reaction is too slow and the knight has begun to lose blood when Yuuji kneels next to him. He looks up at you, scowling. 

“Why did you do that!?” You scoff and drop the knife. It clatters on the floor. 

“Why shouldn’t have I done that? If we let him free, he would return and report to Geto.”

 Yuuji looks furious. He rises to his feet and walks towards you, and instinctively you step back as he steps forward. He keeps walking forward and you keep walking back until you’ve stepped out of his room.

“Well, isn’t that what you desire?! Do you not wish to return to your King? I thought you enjoyed being his little assassin, his little guard mutt.” 

You flinch. But anger takes over hurt and you clench your fists. “You are a fool. I have been labeled a traitor to the Kingdom. There is nothing left for me to return to. I will be executed the moment I step on Geto soil!” You step forward and Yuuji doesn’t move. His chest is heaving and it’s so close to yours. You have to raise your chin to meet his gaze but he doesn’t intimidate you. He never has. 

“You have shown me kindness that I did not deserve. That knight surely would return and kill you if we allowed him to.” You lower your voice to a moderate tone. “Itadori, I owe you my life. It is only fair that I protect yourS in return.” 

Yuuji stares at you. He doesn’t say anything for a long time, and you part your lips open when he moves. His hands slip to support your back. You slightly dip backward and his lips are on you. They’re soft and warm and so much more than you could’ve ever imagined. But you rip out of his grip and slap him straight across the face. It’s harsh and loud and your hand is trembling. You look at him with wide eyes and he winces, holding his reddened cheek. 

“How-how dare you!? I am your enemy. I have murdered countless of your people. You…” you pause as he steps forward. “You shouldn’t…” One of his hands grips your chin, forcing you to make eye contact with him.

“You just murdered one of your own,” your stomach twists. “And so have I.” You lower your gaze to the wooden floor. 

“I thought you believed in avoiding murder?” His face hardens. 

“Most of your people prefer death over imprisonment,” his tongue swipes over his lips and you swallow thickly. “The choice is yours. Tell me to leave you be at once, to never bother you again. I will dispose of the body and we will arrive at your kingdom by sunrise…” You tense, mouth going dry. Returning to your kingdom? To King Geto? The very same King that sent a knight to confirm your status as a traitor? Your family is long gone, and all you have left is serving King Geto…if he doesn’t execute you. 

“...or tell me you desire me too, and I promise I will cherish you for as long as I am able to.” In the spur of the moment, the decision is not hard to make. Your hands grip his collar, tugging him closer and your lips connect with his. Yuuji responds eagerly, and your mind grows so foggy you can barely think.

➶

The corpse you two encounter after the kiss is not particularly romantic but the two of you work on carrying the knight’s body outside. The sun is not out yet and the stars are littered across the dark sky. You hear some birds and crickets chirp.

The grass blades brush softly against your ankles. The two of you keep walking deeper into the forest that surrounds the back of Yuuji’s home.

“Where are we going?” You ask him, feeling cautious. Venturing into a forest at midnight doesn’t sound like a particularly brilliant (or safe) idea.

“There is a waterfall ahead. We can throw the body in there.” You nod and keep walking for a few minutes when you begin to hear the stream of water. Branches snap and leaves crunch under your boots. The wind has the trees swaying and a shiver travels across your body. When you reach the ledge of the waterfall, the two of you count before releasing the body. It falls into the waterfall with a loud splash, and you pat your hands on your clothing.

“I have never had to dispose of a person I murdered.” You stare into the waterfall while speaking. You feel Yuuji stand closer to you, and his hand intertwines with yours. He squeezes it softly.

“Neither have I.” His thumb brushes across your hand softly when the blaring of a warhorn echoes in the distance. The two of you break apart in an instant and make eye contact. 

“King Geto?” You ask warily, though you already know the answer.

Yuuji nods, and your stomach twists. “He’s come to retrieve you.” 

The two of you are running back to Yuuji’s home without a single word, tree branches and thorns slightly ripping on your legwear. But you ignore it and don’t stop running until Yuuji has closed the door behind him. Yuuji begins to slip on his knight armor and you feel vulnerable without one. None of his will fit you, but he gives you a medium-length sword that you feel relatively comfortable handling, and a dagger you hide in your boot. 

“I must report to Gojo’s castle. You…” he falters, and your mouth feels dry. Is this when you two part ways? You don’t want to be away from him. You fear for his life.

“I will accompany you. If anyone dies at Geto’s hands, it shall be me.”

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚

The eastern frontier of the Gojo Kingdom is surrounded. The castle is only a few hundred yards away. Your heart drops to your stomach and hope begins to leave your body. But Yuuji grips your hand and somehow, it returns. Not completely, but enough for you to relax and tighten your grip on Yuuji’s hand and your sword. 

He rushes you towards the castle and before you know it, you’re mounting a horse at his side. He’s leading the entire cavalry of the Gojo Kingdom, and your heart is racing. No one questioned your unfamiliar face or your name. Thousands of knights rushed past you and you grabbed a spare armor without difficulty. And now your sword is sheathed at your side, and your hands are combing the mane of the horse you’re riding. 

The eastern defense is being torn apart. Your mind is a whirlwind. You’re witnessing an army of cavalry you once led and trained rush towards the army you’re fighting with. And on the front ranks, King Geto leads the whole cavalry. He is unarmed, and time seems to slow down. He’s hundreds of yards away from you, but a part of you knows he’s sensed your presence- he knows you’re here. 

The cavalry ranks open as a white stallion gallops to the front. The man with pristine white hair is riding the horse, a sword at his side. He rides next to Yuuji, giving him a nod of acknowledgement. Then he looks at you, and you feel your throat close up. You’ve heard countless stories and legends of this man. Gojo Satoru, the mighty ruler of the Gojo Kingdom. The only man that can match King Geto in battle. 

He stares at you with an indecipherable expression on his face, but there is no time for conversation. The ground trembles with the thousands of horses galloping towards you, and you tighten your grip on the horse’s reins. 

➶

An eternity passes by before the enemy army- your army is only a few feet away from you. Geto makes eye contact with you, and you don’t look away. You maintain eye contact until he looks away and meets Gojo’s gaze, a slight smile on his lips.

“Hello, old friend. I do not wish to spill blood on your land. Surrender your crown and my Knight Commander, and we will spare your kingdom. ” 

The white-haired king doesn’t immediately respond. He unsheathes his sword, and your heart begins to speed up. “I don’t respond kindly to beggars.” Geto’s eyes narrow, and it’s one of the few times you see him express annoyance. Your king unsheathes his sword, raises it in the air, and war breaks loose. Horses rush into each other, and the noise of swords clashing against each other echoes across the battlefield.

You lose track of time as you slash your sword across necks, chests, and pull it out each time bloodier than before. A flying arrow takes down your stallion and you roll onto the ground. You rise to your feet in time to block an incoming sword, deflecting it and knocking it out of the knight’s hand. A strong kick sends the knight to the floor, and you avoid eye contact as your sword pierces through the armor’s chainmail and sinks into flesh. Your ears are ringing as you pull out your sword.

The war continues in a flurry around you. You continue to strike and kill, and blood is splattered across your armor. Your sword is drenched in blood and you feel specks of it on your face. You do not dare wipe your face, afraid that the moist sensation of the blood you’ve spilled will make you spiral. 

It seems like Geto’s knights have begun to fall and weaken increasingly faster. Your thighs are arms are burning and screaming with fatigue, but you do not let it bother you as you dodge a dagger and slash your sword across a knight’s neck. 

You’ve been in battle before, but this one has been the bloodiest you’ve yet to witness. Limbs are scattered and knights cry out their last words. They are quickly lost in the powerful roar of warfare, and your body begins to feel heavier.

It’s only when the roar quiets down that you pause. Knights of both kingdoms begin to drop their weapons, and you turn to find the center of the commotion. You push past knights and come to an abrupt stop. King Gojo is like you, late to the scene. King Geto has Yuuji on his knees, the tip of his sword on the knight’s throat. Your chest tightens and you can’t breathe.

“Satoru!” Gojo bellows, and you feel your body tremble. “This war is between you and me. We have used others for too long. Release him, and you can take me.” Yuuji’s eyes widen. He makes eye contact with you, and you can barely hold back your tears. He’s shaking his head, but you try to communicate with your eyes. Do not move. Please, I can’t let you go.

Geto chuckles. He slowly shakes his head, and you don’t move fast enough as his lips part and his sword rises.

“If I cannot take back my traitor, I will take one of your own.” 

The sword clangs to the floor after the slash. You’re on top of Geto, sword to his throat. He peers at you, smiling. His eyes crinkle at the edges and you can’t even hold your sword without trembling.

“Welcome back, L/N.”

Your sword pummels into the middle of his throat with a painful choke. You do not relish in his pain for too long and rush towards Yuuji. He lies on the battlefield, and you cannot control your tears any longer.

“Itadori! Itadori, please hold on. I can clean your wound, I-,” one of his hands squeezes yours. You shake your head vigorously and you nearly tear off your armor to rip a piece of your sleeve. You press it against his wound, trying to control the bleeding.

“You will be fine, I can patch you up like last time,” you’re blubbering at this point, and a hand rests on your shoulder. You don’t want to look up but you do, and you see King Gojo through your tears. 

“It is a great honor to die in battle. Let his soul go to the afterlife.” Afterlife? You shake your head vigorously. This cannot be happening. Yuuji can’t die- he cannot leave you.

“Itadori,” your words are blubbered and your cheeks are wet with tears. “You promised- you made a promise to me-!” He smiles, and one of his hands holds your cheek. He gently caresses it, and you gulp down a sob.

“I fulfilled my promise…” he coughs blood, and it only makes your chest feel tighter. “...and I am honored to spend my last moments with you.” His hand slowly drops from your cheek and you continue to shake your head. Yuuji smiles at your sobbing face and nods one last time.

You can’t see it, but you can sense the life leave his body. You’ve witnessed death far too many times to not know when it happens. You keel over his body, your sobs booming in your ears. One of Yuuji’s hands has fallen into your lap, warm and soft. Your hand is still pressing onto the blood drenched rag, hoping to stop the bleeding of your fallen enemy.

♡ a/n: ok ik this fic was SO inconsistent and rlly bad so if u made it all the way down here...congrats!! ty for reading <33 pls rb + comment if u enjoyed!

♡ do not repost/plagiarize/use my content.

[fordhamlaw-blog]

I'm new to this whole writing fics on tumblr and stuff, so how important do you think it is to have your work beta'd before posting? (not sure if i used that term right..)

Hi!! Welcome to tumblr! Personally, I don’t have anyone beta my reading, I just heavily edit it myself. After I write the chapter or one shot, I read through it then go back and make any needed changes. I have a google extension called grammarly that catches any spelling, punctuation or grammar errors. On pieces dedicated to other people I typically send it to them beforehand, but not really for editing purposes. Beta reading is up to the author and can be very useful! If you would like someone to beta your writing feel free to message me! Thank you for your ask, have a lovely day/night!