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highvern · 1 year ago

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In the Lake

Pairing: Yoon Jeonghan x fem!reader

Genre: romance, light horror, greek mythology!au

Warnings: drowning, mention of drunk Hannie (once), talk of a dead body, briefly suggestive moments

Length: 2.5k

Note: not proofread, just me spitballing. monster!reader is a hybrid of a naiad and a siren

Bonus

Monsters live in the lake.

That’s what Jeonghan’s dad tells him.

Monsters with round wet eyes and needle teeth. Who will drown anyone who comes too close to their shores with a laugh of glee. Monsters that will gorge on a man’s heart, and decorate their underwater gardens with his bones.

Jeonghan is never allowed to visit the lake.

And he doesn’t.

Until he turns eight.

—

Breathing glass.

The inky blue surface of the lake can only be described as breathing glass, reflecting the heavy full moon that illuminates the skies about and the ring of black trees circling the shore.

A perfect reflection. Clear enough Jeonghan is convinced that if he jumped in, his body would shatter the smooth surface into crystals of glass rather than clapping waves.

The bright moon lights up the clearing, making Jeonghan privy to every detail from one shore to the other. No one is here. Nothing is here. Not an single animal looking for a cool drink in the late night, the thicket of trees obscuring the hideaway silent. Even the wind seems to hold his breath here, unnaturally yielding.

But Jeonghan is eight and he’s not afraid of the stories his dad tells him around the hearth.

And as eight year olds are wont to do, Jeonghan steps in the dry rotted dock with a sure foot, and peaks over the edge.

Only to meet the eyes of the monster his dad warned him about.

Jeonghan scrambles back, the shrill scream of fear breaking the fragile silence. Nearly toppling into the water in an effort to escape the demon, only to have splinters bite into his hands as he manages to regain his balance.

The monster is on this side of the water too.

Only a hair away from Jeonghan’s face, his breath disturbing the beads of moisture clinging to its forehead.

It reeks of death and fear.

And when Jeonghan makes it to the tree line, it’s gone as if it never existed in the first place.

—

The second time Jeonghan comes to the lake, he’s sixteen and forgets the childhood nightmares that came to life one autumn night.

The daughter of the village baker asked him to meet her there, with droopy eyelids and a bitten lip.

But the moon is high in the sky, a waning sideways grin, and she’s nowhere to be seen.

Vague memories of a night years ago attempt to surface, but Jeonghan can’t decipher reality from the realm of sleep. But he distinctly feels that this place, this eerie wrong place, is frozen in time. That the hedge of trees is a portal between worlds, and this lake is a pocket beyond any.

The dock creeks under his soft steps, gently bobbing ripples across the water with each shift of his weight.

At the end of the dock waits the baker's daughter. Only her eyes visible above the water, milky hue eclipsing the swampy green; flesh swollen and bloated.

And behind her is the monster, eyes crinkled in horrific amusement as Jeonghan untangles what happened.

And the monster is gone when he looks back from the safety of the trees, just like when he was a child.

—

The parchment bleeds ink from rushed sketches of the horrific creature Jeonghan encountered.

None do his terror justice.

Oil slick hair clinging to its scalp, eyes round and horrifically human. Two times he’d seen the monster of the lake, and both only from the bridge of its nose up.

But the fables of his childhood form in his memory and his dreams once again.

Below the surface of the glass lake was a mouth full of quilled teeth, eager to eat his heart and suck his bones. Webbed clawed hands, to snatch him underwater when it got the chance.

None of the drawings are right.

So Jeonghan goes back.

—

Apparently the monster talks.

And the monster has a lovely voice.

It’s waiting at the end of the dock this time. In the same place Mina’s body floated weeks ago.

You’ve returned. She laughs in his mind, light like the chime of a tin bell.

And for a second, Jeonghan thinks he might have dreamt everything. How could this creature kill Mina? How could it be the subject of nightmares, yet sound like an angel?

But he knows he’s not smart enough to imagine any of this.

“You talk?”

Of course I talk. Do you listen?

“You drowned my friend.”

We were just playing.

Her eyes don’t leave Jeonghan’s face, and her nose remains beneath the surface of the water, but she tilts her head as if she’s innocent.

We can play too.

Her voice croons, and his blood heats at the breathy tone.

Jeonghan musters all the venom he’s capable of. Hatred on Mina’s behalf, on her parents behalf. “I don’t play with monsters.” He spits, turning to leave.

Pity. She pouts. You’d look great in my garden.

—

The moon calls Jeonghan to the lake again a few months later. Silent and expectant, she reaches her peak as he breaks into the clearing.

His monster is waiting for him too.

I was wondering when you’d return.

Jeonghan would say he doesn’t know why he’s here. But that’s a lie.

His room is filled with drawings of this place, drawings of her. A stack of books he bought with his measly salary at the mill, stories about demons and monsters who call water their home.

None of it compares to the eerie serenity of being here.

“What are you?” He asks from the safety of the earth at the mouth of the dock.

Standing on the dock had been foolish, the only sure thing he’d learned in his patchy research. Jeonghan will stay out of reach and out of her stomach.

Come here and I’ll tell you. She whispers, voice tickling through his ears and down his spine.

“No.”

Boo. She pouts. Jeonghan can almost imagine a childish stomp and cross of her arms below water. But all he can see is her eyes.

“What’s your name?”

What's your name?

“What will you give me if I tell you?”

I can show you the bones of your friend.

Rage flares on his tongue, white hot and acrid. A step on the dock sends a giggle through his mind.

You humans are so simple. The monster admonishes.

“Would you be happy if your friend was drowned by some ugly beast?” He screams at where she floats, veins popping on the side of his neck, the whites of his eyes visible.

My friends don’t drown. She sniffs, as that’s the problem at hand. And I’m not ugly.

“Must be if you hide your face.”

The wet squelch of her hands hitting the wood of the dock shocks Jeonghan. Human hands, distinctly human except for the necrotic tint to her fingertips. And her human-like hands lead to human like arms, feeding into a very human-like torso.

She smiles beautifully as Jeonghan averts his gaze from her breasts, nipples peeking through the long matted tresses of sopping hair.

Am I a beast, boy?

“Yes.”

Her lower body remains obscured below the dock, dangling to the water. But Jeonghan spots the flare of her hips, the bite of her waist.

Not a beast at all.

She stays perched on the dock long after he’s gone.

This time, Jeonghan doesn’t look back.

—

Jeonghan dreams of her.

Fantasies of her rising on to the dock, beckoning him with a black tipped finger to come closer.

Imaginations of her mouth, how her unmistakably human body would feel in his palms.

And when she’s sucked his breath away, she pulls him under the water and into darkness forever.

—

A drunk trapeze through the forest is a fool's errand. But Jeonghan knows each tree by name, every trail by its curves.

He’s at the lake again.

And she’s not here.

The urge to call for her arises, but what does he call her? Beast? Monster?

I don’t have a name. She whispers to his mind, forcing Jeonghan to scan the surface lake with the grace of a ragdoll.

“So what do I call you?” Jeonghan asks to nothing.

Come here and I’ll tell you.

Eager for an answer, Jeonghan stumbles forward. “Where?”

Here. She calls, head slowly rising in the same spot at the bottom of the dock.

Jeonghan’s feet stop before they touch the wood.

“You’ll drown me.”

Not a question but a truth.

She drags herself up at the end of the dock, this time sitting. Her lower body is human like too; legs glistening in the moonlight.

But her face fills with curiosity.

Would that be so bad? She argues. Then you can stay with me forever.

“How long is your forever?”

For the first time, Jeonghan senses her hesitate.

“How old are you?”

Time means nothing to me.

Jeonghan is familiar with her tone. The same tone he used when he lied about Mina. A lie he’s convincing himself is the truth.

“Have you always been here?”

Yes.

“Are there others?”

Am I not enough for you, human?

If Jeonghan could believe it, he might argue she sounds jealous.

“Seems lonely.”

I have plenty of company. Would you like to see?

His silence at her threat gets her to speak again.

My sisters left. They abandoned this place because humans were interesting enough.

“You can leave this place?”

None of his books mentioned that. But none of the books mentioned anything like her.

If I wish.

“And you don’t?”

I don’t find humans that interesting.

“I think you’re interesting.”

She disappears into the water without a splash.

—

It becomes a routine.

Under the watchful eye of a full moon, Jeonghan sneaks from town to visit his lake. Sometimes she’s waiting for him, body forming puddles on the ancient dock. Others, doesn’t rise beyond the bottom curve of her eyes. And a few times she stayed deep below the surface.

Jeonghan refuses to dwell on the stench of rejection that reeks through his blood on those nights.

Humans age and wrinkle. I will stay beautiful forever.

She explains why she doesn’t want to leave her home, rolling onto her belly and pushing her breasts together tantalizingly; as if proving her point. Jeonghan would like to claim her attempts to charm him have lost their luster.

He sits a safe distance away, firmly out of reach of her hands but not her words.

“What’s beauty if no one else gets to enjoy it?” He asks, munching on an apple from his cottage. There meetings stretch into hours now, and he’ll need the fuel for his early call into the mill.

Do you believe you're the only human to find me?

Deep in his gut, Jeonghan realizes he had. The idea of another person, another man, talking with her, being charmed by her, boils his blood. But she’s a demon, and he can’t claim jealousy to something beyond his understanding. So instead, he plays with her.

“Did you play with them?”

They look lovely in my garden! She claps, a macabre type of glee.

Jeonghan reclines on his back, watching the sky above. The earliest tinges of sunlight are starting to bleed into the dark night, signaling his time to leave.

What's your village like?

The question shocks him. She’s never asked about the world beyond the trees. A comment about something he brought with him such as a book or a treat for her to try. But she only cared about what came into her realm, not what existed outside it.

“Like any other I suppose.”

How do you explain something as familiar as the back of your hand, to someone who doesn’t even know what a hand is?

She snorts, continuing to brush her hair with a comb Jeonghan refuses to think more of. Very helpful.

“It’s a village, with lots of people. And when the spring comes, people hang garlands of flowers everywhere. It’s beautiful.”

Beautiful…

She ponders the imagine, silent for the first time this night.

Pressing his luck, Jeonghan continues.

“You’d just have to see it to understand.”

When she dunks into the water as he leaves, there’s a sadness hanging around her shoulders like a lead weight.

—

“Hannie! Jeonghan!” The gruff of his father’s shouts floods his ear. “Wake up boy!”

Bolting up, Jeonghan throws his eyes around the room wildly, expect a fire due to the urgency of his rising.

“What?” He croaks.

“There’s a girl downstairs. Says she’s your friend.”

Eyebrows curled in confusion, lips twisted sourly, Jeonghan responds. “A friend?”

Perhaps one of the girls in town misinterpreted his kindness again. But Jeonghan hadn’t give any of them more attention than was due since regularly visiting his lake, consumed by the being who ruled it. Whoever this “friend” is should pray his exhaustion will stifle his reprimand.

Shouldering around his father, Jeonghan stomps down the rickety stairs to the foyer. A biting remark hot on his tongue, shoulders square with anger.

But it all melts into shock when he sees a a head of inky hair, wide curios eyes, and legs dripping onto the wooden floor in front of the fire. A familiar brown wool blanket cloaks her figure, the one Jeonghan tucked into a tree by the lake for colder nights.

She isn’t looking at him, but rather the blazing hearth heating his home. She stares as if there’s never been a larger miracle than the flames licking towards her, round face illumined with the warm glow.

Jeonghan’s grunt of surprise turns her around swiftly.

And he’s greeted with the same beautiful smile and bell like voice he’d recognize anywhere.

“I wanted to see.”

—

There were monsters in the lake.

That’s what Hwamin’s mom tells her.

Since the beginning of the earth, the monsters dwelled in the lake, blessed to laugh and play for eternity. However, overtime, they would leave one by one, exiting the line of trees without looking back. Until only one monster remained. She vowed never to forsake her watery kingdom like her sisters before her.

And she didn’t.

Until the monster fell in love with a man who visited her every night under a sly moon.

And when his words weren’t enough, when she wished to see his world beyond her own, the monster left her lake and married him.

Hwamin’s eventually stops listening to her mother’s bed time stories because her father always interrupts from the door of her room with a laugh before crossing to kiss her mother in the gross way grown ups do that makes Hwamin green in the face.

She doesn’t really understand what’s so special about the lake in the woods anyway. Or why her mom pretends she isn’t crying when they visit it on her birthday.

#svthub #yoon jeonghan #jeonghan x reader #svt jeonghan #svt fanfic #svt x reader #jeonghan #jeonghan smut #jeonghan scenarios #jeonghan angst #🫡 highvern

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doodle-pops · 2 months ago

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Cinnamon Love

Maglor x reader

Warnings: none, fluff

Words: 1.5k

Synopsis: “Oh really? Apple bobbing, apple picking, caramel apples, apple cider, apple pie—apple is clearly the best autumn flavour?” “You’re just saying that because I’m drinking a pumpkin spice latte and I didn’t get you one.” — Autumn Prompts

The low sun cast its golden light over the fields of Valinor, softening the edges of the world into a warm, hazy glow. The rolling hills of the Blessed Realm were adorned with patches of trees, their branches heavy with the ripened fruit of the season. Apple trees, to be precise, whose fragrance filled the air like a sweet promise of autumn.

Maglor had a basket in one hand and was reaching for a particularly large apple with the other, a small frown of concentration wrinkling his forehead. His long, dark hair, now free of the braids he usually wore, shimmered in the sunlight as he stretched upward. The sight of him like that—barefoot, relaxed, and so different from the fabled Kinslayer—was almost too much to bear.

You watched from a little distance, leaning against the trunk of another tree, a mug of pumpkin spice latte cradled between your hands. The warmth seeped through the ceramic into your fingers, contrasting with the crisp bite of the autumn air.

Maglor finally plucked the apple from its branch and turned towards you with a grin. “You’re just standing there, aren’t you?”

“Observing,” you corrected with a smirk. “Someone’s got to keep you humble.”

He gave you a mock-wounded look before he dropped the apple into the basket with a satisfying thunk. “I thought I had perfected the art of apple picking,” he said, moving towards you, his steps slow and deliberate. His eyes flickered down to the mug in your hands, a slight quirk of his eyebrow betraying his curiosity. Maglor had only recently taken to the odd custom of ‘lattes’—an influence of the returnees from the mortal lands—but of course, he’d effortlessly made it look as though he'd been doing it for centuries.

“Pumpkin spice latte, again?” he questioned.

“It’s autumn, Maglor,” you said, lifting the mug to your lips for a slow sip. “The season of all things pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.”

“You say that,” he replied, crossing his arms and leaning against the tree next to you, “but let’s be honest here—apple is clearly the superior autumn flavour.”

You gave him a sidelong glance, feeling the corner of your mouth twitch upwards. “Oh really? Apple bobbing, apple picking, caramel apples, apple cider, apple pie—apple is clearly the best autumn flavour?” you teased, echoing his words with a raised brow.

His eyes sparkled with amusement, the laugh already forming on his lips. “Precisely.”

You shook your head, suppressing a laugh. “You’re just saying that because I’m drinking a pumpkin spice latte and I didn’t get you one.”

His eyes narrowed, though the playfulness in his tone remained. “How could you not get me one?”

You took a deliberate sip of the latte, your lips barely touching the edge of the cup before setting it aside on the nearby table and folding your arms across your chest. “You didn’t ask for one.”

“Rude.” Shooting you a look, though the humour in his eyes mirrored yours. Gracefully, he set down the basket and moved closer, brushing your hand against his in a way that felt entirely natural, his fingers lingering against your skin for a moment longer than necessary. “Besides, you don’t even like pumpkin spice.”

“I never said I didn’t,” you replied with a faint smirk playing on your lips as you turned slightly towards him. “You’re assuming.”

“You always complain about it.” He gave you a pointed look, folding his arms to mirror your stance, though his posture was far more elegant.

He laughed then, a sound so rare that it felt like music in itself, and you couldn’t help but smile in response. There was something about the way he laughed that made the world seem lighter, as if for that moment, the shadows of his past were forgotten.

“Perhaps I’ve acquired new tastes,” you mused. “Or perhaps,” you added, leaning in slightly, your voice dropping to a near whisper, “I just wanted to see how you’d react.”

“See how I’d react?” he echoed, raising an eyebrow as he took a step closer, the space between you shrinking until you could feel the warmth of him, his presence enveloping you in that way that always made you feel both giddy and safe. “My sweet love, you should know by now that I’m not easily impressed.”

As he stepped closer to you, the scent of him—earth, wind, and something distinctly Maglor—mingled with the crisp air. “Perhaps,” you murmured lowly. “But it doesn’t make me wrong.”

He rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the smile spreading across his face. “You’re infuriating, you know that?”

“I try,” you replied. He reached out and gently tugged at the end of your scarf, wrapping it more snugly around your neck. The action was so domestic, so casual, that for a second you almost forgot this was the same Maglor who once roamed the wilds of Middle-earth, the same Maglor who sang lamentations of sorrow and loss.

“You're going to be in trouble, you know,” you said, looking down at the apples he’d already picked. “Caramel apples, apple pie—you’re going to have to make all of it.”

He paused, a look of mock horror crossing his face. “All of it?”

“All of it,” you confirmed, nodding solemnly. “And I expect nothing less than perfection from the renowned son of Fëanor.”

He sighed dramatically, his hand covering his heart. “Ah, the burdens of being a legend. Fine. But if I make the apple pie, you’re making the cider.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Deal,” you said, holding out your hand to shake it, but Maglor just chuckled, catching your hand in his and pressing a warm, lingering kiss to your knuckles. The gesture sent a little thrill through you, though you tried to play it off with a casual laugh.

“Now, come on,” you said, trying to distract yourself from the way his lips felt against your skin. “We’ve got work to do.”

The two of you spent the next hour picking the best apples from the trees, Maglor quickly proving to be far more efficient than you at climbing up into the branches to reach the ones hanging just out of reach. He moved with an easy grace, his lithe form blending so naturally into the peaceful surroundings that it felt like Valinor itself had been waiting for him to come home.

“I’m beginning to suspect,” you called up to him as he tossed another apple down into your basket, “that you’ve done this before.”

“Only in my wildest dreams,” he replied, his voice muffled slightly by the leaves. He dropped down from the tree in one fluid movement, landing lightly beside you. “Though I’ll admit, it’s nice to finally pick apples without worrying about, you know, armies of orcs.”

“That does tend to put a damper on the whole experience,” you said dryly, passing him another basket as he leaned down to collect the scattered apples at his feet.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the ground, you both made your way back to the cottage, baskets brimming with apples and laughter lingering in the air between you. The kitchen was soon filled with the warm, rich scent of baking apples and cinnamon, Maglor humming softly to himself as he prepared the pie crust with an elegance you wouldn’t have expected from someone with his storied past.

“You’ve got a bit of flour on your nose,” you teased, leaning against the counter as you watched him expertly peel and slice the apples. He paused, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand before realising he’d only spread it further. “You're making it worse,” you laughed, walking over to him and brushing the flour from his face with your fingers.

He caught your wrist gently, holding it still as he looked at you, his expression softening. For a moment, the playful banter fell away, and the world outside the kitchen seemed to fade into nothing. His thumb stroked over your skin, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper.

“For what?” you asked, your voice equally soft, caught in the unexpected tenderness of the moment.

“For being here,” he replied, his eyes searching yours as if he was trying to convey something deeper, something he wasn’t sure he could put into words. “For reminding me what it feels like to...live.”

You blinked, taken aback by the raw honesty in his voice. There was no grand speech, no flowery declaration—just a simple truth, laid bare between you. You smiled, feeling a warmth spread through your chest that had nothing to do with the baking pie.

“I’m not going anywhere,” you said softly, stepping closer and resting your head against his chest. His arms came around you, holding you close as the scent of apples and cinnamon filled the air around you, mingling with the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

For the first time in a long while, it felt like the world was at peace. And in that quiet moment, as you stood there in the soft glow of the hearth with Maglor’s arms wrapped around you, you realised that this—this—was what home truly felt like.

Masterlist

Taglist: @lilmelily @ranhanabi777 @rain-on-my-umbrella @mysticmoomin @asianbutnotjapanese @batsyforyou @involuntaryspasms @ladyenchanted @sakurayaxd @stormchaser819 @aconstructofamind @addaigio @lamemaster @elficially-done-with-life @eunoiaastralwings @hermaeuswhora

If you wish to be added, click on the Taglist Link to join.

#「 ✦ mina’s flufftober ✦ 」#maglor x reader #maglor fluff #maglor imagine #maglor scenario #maglor #makalaurë #silmarillion imagine #silmarillion x reader #silmarillion fic #middle earth x reader #middle earth imagine #middle earth fic #x reader fluff #x reader insert #silmarillion #doodlepops writings ✨

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flame-shadow · 28 days ago

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Honey Factory Bug Fables OC Collab [10/26]

Background - @flame-shadow

Character Credits:

Zell and Maggie - @czalserafino and @othermario

Millie - @brokencroww

Bob - @foxtrotmagnitude

B-R16N & Binary - Lord Terrakaion

Lorlei & Gina - @flame-shadow

Serena & Sparky - @sappedart

Reed & Sappy - @candycanearter07

Ivory - Moijigi

#bug fables #bug fables oc #bf oc collab #id in alt #Honey Factory #talk about not safe for work!! where is Bug OSHA!!#OC: Lorlei #OC: Gina

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eldrigeonsss · 1 year ago

Note

Favorite fnc headcanon, go

Oh hi anon that I definitely don’t know!! I have a lot!! And it is hard to choose, so here’s a couple of my favorites!

Chip likes to bring Gillion different sweets and snacks from each island they visit. Gillion likes to bring Chip various trinkets on islands that he finds fascinating. Chip’s belt is absolutely adorned with various little bits and bobs that Gill gifted him, and the hair beads were also a gift.

Gillion will occasionally wake up in the middle of the night and wander around the ship making sure that all of his crew-mates are alive. This usually happens during long spans of quiet at sea. Whenever Chip catches this, he invites Gill to cuddle with him and just listen to his heartbeat in his chest. Gillion finds that he falls asleep very quickly to the sound of Chip’s heartbeat.

Chip and Gill will often times stay up late and lay under the stars on the deck. Chip likes to tell Gillion stories and fables revolving around the constellations(celestial moment). He likes how wrapped Gillion’s attention is on his stories a lot. Gillion enjoys these stories a lot, and in turn tells Chip various legends regarding titans and leviathans(undersea moment). They usually stay up there until one of them falls asleep, which then they will drag them downstairs and tuck them in for bed. Occasionally, Jay will get up for her watch and see the two idiots passed out on the deck leaning against each other, and will bring them a blanket to toss on top of them.

Bonus doodle

#jrwi #jrwi riptide #just roll with it #just roll with it riptide #jrwi fnc #jrwi fish and chips #fish and chips #chip x gillion #gillion tidestrider #gillion jrwi #jrwi gillion #jrwi chip #chip jrwi #chip lastname #Chip James #chip bastard

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marvelmusing · 1 year ago

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Starlight, Star Bright

Pairing: Darklina x Fem!Star Summoner!Reader

Summary: The arrival of the sun summoner - your darling Alina - changes everything for you and Aleksander.

Warnings [18+]: canon level violence and death, mentions of death, nightmares, use of sleeping tonics, anxiety, mentions of Luda x Reader x Aleksander, angst, smut, oral (fem receiving), fingering, mentions of masturbation, smidge of corruption/innocence kink, Alina had a strict and conservative upbringing

My Masterlist

Alina’s concentration face is rather adorable. Dark brows furrowed together, pink lips parted, and a tiny peek of her tongue can be seen at the corner of her mouth. It hadn’t been intentional - watching her like this. But the library at the Little Palace is one of your favourite places to hide from your duties and seeing her here feels like an unexpected treat.

Her concentration dissolves into frustration, plush lips pressing into a firm line, then emotion seems to overwhelm her. A redness has crept over her throat which bobs rapidly and her dark eyes blink in an embarrassed flurry. When you realise she’s holding back tears, you move towards her without thinking.

It’s only once you spot the mountain of books surrounding her, piled up over the desk in heaps, that you begin to suspect what has caused her distress.

“Good evening, Miss Starkov,” you say softly.

She looks up at you hurriedly and the action has tears filling her waterline which she quickly attempts blink away. A piece of your heart snaps away, quivering in your chest, aching at the thought of seeing tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Good evening, Lieutenant.”

“Shu isn’t the easiest language to learn, but once you understand the basics the rest will follow.”

A bright blush spreads over her cheeks and her gaze lowers to the open book in front of her. When you see her chin wobble slightly, your stomach twists, and you add,

“Can I offer you a recommendation?”

She looks up at you again, nodding slowly.

Moving over towards a nearby shelf, you search for a particular book, pulling it carefully from its place and settling it down in Alina’s lap.

“It’s a book of fables,” you explain quietly. She tilts her head, eyeing the cover. “It might seem a little childish, but I find it to be one of the best ways to introduce someone to a new language.”

She begins to turn the pages with infinite care, her delicate fingers tracing over the illustrations inside.

“Would-”

Her words falter.

“Yes?”

She shakes her head, a pretty blush warming her cheeks.

“No. It’s silly.”

“Alina-” Her eyes snap up to yours at the sound of her name from your lips and your own voice falters. “May I call you Alina?” She nods and you smile softly. “I want you to feel at home here, in the Little Palace. There’s nothing you can’t ask of me.”

From what you’ve heard from her tutors, Alina has been struggling with Grisha theory, alongside her physical training. Judging by the dark circles under her eyes and the way she pushes her food around her plate at dinner every night, she hasn’t been able to summon very well either.

Anything you can do to make her feel better, you vow to do it. Particular memories have concerns stirring in your stomach. For centuries, you had been by Aleksander’s side, masquerading as the Darkling’s otkazat’sya wife.

It was only when Aleksander presented his newest alias at court, General Kirigan, that you revealed your power to the world - Ravka’s only star summoner. The sudden pressure you felt to help your country, alongside the expectations of your fellow Grisha, had made you almost ill with worry. Everyone had hoped your light would have been able to destroy the Fold.

Alina squares her shoulders a little, seemingly drawing some confidence from your encouragement.

“Would you read it to me?” she asks.

There’s a small pause as you look at her, your expression softening at the sight of her looking so flustered.

“I’d love to.”

She smiles and the sight has the breath halting in your lungs. She shuffles back slightly as you sit down beside her, your fingers brushing against her clothed knee as you take the book from her lap.

“Each of the stories are only a handful of pages in length. I could read them in Shu first, then again in Ravkan - if you would like that?”

Her eyes widen, something hopeful glimmering in their dark depths.

“You don’t mind?” she asks shyly. You shake your head.

“Not at all.”

»»---------------------►

Reading to Alina soon becomes one of your favourite things in the world - a guilty pleasure of sorts to escape from the stress of helping Aleksander run the Second Army.

One night, she comes to your door with the book of Shu fables in her arms tucked against her chest.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she admits in a hoarse whisper and you wonder whether she has nightmares too. Instantly you take her hand, pulling her gently into your bedroom.

She settles at the head of your bed, plush pillows and velvet cushions bundled up around the two of you. With a flick of your fingers, you summon enough light to read by. Alina is entranced by your starlight, eyes wide as she stares up at the miniature constellations swirling above your heads.

As you read stories aloud in her mother’s language, Alina slowly inches her head down onto your lap so that she can watch the tiny stars shining down on you both. This provides you with the perfect opportunity to thread your fingers lightly through her hair. At your request, Genya has been taking care of Alina and her hair is much softer and fuller than when she first arrived at the Little Palace.

The darkness of her eyes offers a perfect reflection of your stars and every time you risk a glance at her you’re captivated by the sight. Some of the tension slips away from her body and a low, sleepy sigh falls from her lips. Her eyes flutter closed.

»»---------------------►

It isn’t surprising that the sun summoner loves to sit in the sunlight. After all, even before you could summon, you’ve always adored a starry night sky. But seeing Alina soak up the sun, her head tilted back, eyes closed, has your steps faltering as you watch her. She’s so beautiful like this, waiting for you at the foot of an oak tree in the grounds.

Aleksander is nearby, tending to the horses used by the two of them on their morning ride. Alina is sitting on his kefta, using it as a blanket to shield her legs from the cool dew of the grass beneath her.

When she notices your presence, a luminous smile brightens up her features. It isn’t long before the two of you have settled into your familiar rhythm. Alina lies down with her head in your lap whilst you read to her. The story you’ve selected for today is an unacknowledged favourite of Alina’s.

Once you’ve finished the story, you take a moment to admire Alina. Her eyes remain closed, lashes fanned over her cheekbones. There’s a sun kissed glow over her cheeks, her skin tone revitalised by her time in the sun - and her increase in summoning.

When her eyes open slowly, she blinks up at you, though you don’t shy away from her gaze. She smiles softly, sitting up slowly to face you.

“Can I ask you something?” she asks quietly, tucking a stray hair back from her face as the breeze drags at her dark locks.

Tilting your head aside, you study the nervous press of her lips and the way her eyes shift over the grass, avoiding your gaze. Then you nod slowly.

“In the story,” she begins, head inclined towards the book lying open in your lap. “The princess and the fairy… they get married.”

A subtle frown creases at your brows before you nod again.

“They… I’m not getting the translation wrong, am I? They’re both girls.”

“Yes, Alya. They’re both girls.”

“And that’s allowed?”

“I’m sure a few more conservative members of the nobility might have something to say about it, but yes, it’s allowed.”

Alina seems deep in thought, staring at a particular leaf as it is carried away by the breeze.

“Nadia flirts with girls,” she states.

“She does,” you agree.

“Sometimes, when I was in the First Army, someone would make a joke about two girls tumbling each other…” Her voice trails off slightly, her cheeks glowing a rosy pink with embarrassment as she adds, “But I didn’t know… girls actually do that with each other.”

You nod with a small smile, a knowing glimmer in your eyes.

“They do.”

The pink on her cheeks burns to a deep red, her mouth open with a question poised on her tongue. She’s adorable, innocent and flustered and curious. The sound of long grass rustling draws your attention over to Aleksander, who seems to be making his way towards you and Alina.

“Enjoying yourselves?” he asks with a tender smile, the affection in his gaze is obvious to you after years of learning to decipher his emotions.

When you glance back at Alina, there’s a spark of alarm in her eyes, widened as she looks almost pleadingly at you.

“I was just telling Alina about the trail around the lake,” you inform Aleksander. There’s a questioning tilt to his head, observing your lie instantly. Nevertheless, he nods and turns his attention onto her.

“Perhaps we could take that route on our next ride around the grounds.”

She smiles softly, shooting you a grateful look before she glances at Aleksander. Her smile widens when their eyes meet and she nods bashfully.

“I’d like that.”

»»---------------------►

“Healer! Is there a healer here!?”

Aleksander’s voice is hoarse, a guttural cry for help that has you stumbling to your feet, hurrying through the makeshift rooms of the Grisha sanctuary. Voices and the sound of frantic movement aid you in your search for him, your heart pounding in your chest as fright fills you.

“The best we have is a tailor,” someone says. “We were waiting for Luda.”

At the mention of your other lover’s name, the tidemaker’s words falter and you rush quickly towards them. Luda is lying limply in Aleksander’s arms, blood staining her clothing. He places her on a cot, smoothing her hair back once she’s settled.

“Luda,” you cry. “No.”

At the sound of your voice, Aleksander stands back, attempting to grasp your arm as you approach - to shield you from seeing her state. His hold is weak and you slip by him easily, sinking yourself onto the bed beside her.

Luda’s eyes flutter, the pain limiting her awareness, though she manages to hold your hand weakly. There’s a sickening twist in your stomach when you see the wound, blood flowing at a frightening speed. Tears fill your eyes as you smile softly at her, trying your hardest to be brave for her.

There are no other healers in the sanctuary. Even if you could staunch the bleeding, she has already lost too much blood and the damage looks too deep for a tailor to fix.

“It isn’t bad, milaya,” you assure her. “You just need some rest.”

Leaning forward, you press a gentle kiss to her forehead, cool to the touch yet damp with perspiration. Hovering over her, you wait for the sound of her next breath. It doesn’t come.

A broken cry catches in your throat, the beginning of a sob, as you sink onto the cold stone floor beside the cot. Hot tears spill over your cheeks, dripping down onto your lap as you curl in on yourself, shoulders shaking with the weight of your anguish.

The two of you had grown up in the same village. She had been the first person to see your starlight. Your first kiss. She’s the one who always soothes your heartbeat when it quickens with anxiety.

Luda had been the one to nudge you towards the mysterious Darkling, stating with flushed cheeks that she would not mind sharing you with such a handsome man. Innocently, you had laughed and shaken your head at her, completely unaware of Aleksander’s eyes on you both.

She had been so determined to gain an amplifier, to stay with you and Aleksander for as long as she could. Deep down, you know some part of her had craved a forever with you both. To see that slip away so quickly has your throat closing up with emotion.

“Just mortal,” Aleksander murmurs quietly.

Lifting your head, you manage to meet his gaze. He looks just as broken as you feel, his eyes filled with a grief so tangible you want to grasp hold of it, take it by the throat and throttle it. A wounded cry escapes you as Aleksander curls his hand around your wrist and you begin to sob in earnest.

Aleksander wakes you, fingers curling firmly around your wrists when you begin to struggle in his arms, still in the throes of your anxious slumber. When you realise where you are, and who is holding you, your body slumps defeatedly against him.

Aleksander lets you cry, allowing your grief to course through your body as you sob. He keeps you close, stroking a hand down your side as he murmurs gentle reminders to you - to continue breathing through your tears and that he’s here for you.

When your sobs relent, you manage to sit up beside him, the two of you leaning against the headboard.

“I’m sorry for waking you,” you sniffle. He retrieves a handkerchief for you, smoothing the soft cotton over your damp cheeks.

“Don’t be.” He pauses, eyeing your features with concern before he asks softly, “Luda?”

Closing your eyes, your expression crumples as you nod.

“First love always leaves it’s scars,” he murmurs, tracing his finger over the jagged skin tissue that curls over the slope of your shoulder - from the tip of your shoulder blade through your collarbone. The scar from the volcra, when you had escaped the Fold during its creation.

There’s a small scar at the corner of Aleksander’s eyebrow, one that you reach for now. He had gained it when he was thirteen, and he still rubs at the spot when he’s been working too long. There’s another scar, from the same incident, that runs over the length of his calf.

“Let me fetch you a sleeping draught.”

“Aleksander, I don’t need-”

“You look tired, my love.”

The concern in his voice has your hand lowering to your lap, your gaze following it as you remark quietly,

“You know I don’t like taking tonics.”

He nods. Aleksander rarely suggests such a solution, since the sleeping draughts put you in an immobilised state, where your limbs become too heavy to move. He knows you hate the lack of control, and the alarming decrease in your awareness.

“I know. But your nerves are overwrought, and a deep dreamless sleep will fix that.” He strokes your cheek gently. “I will watch over you, I promise. We’re safe. No one will hurt us here.”

A warm tear spills down your cheek, which he brushes away tenderly with the pad of his thumb. Breathing in shakily, you nod in consent. As Aleksander leaves the bed, the mattress dips and you bite back a whimper at the loss of his warm presence.

Leaning your head back against the headboard, you allow your heavy eyes to flutter closed as the sound of pouring liquid reaches your ears. Metal clinks lightly against porcelain as he stirs the sleeping draught for you.

He stokes the fire, encouraging a little more warmth into the room, before scooping up some burning coals to fill the warming pan.

With a tender smile at you, he lifts the covers at the foot of the bed, slotting the pan between the sheets to keep you cosy. Affection buzzes in your chest, an adoring smile quirking at your lips as you watch him.

He rounds the bed, sitting down by your side with a tea cup in his hands which he holds out for you to drink from.

“A few sips will suffice,” he says in a low voice.

Holding his gaze, you swallow down a small mouthful of the bitter liquid. He smiles softly when he sees your nose wrinkle at the taste. Aleksander hooks a finger under your chin, keeping your mouth close to the lip of the cup.

“Just a little more, my love.”

Somewhat reluctantly, you drink another mouthful and Aleksander casts the cup aside.

He settles you in his lap, tucking you against his chest as the draught begins to take effect. A haze clouds over your thoughts, filling your body with a limp heaviness. When you whimper quietly, Aleksander strokes a hand down your spine, pressing a reassuring kiss to your forehead as he hushes you. He continues murmuring comforting words to you.

As your eyelids flutter, your breathing shifting into something more heavy and rhythmic, Aleksander pulls the two of you down under the covers.

»»---------------------►

“Aleksander!” you hiss quietly. He slows his pace slightly, turning back to reach for your hand. “I think you’re forgetting I can’t see in the dark as well as you can.”

“Then summon some light.”

“What if someone sees?”

“No one is awake at this hour.”

Sighing, you summon a low twinkle of starlight, faint galaxies billowing like wisps of smoke around your ankles to light your way. Aided by your stars, you follow Aleksander through the darkened corridors of the Little Palace. He stops at a familiar room, releasing your hand as he turns to look at you.

Quietly, you knock against Alina’s door.

There’s a beat of silence and you both strain your ears, listening for any sound of movement from within her room. Slowly, Alina seems to rouse herself from her bed, moving towards the door. Her eyes widen as she looks at you and Aleksander, a frown creasing at the space between her brows.

“Um, hello?”

“I know you were upset that you couldn’t join your friends at the banya,” you say in a low voice.

Her gaze lowers, her feet shifting in her slippers as a subconscious pout puckers at her lips.

“It’s fine,” she says quietly. “I know you were both just concerned about my safety.”

Despite the guilt stirring in your stomach at the thought of Alina missing out on time with her friends, the smile growing on your face is hard to suppress as you consider the idea you’re about to propose to her.

“Well, we were thinking…” you trail off, looking expectantly at Aleksander. He smiles indulgently.

“That there is no one safer for you to be with than us.” Her eyes widen with excitement at Aleksander’s words and you add,

“It’s a warm night and the water at the lake will be the perfect temperature for a swim.”

“You mean…” Her smile is infectious and you’re smiling too as you ask her,

“Where’s your bathing dress?”

She frowns.

“My what?”

“Bathing dress. Genya told me you have one.”

She glances back into her room, eyes darting between her cabinet, vanity table, and her wardrobe.

“Would you like me to help you find it?” you ask. She nods.

It doesn’t take you long to locate the garment, folded carefully in the bottom drawer of the cabinet beside the window. Aleksander sits at her vanity table and you perch yourself on the end of the bed whilst Alina changes behind the folding screen in the corner of her room.

She steps out rather shyly, fidgeting with the hem of the dress while you and Aleksander stare, captivated by her.

The skirt of Alina’s bathing dress stops mid thigh and the neckline dips enough for you to catch a glimpse of her cleavage despite the modest capped sleeves which cover her shoulders. The fabric hugs her body comfortably, though you’re certain once the water has soaked through the material it will cling sinfully to her every curve.

Her cheeks are flushed, her gaze lowered to avoid your gaze as her fingers graze over the hemline of the dress, fingers playing nervously with the fabric. When she finally finds the courage to meet Aleksander’s eyes - then your own - her blush deepens.

Saving her from further embarrassment, you extend a hand out towards her which she takes instantly. A smile spreads over your features as her fingers curl around yours.

“Let’s go for a swim.”

»»---------------------►

Alina’s head lifts the moment she hears her door open. The smile that spreads over her features has your stomach flipping and she lowers her pen to give you her full attention from where she’s sitting at her vanity table.

“Good evening, Alina.”

Her smile brightens as she wraps her bath robe tighter around her body.

“Good evening.”

There’s ink smudges on her fingertips and your eyes peek around her to examine the pieces of parchment strewn over the table. When she catches your gaze, you lift a brow questioningly.

“Drawing?”

She shakes her head.

“I was just writing another letter for Mal.”

Sadness creeps into her expression and guilt stirs in your stomach.

“Alina-”

At the sound of her name on your lips, she lifts her head, eyes scouring over your face and your words fade as you lose your courage. But Alina deserves the truth.

“All letters that leave the Little Palace are read by either myself or Aleksander, to ensure that no important information falls into the wrong hands.”

She stiffens slightly, embarrassment touching her features.

“You mean you’ve read my letters to Mal?”

Guilt settles in your stomach as you shake your head.

“No.” She frowns, then you pull out a bundle of letters from the pocket of your kefta. “They haven’t been sent.”

She remains still, eyes fixed on the stack in your hand.

“I haven’t opened them. I wanted to tell you that Aleksander and I check letters so that you wouldn’t be uncomfortable. I was going to tell you… but the days went by and I just kept forgetting.”

Every word is the truth. Though it isn’t the whole truth. In all honesty, your reluctance to tell her about the letters is most likely an attempt at keeping her for yourself. Tears glimmer in her eyes and it sickens you that your selfishness is the reason for her distress. She shifts away from you and there’s a physical pain in your chest.

“I told you he hadn’t written back,” she says quietly, a quiver in her voice as she stares down at the envelopes. “You said he would soon. You told me there had been problems with the mail carriers. You lied to me.”

“Alina-”

She shakes her head, stepping away again, and you force your features to harden, shoving the hurt in your chest deep down. It twists inside you, making you step towards her and place the letters down on her table.

“I thought I should give these back to you. I’m certain you will choose your words more carefully, now that you know Aleksander and I will read every word that you write.”

It’s cruel, throwing the feelings you know she has for you and Aleksander in her face. Her cheeks flush red, anger and embarrassment flashing over her features as she looks away from you. The beginning of tears glisten in the corner of her eyes and you turn towards the door before you can see them fall.

»»---------------------►

A familiar presence lingers at the open doorway to your bedroom as you continue folding your trousers up, placing them in your trunk for the third time this morning.

“Sasha, would you pass me the…”

As you turn, your words are halted by the sight of Alina hesitating at the threshold of your room. She hasn’t spoken to you since that night in her rooms, turning away when she sees you in the grounds and keeping her gaze lowered when she passes you in the corridors.

“Alina.”

“You’re leaving.”

You nod.

“I’m going to oversee the new campaign on the Fjerdan frontlines.”

Aleksander had only casually suggested it but you had leapt at the opportunity, believing you need some fresh air and a chance to use your power productively.

There’s a pause as Alina steps towards you, almost cautiously. Her gaze is lowered, searching over your belongings that have been strewn across your bed.

“Can I write to you?” she asks.

There’s a twinge of guilt in your chest at the mention of letters, though the softness of Alina’s features express no ill will in regards to her unsent letters to Mal.

“Of course. I can’t promise my replies will be detailed or lengthy, but I would love to hear from you, Alina.”

She fidgets with her fingers, nails picking at her cuticles.

“How long will you be gone for?”

“I plan to return just before the Winter Fete.”

Her eyes widen.

“That long?”

“It’s only a few months. I’ll be back before you know it.”

»»---------------------►

The problem with being the person who censors letters within the Second Army is that you find it all too easy to remove what has been written on the page.

»»---------------------►

Alina,

I should have told you about the letters. I know this is a cowardly way to apologise, but seeing so many casualties today - knowing there will be more tomorrow - has made me reflective as it always does.

Please forgive me. I don’t want to lose you.

»»---------------------►

Moi Sashenka,

My official report on the front has been sent and hopefully you will have received it by the time this letter reaches you.

Fjerda is as cold as it always is and I hate being so far from you. Too many times I find myself longing for your advice or your embrace. I miss you, Sasha.

I miss Alina too. How is Alina? I hope her lessons have improved and that she’s feeling more settled. Could you remind her that she can write to me? I’m afraid I’ve ruined us.

Take care, as always

Forever yours

»»---------------------►

One particular letter you set alight with your starlight, watching the paper crumble as the flames remove your words from existence. That night you sleep curled in on yourself, old grief burrowing it’s way into your chest as you remember a girl with hopeful eyes the same colour as the sky.

She slips into your dreams, gentle hands holding you. The bed is warm, soft sheets caressing your naked bodies. Aleksander’s touch is familiar, like being welcomed home. He kisses you. She kisses you. A featherlight brush of her lips, before you’re sinking a hand into her hair to deepen the kiss with a fierce longing to keep her like this. It feels so real.

The tears have scarcely dried over your cheeks as you wake. The sounds of your army rousing itself from slumber draws you out of your bittersweet state, grounding you as you stare up at the cloth ceiling of your tent.

»»---------------------►

Aleksander folds his arms over his chest, drawing his bath robe tighter around his body as he looks over the map on his table. A chill brushes over his skin when his eyes land on the collection of figures placed by the Fjerdan border. Immediately his thoughts fall onto you.

The two of you aren’t often parted from each other; you’ve been one another’s constant companion for the last few centuries and he feels the temporary loss of you in his chest.

It appears he isn’t the only one who feels your absence. He turns at the sight of movement in the corner of his eye, shoulders tensing as the shadows stir at his subconscious command. They dissolve the moment his gaze falls onto her face.

“Alina.”

She tucks her hair back shyly.

“Am I disturbing you?”

He shakes his head.

“Not at all. Come in, please.”

He watches Alina’s eyes bounce over the contents of his table and can’t help but notice that she also lingers on the spot where your camp is. As she approaches him, she keeps her gaze lowered, looking over the pages in front of him.

Then she spies your letters.

“Is this from-”

Aleksander says your name softly, nodding as his fingers trace affectionately over the loops of your handwriting. His eyes skim over the words, reading between the lines of your ink in a manner only he can.

“She misses you.”

“I miss her too,” she admits in a whisper.

He gestures for her to sit in the armchair by the fire which she does, quietly tucking her knees beneath herself, bundling the fabric of her night robe closer around her body. Aleksander watches her, leaning back against the war table, his palms splayed over maps and papers.

He looks at her for a long moment, admiring her features as the firelight dances over them. There’s a contemplative furrow to his brows as he thinks of a promise he made to you before you left for the frontlines.

“Alina, I have something to tell you but I want you to make me a promise first.”

She eyes him somewhat warily. In your absence, the two of them have grown considerably closer, but you had been the one to coax Alina out of her shell.

“What’s the promise?” she asks.

“That you won’t leave.”

Her expression softens.

“Aleksander-”

“I want you to give me your word, that you will listen to everything I have to say tonight. Afterwards, if you would like to leave I will provide you with whatever resources I can to ensure you a safe journey.”

She’s frighteningly still, wide eyed like a rabbit weighing up the threat of a potential predator. He watches her swallow, steeling herself before she nods curtly in agreement. The knot in his chest begins to loosen slightly, though he dreads her reaction to what he’s about to tell her. He can only hope that you are right.

»»---------------------►

Dear Alina,

I know winter has already arrived for you in the capital. Whenever I begin to fear that frostbite has taken my toes, I picture you curled up by the fire with Aleksander. Home has never felt further from me, even as the date of my return inches closer.

I hope you will be happy to see me. I long for you. The silence has been torture.

I have enclosed another letter, which I hope you might be able to pass along to Aleksander. There has been little time to write these days and ink is scarce. Give him my love. I hope you have a happy Yuletide.

»»---------------------►

Sasha,

There is a Yuletide gift for you underneath your bed. Alina’s gift is under my bed. Kiss her under the mistletoe for me.

All my love

»»---------------------►

My dearest Alya,

Fjerda is cold and I miss your warmth.

I hope that I reach you before this letter does. We begin our return to Os Alta today. I’m coming home.

»»---------------------►

As soon as you arrive back at the Little Palace, you find yourself drawn to Aleksander’s room, abandoning your trunk in your bedroom and seeking solace in the war room. The moment you set your eyes on him, the months-long tension leaves your shoulders and you stumble into his open arms.

Aleksander doesn’t have an opportunity to speak, as you grasp hold of his hair and drag his mouth down to yours. As soon as your lips meet, the leftover strain in your body and mind melts. The sigh that leaves you is fuelled by relief.

“Sasha,” you whine against his lips, unable to articulate anything else.

His hands cup your face, mouth moving eagerly against your own. After months of not being able to see one another, without touching one another, you’re both desperate.

“I forbid you from leaving the Little Palace for the foreseeable future,” he says, an edge of command in his tone.

“Yes, moi soverenyi,” you breathe against his lips.

A growl catches in the back of his throat and you squeeze your thighs together at the sound as white hot arousal coils in your stomach. He tugs you closer, hooking his hands beneath your legs to hoist you up into his arms. His next words are breathless, interrupted by your hurried kisses as he carries you into the bedroom.

“If it weren’t for the damned fete tomorrow, I would forbid you from leaving this bed.”

His mouth trails down your body, pressing hot kisses over your skin. A simmering tingle of pleasure shudders down your spine with each firm brush of his lips or stroke of his tongue. Heat creeps over your cheeks, as you realise your moans are getting louder and more desperate.

Once his mouth finally reaches your cunt, a sharp yelp falls from your lips. Holding onto his hair always encourages Aleksander, so your attempts to ground yourself only entice him further into your cunt. Slick arousal smears over his lips and chin as he devours you, leaving no inch of you untouched by his tongue.

He holds each of your hands in his as he works your body into a quivering climax that has tears spilling down your cheeks, relief soaking into your skin now that you’re finally home.

Aleksander’s expression softens as he observes your pitiful state. There’s a tremor in your legs that he attempts to coax out of you, smoothing his palms firmly over your thighs, his fingers squeezing at the sore muscle of your calves.

“Oh my love,” he coos. “You didn’t touch yourself at all while you were gone, did you?”

You shake your head.

“Didn’t feel right without you,” you admit, wiping the tears from your cheeks as they continue to pour. “Didn’t feel safe enough.”

A soft sigh heaves at his shoulders as he lowers himself over you, kissing his way up your body. He knows that feeling all too well, something he had hoped you would never experience again.

He sheds the rest of your clothing, tossing his own down onto the floor until your bare skin meets his. Sheer pleasure prickles through your body at the opportunity to feel his body against yours. Smooth skin, both of you marred with callouses and scars. The trail of hair down his stomach. Lean muscle and soft flesh. A soft moan escapes from your lips as his hips grind gently into yours.

“I have you now, my love,” he breathes out against your collarbone, mouthing over your throat. “You’re safe.” He reinforces his words with a firm kiss to the underside of your jaw. “You’re home.” Another kiss, a little higher. “Let me take care of you.”

“How is Alina?” you ask breathlessly.

He smiles down at you.

“She can summon at will now.” His mouth moves along your jawline. “For her Winter Fete display she plans to split sunbeams.”

He parts your thighs, positioning the head of his cock at your entrance before he eases himself forwards. A rough moan tears itself from the back of your throat as the feeling of Aleksander stretching you open floods through your body.

“She sleeps with your letters under her pillow each night.”

His words make your heart ache and your cunt clench around his cock, drawing a small hiss of surprise from him.

“I’ve missed her. I’ve missed you, Sasha.”

“I know, my love. I’ve missed you too,” he breathes out against your neck. “We talk about you all the time.”

He bites down on the juncture of your neck, teeth dragging on your skin before he strokes his tongue over the mark blooming there.

“You do?”

There’s a shy naivety in your voice, as if you can barely believe that the two people you adore most in the world would spend their time talking about you.

“She- she isn’t mad at me… is she?”

He kisses your cheek, his forehead pressing against your temple.

“No, my love. She isn’t mad at you.”

He moans quietly as your nails bite into his hips, clinging to him with an intensity that has you shaking. Aleksander kisses you, his mouth moving leisurely against yours. There is hardly a moment to breathe, with the head of Aleksander’s cock nudging against that sweet, sensitive spot inside you and the way he occupies your mouth.

Pleasure spirals in your stomach, as your cunt clenches tightly around his cock. Aleksander cries out a deep, startled sound. He grits his teeth, pressing his body directly into yours. Arching your back against the mattress, you grip onto Aleksander, writhing as your mind fights tooth and nail to resist the climax that your body is dragging you towards.

“Let go, my love,” he whispers, warm mouth suckling gently on your earlobe. “You’re safe, I have you. I promise.”

The next wave of pleasure that runs through you completely shatters whatever resolve had been subconsciously established in your mind. Another, rather unexpected, bout of tears trace down your cheeks and a small sob catches in the back of your throat as your climax peaks.

Aleksander continues his motions, thrusting into you as he cradles your face between his hands. He kisses your tears away as best he can whilst chasing his own climax. The shaky gasps of his name only entice him further, drawing a wrecked moan from his lips as he pulls out, spilling his sticky spend over your thighs.

The two of you remain in one another’s arms as you catch your breath, trading slow kisses and gentle touches. Aleksander’s fingers dance along the curves and dips of your body, following the path he knows by heart. As your eyes flutter closed, you link your fingers with his, giving them a gentle squeeze which he returns without hesitation.

Aleksander inhales sharply as you press a delicate kiss to his knuckles. In the absence of one another, it has been all too easy to forget the luxury of tender touches. There’s a softness to his features as he looks at you, tilting his head slightly to watch as you continue to kiss over each of his fingers.

“I told Alina about our past,” Aleksander confesses quietly. That has you freezing for a moment, eyes flickering up to study his face.

“How did she take it?”

His gaze lowers, his hand flexing slightly in your hold.

“She looked frightened at first. She had promised to listen to me, but I could see she was waiting to run.”

“What changed her mind?”

“You.”

A frown creases at your brows.

“I told her about you, about everything we’ve been through together. Everything we’ve lost over the years.” Emotion hardens in your throat, though you do your best to swallow it down. His tone grows regretful. “Even after everything I’ve done, you’ve remained by my side.”

“Because I love you,” you say quietly, pressing another kiss to his knuckles, squeezing his digits affectionately. “Because I know that everything you’ve done has been to keep us safe and keep our Grisha safe.” Tears well in Aleksander’s dark eyes. “How could I ever leave you - knowing that?”

He leans forward, cupping the back of your head to kiss you soundly.

»»---------------------►

Alina looks magnificent in black. The colour belongs to you as much as it belongs to Aleksander. To see her wearing your colour, her kefta perfectly moulded to her figure, drives the air from your lungs. She had been pale and gaunt when she first arrived at the Little Palace; it seems that your sun summoner has blossomed in your absence.

Aleksander moves towards her first, the crowd parting instantly for the three of you to meet.

“You were supposed to enter accompanied by palace guards,” he says in a low voice.

She blushes, her eyes bouncing between you and Aleksander.

“I’m sorry. I just… I wanted to see you.”

Her tone is shy, as if she truly hadn’t intended on diverting from Aleksander’s strict schedule for her safety. Aleksander blinks slowly, the corner of his lips twitching into a hint of a smile. His voice softens as he murmurs,

“You look lovely, by the way.”

The blush spreads down her neck and you lick your lips at the sight.

“Beautiful,” you add softly.

Her eyes darken as she meets your gaze and your stomach flips. She inclines her head demurely, a brief curtesy as she stares, seemingly drinking in the sight of you.

“Lieutenant.”

The only response you provide her is a brief tilt of your head.

“Miss Starkov.”

The urge to kiss her claws fiercely inside you, so strong that your lips tingle with a phantom anticipation. Her skin is glowing under the light of the chandeliers, her cheeks flushed prettily. Her lips have been coloured with a dewy layer of gloss that you want to feel smeared over your own mouth. Instead, you say,

“I look forward to your demonstration.”

She worries her lower lip between her teeth, brows furrowed slightly with concern before she manages to smile, somewhat distractedly. Her gaze lowers to the front of her kefta, as she begins to pick at the delicate embroidery there. Instantly, you curl your fingers around hers, halting her nervous fidgeting.

“I am certain it will be wonderful.”

Her inhale is sudden, her lips parted, eyes widened as they flicker rapidly between yours. Taking her hand to your lips, you press a gentle kiss to her knuckles. She swallows hard.

Inferni flame illuminates her features as Polina and Pavel begin their demonstration, fire arching over your heads. As the deep orange flickers over her face, you keep your eyes on her, admiring the soft glow of her skin.

There’s a knowing glimmer in Aleksander’s eyes as he looks at you. He smiles, ducking his head down to murmur quietly against Alina’s ear,

“Let’s give them a real show.”

His lips graze her temple and she shivers.

»»---------------------►

“I have something to confess,” Aleksander murmurs quietly against your ear.

With the demonstrations and dinner done, the royals have long since left the party, as have the majority of the nobility. Now, the people surrounding you are Grisha, which means you feel comfortable enough to sit in Aleksander’s lap. His chest is pressed against your back, the heat of his body warming your spine.

A minute frown creases at the space between your brows, though your eyes don’t stray from where Alina is standing, hiding behind a column with Genya, a flute of sparkling wine in her hand. She giggles and you drink in the sight of her flushed cheeks and bright eyes.

“Confess?”

His hands graze over your sides, his shadows slipping beneath your kefta to caress your body.

“I have been… tutoring Alina. Teaching her how to pleasure herself.”

You blink at him.

“Truly?”

He nods.

“She wants to touch you.”

“She does?”

He nods again, the bulge in his trousers hardening.

“Our darling Alya is rather shy. It took until she was bone limp with pleasure for her to admit it, but yes, she wants you.”

“You’ve touched her?”

“Not intimately.”

His answer has your frown returning.

“The poor girl can’t seem to relax enough without my touch to soothe her. A hand around her wrist, guiding her. Or a gentle pressure against her thighs. It took quite some time to convince her that she was allowed to touch herself.”

“From what she’s told me, the orphanage she grew up in was a conservative household. No doubt she feels embarrassed at the thought of wanting someone.”

From Aleksander’s expression, it’s clear that he is in agreement with you. Then the corner of his mouth lifts, a familiar darkness twinkling in his gaze.

“Now that she is aware of her desires, she is somewhat insatiable.”

The thought of innocent, wide eyed Alina throwing herself at your unflappable Aleksander is equal parts arousing and amusing. Thoughts of Alina touching herself, growing frustrated without him, and seeking out Aleksander to help her has a coil of need curling in your abdomen.

Aleksander smirks, lowering his mouth to graze against the shell of your ear, his voice dropping low so that no one but you can hear him.

“I’ve seen her touching herself, and with the pretty shade of crimson her cheeks gain, I’m certain her fantasies verge on obscene.”

“She’s perfect,” you whisper.

He presses a kiss to the sensitive skin of your earlobe.

“She is.”

His lips lower, trailing down your throat.

“Tonight?” you ask in a soft gasp.

“If you wish so,” he murmurs against your thundering pulse.

“I do. Sasha, I want her so badly.”

“I know.” He kisses your cheek softly. “Would you like her to yourself first?”

“I want her to come undone over my hand, while you watch us.”

He smiles widely.

“One condition.” You nod. “Afterwards, I want to teach Alina how to kiss your cunt.”

At the thought of them both between your thighs, trading slow kisses as they take turns licking and mouthing at your cunt, a small moan catches in the back of your throat. Aleksander curls his hand around your neck.

“She’s watching us.”

The inhale you take is shaky as you flutter your lashes.

“Now?”

He nods, squeezing at your throat gently. His nose brushes against yours delicately as he smiles indulgently at you as he whispers,

“Go to her.”

He releases his hold on you and warmth rushes to your cheeks as you wobble on unsteady feet. There’s a few eyes on you whilst making your way towards Alina, though they look away quickly after one glance in Aleksander’s direction.

Genya’s hazel eyes land on you, pink dusting over the porcelain skin of her cheeks when she sees how your gaze is fixed on Alina. She takes your sun summoner’s empty glass from her, making herself scarce with a knowing smile as you approach.

“Alina.” Her eyes widen, her gaze wandering from your lips downwards, lingering on the loosened neckline of your kefta, and your stomach flips. “I have a gift for you.”

She blinks in surprise.

“You do?”

A smile spreads over your face as you nod.

“Come see me later tonight, in Aleksander’s rooms. I will give it to you then.”

»»---------------------►

Aleksander’s footsteps are smooth and confident as he walks through the war room, his boots echoing over the polished wood. It’s only once he reaches the threshold of his bedroom that his gait falters.

“Where in the name of all saints did you get that?”

Turning from your reflection in the mirror above his vanity table, a coy smile curls at your lips as you smooth down the sheer lace of nightgown.

“To your liking, General?”

He breathes out a sharp laugh.

“Poor Alina won’t know where to look.”

“And you know exactly where to look,” you remark teasingly, adjusting the belt so that the length of your bare leg is on display.

His smile is wide and dazzling as he steps purposefully forward towards you.

“I do.”

Lowering himself onto his knees, Aleksander parts your nightgown, ducking his head between your thighs to kiss over your lace clad mound. A sound of surprise catches in the back of your throat, which dissolves into a moan when his tongue traces eagerly over the crease between your thighs and your hips.

He chuckles when you squirm, his warm hands settling over each of your knees to hold you in place as his mouth moves over your skin.

“Sasha,” you gasp. He smirks teasingly, eyes darkened as he looks up from between your thighs.

“My love, we’ve barely begun.”

There’s a tentative knock at the door.

Aleksander releases his hold on you, smoothing his hands over the knees of his trousers as he stands in one fluid motion. He strolls over towards the door, threading a hand through his hair as he does so. Suddenly conscious of your appearance, you brush down the fabric of your night robe to preserve your modesty.

“Alina,” he says softly.

There’s a small pause, and you know the sight in front of Alina will have her blushing already - Aleksander with bright eyes and flushed cheeks, his hair perfectly disheveled from delving between your thighs.

“Hello.”

“Please, come in.”

She’s dressed in her night dress, silk and lace clinging to her curves, with a velvet robe thrown over her shoulders. Her gaze bounces over the entirety of your body, unable to fix on any particular aspect before another steals her attention. She smiles as she approaches you.

“I actually have a gift for you as well.”

Rather shyly, she hands you a painted wooden box, wrapped in a sleek black ribbon. At the edge of the room, Aleksander circles around the two of you, watching silently.

The box is made of a wholesome wood, carved around the edge of the lid and along the sides. On every side, a detailed scene has been depicted in paint. The Little Palace, the True Sea, Morozova’s stag grazing in a sunlit meadow. Each brushstroke has been created with care and a skill you can only marvel at.

“Alina,” you whisper in awe.

She blushes.

“I painted it myself.”

Opening up the box, you stare at the contents for a long moment. Countless papers. Folded with care. Some of them are in envelopes, sealed with a rosy pink wax. Alina’s handwriting is instantly recognisable, looping ink on the creamy parchment.

“Are these-?”

“I didn’t want anyone but you to read them.” There’s a pause which weighs heavy over the room and Alina grows nervous. “If you don’t like it-”

“No. Alya, I love it,” you insist earnestly, tucking your hands around it protectively. Rather bashfully, you look down, tracing your fingers over the delicate brushstrokes. “My gift feels somewhat lacking now.”

“What… what is it?”

There’s a curious gleam in her eyes as she looks around you. Nervously, she tucks a stray hair back behind her ear as she sits tentatively at the foot of Aleksander’s bed. Slowly, you place her gift on the vanity table, your eyes examining her expression when you ask,

“Can I kiss you, Alina?”

Her eyes widen, and she blushes a bright shade of scarlet, then nods.

“I haven’t done this before,” she admits, a touch of worry spilling into her eyes. You smile at her.

“I know.” Inhaling slowly, you stand and walk over towards her. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything like this.”

Taking her chin between your fingers, you guide her mouth to yours for a tender kiss. The soft press of her lips against yours is better than you could have imagined. Gentle and warm and the shimmering gloss tastes sweet like strawberries.

She gasps out a little sound of pleasure as you cradle the back of her head, while your other hand strokes along her jawline, encouraging the steady motion of her lips. Without thinking, your hands wander down her body, grasping at the silky fabric covering her. She’s panting for breath as you cup her breasts, mapping the curves of her waist with each of your palms.

With little effort, you move her backwards and she sinks down onto the mattress with ease. It’s only after several more kisses that she seems to realise she’s lying on her back, in your bed, with your body attempting to nestle between her thighs.

“Would you part your legs for me?” you ask against her mouth.

She complies slowly, a smidge of embarrassed hesitation in her movement. Instantly, you begin to move downwards, pushing the velvet robe aside before you slide the silk of her nightdress up over her waist.

“Good girl.” She whines at your praise, which only encourages you further. “What a good girl you are, Alya.”

Her hands cover her face, as you lick a stripe over her bare thigh, heading towards the apex of her legs. As your nose nudges against her clothed mound, your mouth waters at the heady scent of her arousal.

“Has Aleksander ever touched you here?” She peeks at you from between her fingers and you raise a brow at her, a wicked smile tugging at your lips when she nods. “He has?” She nods again, breathless already as you laugh teasingly. “Does he touch you with or without your underwear in the way?”

Her cheeks are inflamed, you can feel the heat of her body burning with arousal against your lips as you kiss across her hips and thighs.

“W- with my underwear on,” she stammers bashfully. “Always with it on.”

“Would you like me to take it off?” She stares at you wide eyed, as if she hadn’t even imagined you wanting to touch her so intimately. “Would you like me to stroke your bare cunt?”

She whimpers your name, dropping her head back against the pillow and you grin at the sight of her so disheveled already - from a few heated kisses and some dirty words.

“I-” She worries her lower lip between her teeth. “Are you sure you want to?”

That has you growing still.

“Alina. Can I show you something?”

She nods hesitantly. Taking her hand, you entwine her fingers with yours. Slowly, you slide your joined hands down your body, slipping beneath the fabric of your night robe. Her eyes widen, lips parted in shock as her cheeks burn bright, though she doesn’t pull away even when you press her fingertips against your dripping entrance.

“Can you feel how much I want to, sweet girl?”

She nods.

“So soft.”

There’s a slight slur to her words, as if feeling your arousal has pushed her into a daze, and the temptation to push her fingers inside you prickles over your skin in a burning need. Her hand moves curiously, dipping into your centre, and you groan quietly at her hesitant touch.

Her gaze wanders down your body, before she becomes fixated on the spot between your legs.

“Yours is prettier than mine.”

“Alina,” Aleksander says sternly from where he’s seated himself at his vanity table. His tone has you clenching around nothing and a small pout puckers at her lips in response to his admonishment. “What have I told you about comparing yourself to others?”

Her pout deepens.

“Not to.”

“And why is that?”

She mumbles an answer that you can hardly hear, her cheeks inflamed with an embarrassed heat. Aleksander raises a brow, before prompting her to repeat herself, his tone remaining firm.

“Alina.”

“Because I’m beautiful,” she whispers, her voice wavering as she squeezes her eyes shut.

The smile you share with Aleksander, unseen by Alina, is devious. It seems you are no longer alone in your mission to improve Alina’s sense of self-worth.

Unable to stop yourself, you reward her with a kiss. Her robe slips easily from her shoulders, pooling over the mattress as you grasp at her body. She gasps at the feeling of your hands wandering, squirming beneath you with small sounds of pleasure that she breathes against your lips.

“Aleksander tells me he’s been tutoring you.”

The hint of a whine catches in the back of her throat, her cheeks hot with embarrassment at your words. She nods.

“Will you tell me what you’ve learnt? Will you tell me what you like, sweet girl?”

She bites down on her lip, the plush skin breaking between her teeth. Instantly, you lean forwards, suckling her lower lip to soothe the sting of her bite. The coppery taste of her blood touches the tip of your tongue and she moans louder when you lick over the sensitive spot.

“Tell me, Alina. Let me pleasure you.”

She whines again, a sweet noise that you want to tease out of her over and over again. Taking her hand again, you splay it between her breasts, using your own hand to smooth it down her body. Her thighs tremble.

“Tell me, sweet girl.”

“I- I like it gentle at first,” she stammers quietly, which has a smile quirking at the corner of your mouth as you slip your hand beneath the waistband of her panties.

“Hm? Like this?”

Her lips fall open into a perfect circle as you dip your finger between her soaked folds.

“Oh,” she breathes out, dropping her head back onto the pillow. “Yes.”

The base of your finger nudges against her clit and she writhes beneath you. Her hand curls around your wrist, squeezing as she pleads softly,

“Faster, please.”

Her hips jerk as you begin to circle her clit with the pad of your finger, your thumb hooked over her mound, the digit buried amongst the dark curls there. Alina squeezes her eyes shut, brows scrunching adorably as she gasps.

“Can I stretch your little cunt open now, sweet girl?” She whimpers, nodding fervently.

Her eyes meet yours, an endless darkness of desire spiralling in her blown pupils. Ducking your head down, you allow saliva to pool in your mouth before letting it drop down onto where your finger is pressing against her entrance. Her mouth drops open at the vulgar action, red blossoming down her neck and chest as it heaves with a shaky breath.

The mattress dips as Aleksander sits down at the foot of bed, his eyes fixed on where your hands explore Alina’s body. With the mess of her arousal and the added lubrication of your saliva, you slide your finger inside her. The heat of her cunt clings to your digit, dragging you in greedily and the feeling makes you groan against her neck.

“Alya, fuck, you’re so tight. Such a warm, pretty, little cunt.”

She shudders beneath you, whining your name as she grasps at the fabric of your night robe. With a few deft motions, you untie the belt and reveal your bare chest to her. A desperate noise catches in the back of her throat, her eyes wide and round as she stares at your breasts.

Curling your finger, you search for the spot that makes her clench harder than ever, stroking her quivering walls as you begin to speak.

“You can touch, Alya.”

“W-what?”

“You can touch me. Anywhere you want. Everywhere you want.”

Expecting hesitation from her, the feeling of her hands on your breasts, squeezing the flesh and tugging experimentally on your nipples, has you gasping in surprise. A soft groan escapes you, as the repression inside Alina seems to break. She grasps at you eagerly, perfectly trimmed nails digging into your skin.

Tenderly, you nuzzle your face into the crook of her neck, kissing over her collarbones.

“Let go, sweet girl. I have you.”

She gasps, her grip on you tightening as she bucks her hips upwards, chasing the motion of your hand. Sweat glosses over her body, her power shimmering beneath her skin. Light dances at the edge of the room, but all you can focus on is Alina as she reaches the peak of her pleasure.

Her back arches away from the mattress, dark eyes widened as she cries out your name, body succumbing to her climax. Her cunt twitches around your finger, pulsing violently around your digit. With her head thrown backwards, you can see each frantic beat of her heart thrumming in the veins across her throat, bared vulnerable to your hungry eyes.

She breathes heavily, pupils wide and sparkling with pleasure as she stares at you, her gaze flickering between your face and your body. Her smile is almost shy now, as she tucks a stray hair behind her ear with a shaky hand.

Aleksander’s hand curls around your throat, squeezing softly as he directs your head backward towards his mouth. It’s easy and well-practised, the way he moves your body so that you’re lying on your back with him nestled perfectly between your thighs.

“Remember what we agreed on, my love?”

“Sasha,” you whine against his lips, imagining Aleksander and Alina kissing between your thighs, their lips smeared with your arousal.

His hands are well acquainted with your body, paying attention to every dip and curve that he knows by heart. He squeezes the softest areas, blunt nails dragging purposefully over the spots that make you shudder as he works his way downwards. He kisses over your hip bones, tongue laving over the sensitive skin there as he traces his way down your thighs.

Aleksander retracts onto the balls of his heels, parting your folds smoothly with his fingers and your body burns at the feeling of being so observed as your arousal sticks to his digits. He leans over to kiss Alina’s flushed cheek, his lips grazing her ear as he speaks in a low voice.

“Kiss her here, just like you’d kiss her mouth,” he instructs Alina.

She takes your hand, brushing her thumb over your knuckles and a previously unnoticed tension slips from your shoulders, allowing you to settle comfortably on the mattress. There’s a determined set to her jaw, enthusiasm glimmering in her eyes as if she has been wanting for months to taste you. Slowly, she leans forwards.

The soft press of her lips against your cunt has you squirming, a keening whine slipping from your lips as her tongue darts out tentatively to lick up your arousal. She hums and your stomach flips at the thought of her enjoying the feeling of your cunt against her tongue.

Aleksander smiles at you both, squeezing your thigh as he pets the back of her head.

“Very good, Alinochka.”

The praise makes her sigh against your cunt and you clench around nothing, wishing she would slip her tongue inside you. Aleksander traces his fingers over your mound, drawing a shiver from you as he directs Alina’s attention to your clit.

“Watch carefully,” he tells her.

He ducks his head down, taking the swollen nub of your clit into his mouth. Instantly, you cry out, writhing over the mattress as you grasp at his hair, tugging on it with carnal need.

When he releases you, Alina is eager to take his place, mimicking the pressure of his mouth whilst lapping at your clit with her tongue. Breathless, you moan brokenly. The two of them are taking you apart, piece by piece, stealing the fractured shards of you for themselves.

Nerves stir in your stomach as your pleasure begins to sharpen into something tangible, almost within your grasp. Nevertheless, your climax evades you, until you can feel your sweat soaking the sheets and glossing at your forehead.

“Sasha, I can’t,” you whisper weakly.

“You can, my love.” He kisses your temple. “You’re doing so well.”

He strokes your hair back gently, reaching out to cup your breast comfortingly as he lies at your side. His thumb circles over your nipple in a soothing motion and you press your forehead against his shoulder as you whine. Taking your chin between his fingers, he turns you so that you’re looking down at Alina.

“Doesn’t she look beautiful like this? Our darling Alina.” At the sound of her name, her eyes flicker up to meet yours, a lustful sheen in her gaze that fills her features as she looks between you and Aleksander. “Don’t you want to spill yourself over her pretty face?”

She seems captivated by you, an awestruck expression glimmering in her eyes. Innocent little Alina, staring openly at you - as you lie splayed over Aleksander’s bed, almost completely unraveled by her mouth.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck- Alina.”

As your climax hits, your curses turn into frantic whines and your hips jerk against Alina’s face. Pleasure blooms beneath your skin, prickling down your spine as your cunt clenches a rapid rhythm that sends you spiralling into bliss.

Eyes fluttering closed, you drop your head back against the pillow, turning to press your forehead onto Aleksander’s shoulder. Each breath you take is a desperate heave of air, your body warm and sated with a blissful satisfaction as your pulse gallops a steady rhythm beneath your skin.

Alina stares at you, pink tongue tracing her lower lip as your eyes lock for a heated moment. Then she scrambles up your body, straddling your waist eagerly as she leans down to kiss you, smearing the remnants of your orgasm from her mouth to yours. Aleksander breathes out a soft groan at the sight of you both as you kiss lazily.

“Sasha,” you murmur against Alina’s lips, reaching downwards with the intention to grasp at his still-clothed cock.

His hand curls around your wrist to stop you.

“I want a clear head tonight,” he says when you meet his gaze.

On occasion, Aleksander denies himself a climax in order to stay fully aware of his surroundings, particularly when he’s feeling anxious about your safety. A rebuke is on the tip of your tongue - after all, the Little Palace is one of the safest places in the world. You and Aleksander ensured it. But with Alina here in your bed for the first time, you can understand why he would be concerned.

Pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, you whisper,

“Thank you, Sasha.”

He smiles, stroking your cheek affectionately with his knuckles.

“Anything for you, my love.”

“Can I wake you with a treat tomorrow morning?”

His smile widens.

“A treat?”

As you settle down by his side, curling up beneath his outstretched arm, you nod.

“Hm. I want to teach Alina how to suck your cock.”

Alina stifles a gasp. The apple of his throat bobs, a muscle in his jaw flaring as his eyes darken.

“My love,” he says warningly. “Your proposition isn’t helping my current issue.”

Biting down on your lip, you feel a touch of guilt as he shifts his hips, breathing deeply through his nose as he attempts to rein in his arousal.

“Sorry, Sasha.”

He hums with a smile, clearly unconvinced by your apology. Then he cups the back of your head, sinking his fingers into your hair as he kisses you.

“Let me clean the two of you up,” he suggests.

He glances at Alina in a silent question, requesting her consent which she gives with a soft smile and a small nod. Leisurely, you stretch out over the mattress as Aleksander stands to retrieve a wash cloth and basin full of water.

Alina breathes out a sigh and your eyes flutter open to admire her form draped beside you. Candlelight flickers over her skin, your fingers following the shadows that dip into the curves of her body as you reach out to trace over her figure with a featherlight touch. She hums quietly, eyes heavy-lidded as she looks at you. When your eyes meet, the smile that spreads across her face is luminous.

She blushes when Aleksander parts her legs, wiping a warm cloth over the space between her thighs. Once he’s done, you kiss her lips as a reward. He tells her that she can wear anything she likes to bed and she immediately moves towards your wardrobe as Aleksander’s attention moves to you.

He kisses you softly, hands cradling your face as you both smile at one another. He cleans you with the same care given to Alina, and once he’s done, you retrieve one of his night shirts to sleep in. As you shrug the garment over your shoulders, you turn your attention back to Alina.

She’s wearing one of your cosiest night robes, the soft fabric bundled around her frame. It drags over the floor as she moves towards you and Aleksander, climbing into bed between you both - where she belongs.

Finally having her in your bed seems to be quite the distraction for you and Aleksander; neither of you can keep your hands off her, taking turns to kiss her lips.

Alina giggles breathlessly.

“Aren’t we going to sleep?” she remarks teasingly, gnawing on her lower lip. The sight of her, dark curls askew and flushed cheeks, makes you and Aleksander both sigh.

“Yes, milaya,” Aleksander says decidedly as he reaches for the lantern on his bedside. “We’re going to sleep.”

He lifts the glass, blowing out the candle, and the room descends into darkness. Slipping your arms around Alina’s waist, you pull her backwards and she slots perfectly against your front. Aleksander drapes his arm over Alina, encaging her between you both as he reaches for you. He strokes a hand over your bicep, languid petting as the three of you fall asleep.

»»---------------------►

marvelmusing Tag List: @dreamlandcreations @blanchedelioncourt @idaofinfinity @slytherheign @ellooo0ooo @vixenofcourse @dumb-fawkin-bitch @jane-arthur @ilikefictionmen @budugu @watersquirtpewpewboomm @mysweetlittledesire

S&B Tag List: @motheroffae @daddymaster21

Aleksander M Tag List: @nyctophiliiiiaaa @jazmin2211 @wooya1224 @seronsalk

BB Characters Tag List: @rachlovesactors @noortsshift @aikeia @weallhaveadestiny @two-unbeatable-beaters

#aleksander morozova x reader x alina starkov #darklina x reader #shadow and bone au #shadow and bone x reader #aleksander morozova x reader #alina starkov x reader

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obsessive-valentine · 1 year ago

Text

Yandere!Fisherman x Selkie!Reader (PT.1)

Part 2

We’ve all heard the tragic tales of naive selkie women having their coats stolen to be lured into marriages by men who desire their otherworldly beauty. What about a young fisherman who grows to love a selkie, but despite his obsession with the woman, he resfuses to steal her coat and bind her to him despite his initial instinct to do so, he chooses the slow game. The game that won’t end up with his dear selkie shedding tears because of him but rather willingly by his side and properly loved.

Despite the stories his grandfather told him about humanoid sea creatures, and how much he swears he saw them with his own very eye, Theodore could never believe such tales.

“How dangerously beautiful those creatures are. You ought to see one if you keep up in this business, but listen close Teddy you respect those beings like they are the divine ones themselves.” Theo listened close while watching his grandfather reel in a fish, he leaned back his chair pulling against the creature till it was ripped from the water thrashing its tail in a final attempt to swim home. He took a breath while unhooking the fish to continue his story. “Never have I heard of a fabled creature that approaches so openly but peaceful. You know..” he stops for a moment sticking out his tongue as his large fingers fumble to put a lure on the hook “Krakens, sirens, he’ll even mermaids are said to be vicious but whatever those were...” he shook his head at a loss of words be continuing to tell the tale of the day him and his crew saw the supposed creatures.

Theo stoped listening at ‘Krakens’ focusing back on the fishing line in front of him. Such absurd stories like krakens and mermaids broke his interest, like a slap across the face with the harsh that it’s all nonsense just like the fables before and after this supposed sighting. He wasn’t going to live on the illusion that a beautiful woman would appear at his boats edge and curiously pick and prod at his boat out of curiosity. Those fables were just excuses for shipwrecks or sailors seeing a rather pretty manatee through heavy sleep covered eyes... right?

...

Theo rubbed his eyes again, maybe for a dozenth time, before scooting a bit further forward on his seat getting a better look at the water. Yup that’s definitely still a seal he confirmed to himself. He almost sworn himself sleep deprived when he first noticed a seals head ever so slightly peaking from the water, its head bobbing with the waves as it watched him throw nets and lines from his boat. He shook his head, some people probably got it to friendly by feeding it, now the poor bastard seems to be relying on him to catch it food. At least that’s what Theo tried to tell himself as the seal followed him to the docks and watched him tie the boat up as the sunset.

Theodore gave one last glance at the seal, it’s eyes sent shivers down his spine as it watched him closely still as he walked away from the water. “I’m just tired and that seal just very hungry, nothing more” he reasoned with himself once more as he reached his car, although he didn’t know what he was insinuating. Did he really think for a moment that seal was anything more than a hungry creature? Why was he so unnerved? He tried to not give it another thought.

...

He had forgot about the odd seal in the morning and tiredly but calmly walked up to his boat holding a bucket of gear and a fishing rod over his shoulder, until he wasn’t so calm and his heart dropped as he glanced to the boat in the distance. Anger began to bubble up in his stomach at the sight of a person resting in his boat. Theo’s boots became heavy against the wooden dock as he stormed closer to the boat. But then the person looked at him and he stopped realising that wet hair framed her and she seemed to be... naked? She lay with her stomach on the bench and her chin resting in her crossed arms her back was bare, so was her legs, and her b-. Theo realised what he was looking at and sharply pulled his eyes away for a moment to collect himself. But when he looked back the sunbathing woman was gone.

He rushed to his boat dumbfounded, and then once again shock stricken when laying eyes apon a wet patch on the very beach. It was in the shape of the woman that began to dry up from the woods absorbency. He watched it turn from a full body silhouette to faint imprints of her elbows, stray wet hair ends, boobs, thighs and feet to nothing. Theo could have sat there the whole day wondering what it could be that he just witnessed, but after a few minutes of trying a failing to reason with logic, he left the dock for open waters.

He kept glancing at the spot where she lay just hours ago, hardly any fishing was actually done. That darn seal showed up again and pulled his attention from the bench and to the water; where it should have been this whole time, it being his job and all. “Selkies?” He whispered to himself like it was a god forsaken word. He was shocked he wasn’t even trying to come up with excuses like all those times his grandpa told him similar stories. No he believed it, something came over him but he’s convinced this creature staring into his soul is a selkie.

He fumbled pulling the bucket closer before reaching into it , grabbing a random fish without ever taking his eyes of those humanoid eyes bobbing in the water his shaking hand offered out the fish. It disappeared under the dark water and reappeared closer to the boat seemingly interested in the offer, Theo stumbled over his feet and down onto his knees to lean over the boat and meet it half way. His arm now uncomfortably stretched in front of him. A small smile pulled at his lips when the seal took the fish gently from his hand, his brows unfurrowed and raised with curiosity, his hands now shook with wonder.

Then the seal disappeared and failed to reappear for almost half and hour, Theo sat looking at the water chewing his nails as his hope began to fade and reality set in. Hair? He squinted at the water he could have sworn that was just a lock of hair floating to the surface and promptly being pulled back under, he didn’t have to think about it for long before a head peaks out from the water or rather her eyes and above followed by a trail of long hair sitting on top the soft waves.

Theo almost had a heart attack, his eyes became the size of dinner plates and heart failed to beat for a moment. He was looking at a selkie, there’s no other explanation, and a enchanting one that had him leaning dangerously over the boat. “Hello beautiful” his usually gruff voice softened afraid to scare those hypnotising eyes back underwater.

Please send any ideas or asks for this storyline or other possible soft or dark yandere stories you’d like to see!

#yandere #yandere oc #yandere fisherman #selkie #x reader

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officialclangen · 11 months ago

Note

Would y'all ever consider a design feature where a cat is naturally tailless or has a bobbed tail?

Cats are able to be born tailless, yes!

☆ Fable ☆

#clangen #ask response #warrior cats #clan generator #clan gen #ask

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feeling-pushy · 4 months ago

Text

Upon a Wishing Star Part One

This is my first big fic!! Thank you so much to @grandesteartherquakedreamer for this amazing commission! I had so much fun writing this story and I hope yall love it as much as I do! And I hope I get to write for this person again!

~5k, fpreg, pirates, magical pregnancy.

The deck of the Jolly Serpents, was alive with celebration. Lanterns swayed in the gentle breeze, casting a warm glow over the jubilant crew. Music and laughter filled the air, mixing with the scent of salt and the sound of waves lapping against the ship’s hull. The stars above twinkled across the dark velvety sky, providing a perfect backdrop for the festivities.

Captain Taro stood at the heart of the revelry, her purple captain's coat flaring out as she spun in a merry dance. Her hair, neatly tucked in a bun with bangs framing her face, bobbed with each movement. Her wooden prosthetic, carved meticulously to resemble a natural foot, tapped rhythmically against the wooden planks. Her crew, a motley collection of men and women, mirrored her energy, their faces alight with joy and triumph.

As she danced she held up in her hand the centerpiece of the celebration: a shimmering pendant, The pendant was made of exquisite silver, skillfully crafted into the shape of a star with softly rounded edges that gleamed in the flickering lantern light. In the middle of the star was a circle made of similar silver, encrusted with tiny diamonds that sparkled like captured starlight. Each diamond was meticulously set, catching and reflecting the light in a dazzling display.

At the center of this circle lay a yellow stone, its surface smooth and polished to perfection. In the light of the lanterns, the yellow stone appeared to glow faintly with an otherworldly light, casting a soft, ethereal radiance that made the pendant seem almost alive.

The pendant's beauty was mesmerizing, and as Taro held it up, it caught the eyes of everyone around her, drawing gasps of admiration and awe. It was the prize of their most recent adventure, the fabled ‘Wishing Star’ which was a magic wish-granting pendant that had already become the stuff of legends among her crew.

"To Captain Taro!" one of the crew shouted, raising a mug of ale high in the air. The cheer was echoed by everyone on board, mugs clinking together in a symphony of camaraderie. "To us all!" Taro responded, her energy matching theirs as she raised the pendant above her head, the lights reflecting off of the yellow stone. The crew roared in approval, the sound carrying out across the open sea.

As the festivities continued, Taro moved among her crew, sharing laughter and stories of their latest exploits. She clapped shoulders, exchanged hearty embraces, and basked in the glory of their latest adventure.

Taro raised a tankard of ale, catching the eye of Briggs, the old sailor who had served with her for years. His gap-toothed grin was wider than ever, and he approached her with a raised mug. "To our fearless Cap’n!" Briggs shouted, his voice carrying over the noise of the celebration. "May the winds always be at your back and your enemies always on the run!"

Captain Taro clinked her tankard against his. "And to the best crew on the seven seas! Without you lot, I'd be adrift!" She took a hearty swig, the ale cool and refreshing after the day's exertions. "Briggs, you old sea dog, how's the leg holding up?"

Briggs laughed. "Lot better than yours ever did, Cap’n." Briggs playfully teases, Taro scowls, equally playful, “I ought to make you walk the plank for such talk you old hobby horse!” Briggs merely grinned wider, white mustache curling up with his lips, extending it, “And then who would manage your sails? Hm?”

“I could find a replacement for you in a moments notice, and they’d be far more spry.” She challenged with a smirk. Briggs leans in and gets in her face, “You hire some green hand and this ship is sinking within the hour.”

Both them pull away laughing. Captain Taro slapping Briggs on the back and sending him on his way to keep celebrating. Just then the music picked up pace, and Taro finds herself pulled into yet another lively dance by a fellow female pirate, a young deckhand who’s cheeks were flushed with excitement and drink, and her eyes sparkling with admiration for her captain, “Come dance with us Captain!”

Taro laughed, her wooden foot tapping in a clumsy rhythm with the music. "Alright, alright! Just don't expect me to be as graceful! I've got two left feet and one of them wooden!" that earned her some laughs by the nearby crew members as she engages in a dance with the female deckhand.

The crowd cheered as Taro and the girl moved in sync with the music, their steps quick and as precise as bibulous pirates could be. Taro’s purple captain’s coat flared out with each twirl, and her captain’s hat stayed firmly in place, adding to her commanding presence. The deckhand’s light steps complemented Taro’s more grounded movements, creating a dance that was both captivating and full of energy.

"Captain, you dance as well as you fight!" the young lady exclaimed, spinning Taro around. “Not as well as you my dear!” Captain Taro states making the young woman flush from the flattery.

The music reached a crescendo, and Taro led the young woman through a series of spins and steps that left the crowd cheering and clapping louder than ever. As the dance ended, Taro who was now a little out of breath, gave her a bow and the deckhand curtsied in returned.

Exhausted and a bit dizzy, Captain Taro makes her way up to the upper deck to catch her breath. Eventually she ran into her First Mate, who unlike their captain who was already half sloshed on ale and dancing her cares away, still stood back from the festivities and kept a generally professional appearance to them as they oversaw the celebrations with a watchful eye. Taro approached, a playful grin on her face.

Taro’s First Mate had always been a person who was methodical and composed, and while some would think such a uptight figure would clash against Captain Taro’s carefree spirit, which it sometimes did, their demeanor had always been a steadying influence on the entire crew and had always helped to keep the Captain in check when she got carried away. She always admired her First Mate for that and appreciated their ability not to pull back on their criticisms. She’d honestly be lost without them.

"First Mate," she said, clapping them on the shoulder, “Captain” the First Mate greeted almost formally. Taro leaned on them a little, her feet somewhat unsteady, "Aww come on, why so stiff? It's a night for revelry!"

First Mate gave them a bemused expression, though their eyes remained vigilant. "Someone has to keep an eye on things, Captain. Besides, it's good to see the crew so happy. They deserve it."

“Ahhh come now First Mate! You know you can always just call me Taro! How long have we traveled together??” she slurs a bit, her head feeling pleasantly fuzzy and light.

“Yet you only refer to me as ‘First Mate’” they pointed out dryly. Taro grinned somewhat mischievously, “Only because you hate it when I call you by your first name. Isn’t that right J-” she begins to say. The affect was immediate as a sour expression crosses their face and they hold up a finger to her lips to stop her.

“Captain Taro. I think you may have had more than your fair share of drinking tonight. I think it’s best you start to sober up. You still need to lead by example you know.” They cut in, scolding Captain Taro as they often do when she gets like this.

“I’m finneee!!” She protests. Her First Mate stands there and crosses their arms. They then proceed to stare her down with a disapproving look. Taro tries to avoid eye contact for a moment, knowing she was weak to their disapproving stare, but even while not making direct eye contact the weight of their stare gets to her and she soon sags a bit in defeat, knowing better than to argue with them. “I suppose some water wouldn’t hurt.” She mumbles. Her First Mate gives her a little smile and rests a hand between her shoulder blades, silently leading her off to go sober up.

The celebration continued late into the night, the crew eventually winding down, one by one, as exhaustion set in. Taro remained awake, a sense of contentment settling over her. She looked around at her crew, now sprawled out across the deck in various states of slumber. Her First Mate was also nowhere to be seen, though she knew they’d most likely had turned in for the night.

With everyone else now asleep, Taro found herself alone, leaning against the ship’s railing, gazing out at the starlit sea, the pendant clutched in her hand. The pendant's cool surface rested in her palm weightily, as she rubbed her thumb across the smooth surface of the yellow stone in the middle. It was just a yellow stone, but even now a bit further away from the lanterns’ lights it still seemed to pulsate with a gentle glow. She turned it over, marveling at the intricate designs etched into the surface of its back, etched with symbols of an ancient language she couldn’t read.

“The legends say you can grant wishes." she mused aloud, talking to the pendant, there was an obvious hint of skepticism in her voice. "But I've seen too many tricks and charlatans to believe in such fairy tales. Still, you will fetch a king's ransom in gold I’d say."

The legend states that the Wishing Star, has the power to grant the deepest, most heartfelt wish of its bearer. The pendant can grant only one wish per person. Once a wish is made, the pendant’s magic will not work for that person again, but it could only grant a wish if the bearer's desire is pure and true.

No one knows where it comes from, or who made it, that information was lost to history. And while the silver was fancy, it was the yellow stone that was the true power of the pendant, it was said to be a fragment of a fallen star, giving it a connection to the heavens and granting it it’s power.

All of this was just rumor though, all folk tales meant to hype up what was most likely just a fancy pendant worn by some royal or a priest in some lost religion. Still, for a moment, she let her thoughts drift away from the noise and excitement. The pendant's glow seemed to intensify, reflecting in her eyes.

Her thoughts drifted to her crew, the loyal men and women who had become her family over the years. Each one had a story, a past, and dreams that had led them to her ship. She cherished them all, from the seasoned veterans like Briggs to the eager newcomers. Together, they had faced countless dangers and celebrated numerous victories. Yet, despite the deep bond she shared with them, there was a lingering emptiness in her heart.

Taro sighed, feeling the weight of her unspoken desires. She had everything she could have asked for: a ship she loved, a crew that respected and adored her, and a life filled with adventure. But there was something missing, something that all the treasure and glory in the world couldn’t fulfill.

“I have the best crew anyone could ask for,” she murmured to herself, her eyes fixed on the pendant. “They’re my family in every way that matters. But... it’s not enough. I want more. I want a family of my own, a child to raise and teach, someone who looks up to me not just as a captain, but as a parent.”

The thought of having a child stirred a deep longing within her. She imagined holding a tiny, fragile life in her arms, teaching them the ways of the sea, sharing the wisdom she had gathered over years of piracy. She saw herself comforting them during storms, telling them stories of her adventures, and watching them grow into their own person.

Taro chuckled softly, the image in her mind both heartwarming and bittersweet. “I want a child,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of the waves. “A child to call my own, to love and protect, to teach everything I know.”

With a deep breath, she held the pendant up to the sky, the starlight making the yellow stone glow even more brilliantly. “They say you grant wishes.’ she said, her tone a mix of skepticism and hope, ‘I don’t know if it’s true, but if there’s any magic in you, hear my wish. I want a family. I want a child.”

With a deep breath she slipped the pendent around her neck and she closed her eyes. As she stood there, coat being pulled by the gentle breeze of the sea, a warmth spread through her body, and she felt a strange sensation, like a gentle tug deep within her, and for a moment her heartbeat quickens as she thought for a moment that maybe that was a sign.

But it was a fleeting sensation, gone as quickly as it came and with a sigh she let herself come back to reality, dismissing it as the lingering excitement of the night and hopeful thinking. With a small sigh, she decided it would be best to turn in for the night.

The pendant, now resting against her chest, seemed to hum softly, its magic quietly at work as she made her way to her cabin to rest. As Captain Taro drifted off to sleep that night, the Jolly Serpents rocked gently beneath her, carrying its captain and crew into the promise of a new dawn.

------------------------------------------------

The dawn’s light bathed the Jolly Serpents in a warm glow, illuminating the deck as Captain Taro made her rounds. She moved with her usual confident stride, her purple captain's coat fluttering slightly in the morning breeze and her wooden prosthetic clicking rhythmically against the wooden planks. She nodded and exchanged greetings with her crew.

Most of her crew treated her as they always had, with respect and camaraderie. They shared jokes, stories, and plans for their next adventure, their trust in her leadership unwavering. However, some newer or more cautious members of the crew seemed to hesitate, their eyes lingering on her a moment too long. It made a few of them act as if she were made of glass.

"Morning, Cap’n," said a young deckhand, his voice laced with a nervous undertone as he attempted to offer her assistance down a small set of stairs. "I can manage, thank you." Taro replied, her tone firm. A quick glare from her sent the boy scurrying back to his duties, properly chastened.

She approached another crew member, the older sailor Briggs, who was busy securing a rope. "How's it looking, Briggs?" she asked, her tone brisk but friendly. "Ship's in fine shape, Cap’n." Briggs replied with a gap-toothed grin. "We'll be ready to set sail on your command."

"Good to hear," Taro said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Keep it up."

As she continued her rounds, she noticed another crew member, the young deckhand she danced with at the party, who she later learned was named Lila, struggling with a heavy barrel. Taro approached and grabbed the other side of the barrel. "Let's get this done together."

The young woman seemed relieved at first, but then her eyes seemed to bug out in slight panic once she realized who was helping her, “Ah Captain! are you sure you should be helpin’ me-?”

“Let’s just get this done quickly.” Taro said giving her a look, the young woman, properly cowed just nods and they quickly lifted the barrel into place. "Ah, t-thank you, Captain.’ The woman says as she wipes some sweat from her brow. ‘I was just about to ask for help…"

"Don't hesitate next time." Taro replied. "We're all in this together." Lila nodded, a look of gratitude and slight apprehension on her face. Taro moved on, but not before noticing a few other crew members casting curious glances her way. She ignored them, focusing on the tasks at hand.

Eventually, she made her way up to the quarterdeck, where her First Mate stood, overseeing the preparations for their next voyage. "First Mate." Taro greeted, "Captain." the First Mate replied with a nod. They looked to be as composed as always, "Everything is ready for our next adventure. The supplies are stocked, and the course is plotted."

"Good." Taro said, satisfaction evident in her tone. She glanced out at the horizon, the sea calling to her as it always had. The First Mate, in rare form, seemed to break their normally stoney exterior to look at Captain Taro with concern, and hesitates for a moment before speaking again. "Captain, I again must wonder if it is wise for you to travel the seven seas in your condition?"

It was only then that Captain Taro glanced down at herself and the full extent of her situation was revealed. Captain Taro was heavily pregnant, her large, rounded belly clearly visible for all to see.

The pendant itself was long gone, it had been sold for a substantial sum and allowed Captain Taro to buy herself plenty of supplies for her crew, plus a bonus in their pay which had been a big hit among them. But it was clear now that the rumors of its magic had not been as ludicrous as she had believed them to be. The idle wish she had made the night of their celebration having taken an effect on her and irrevocably changing her life.

Taro placed a hand on her belly, feeling the gentle movements within. She turned to her First Mate, her eyes fierce and determined. "The sea has always been my home, and I won't let anything stop me from sailing it. Besides, this child will be born with salt in their veins. We'll be fine."

The First Mate nodded, though concern lingered in their eyes. "As you say, Captain. But I still suggest you hire a midwife or a doctor of some kind to accompany us on this journey.”

“I don’t need any doctor First Mate! I am perfectly capable of handling it myself.”

“And then are you expecting me to help you deliver the baby?” they ask wryly. Captain Taro shrugs and looks a bit away, “Would that be such a bad thing? I certainly wouldn’t mind you being there…” she mumbles, her cheeks heating up a bit at the subject matter. Her First Mate merely raised a brow at that, “Well as, flattering as that is, I am unfortunately not a doctor and I have no such expertise. So I don’t know what you’d want me to be there for.”

Captain Taro was unhappy with that answer, seeming to expect or perhaps hoped for a different response, as she huffs angerly, “Fine. You can see about hiring a doctor before we set off then.” She then seems to stomp off, much too the First Mates confusion.

They scratched their cheek a bit, still not accustomed to her seemingly sudden shifts in moods. It definitely kept them on their toes a lot these days, but at least with the permission they’d been hoping to get, they then quickly set about on finding a doctor for the captain.

By the time the afternoon came, a doctor had been hired and the ship was ready to set sail. The First Mate approached Captain Taro who seemed to be a lot calmer now, “We're ready to set sail Captain." Captain Taro gave a nod of approval and turned her gaze back to the sea, it’s horizon stretching out before her, “Then lets get going.”

With her crew behind her and her unborn child within her, the Jolly Serpents sails unfurled and soon they were leaving port, the waves ready to carry its captain and crew into whatever the future held.

------------------------------------------------

By evening, the ship was gliding smoothly through the ocean, leaving a trail of white foam in its wake. The crew was settling into their routines, the excitement of the journey tempered by the familiarity of their tasks. The stars began to twinkle in the night sky, casting a serene glow over the ship, while the moon, a silver crescent, hung low on the horizon.

Captain Taro had since retired to her cabin, the day's events weighing lightly on her shoulders. She closed the door behind her, shutting out the noise of the crew and the wind. The cabin was cozy, filled with personal mementos and maps that spoke of countless adventures. Shelves lined with books, trinkets from distant lands, and a large, intricately detailed map of the seven seas covered one wall. A small table held her navigational tools, charts, and half-finished letters to various contacts and old friends.

She made her way to her bed, sinking onto the soft mattress with a sigh of relief. The room was dimly lit by a lantern, casting a warm, flickering light that created dancing shadows on the walls. As she sat on the edge of her bed, she idly dragged a finger across her rounded belly.

She smiled as she felt her child follow the movement, pressing against her skin from within. It was a game she often liked to play with her little stowaway when she had a moment alone, it never failed to amuse her. However, she noted that the baby seemed to follow her finger less easily than before, a sign they were starting to get cramped in there. She knew she was getting closer to her due date.

Leaning back in her bed, Taro closed her eyes and let the natural sway of the ship relax her. The gentle rocking of the Sea Serpent was a comfort she had known all her life, a lullaby that had always soothed her restless spirit. As she lay there, her thoughts turned inward.

She had always been a daring captain, her love for adventure and the open sea driving her to take risks others would shy away from. Memories of past exploits flitted through her mind: daring raids on enemy ships, navigating treacherous waters, and outsmarting foes who underestimated her. The thrill of the chase, the satisfaction of a well-executed plan, and the camaraderie of her crew were what she lived for.

But now, with the unborn child growing inside her, the stakes were higher. She knew that continuing her pirate's life was risky. It was already a dangerous lifestyle, but it was even more so while being heavily pregnant. She had often told herself in the past that when she was ready to have a family, she would settle on land where it was safe.

And to her credit, she did try to do that. For a month after she discovered her pregnancy, she had found herself a quiet coastal town, along the usual route taken by her ship when they needed to stock up on supplies, and bought herself a little cottage up the hill with the money from her personal treasury. She then left the ship in the capable hands of her First Mate, then she settled down for a while, and for a while it had been peaceful.

She had taken long walks on the beach, enjoyed the calm, and tried to imagine a life without the thrill of the open sea. But it hadn't taken long for the restlessness to set in. She missed the salt air, the sound of the waves crashing on the beach bringing up a longing to be in the middle of the beautiful sea, and, most of all, she missed her crew. Missed her First Mate and the other members of her crew who had made up the little family of friends.

Her time on land had been filled with restless nights and days that seemed to stretch endlessly. She remembered sitting on a quiet porch, staring out at the sea, feeling like a caged bird. Desperately she wanted to spread her wings and ride the ocean currents like the many gulls she’d seen.

She had tried to convince herself that it was for the best, that she was doing the right thing for her child. The sea was no place for a baby after all. But the call of the sea was too strong to ignore. So she had found herself coming back.

The day the Jolly Serpents docked for a resupply at the port of that small coastal town. She was already waiting at the docks for them. The moment she stepped back on the deck of that ship, she felt a sense of relief and belonging that she couldn't find anywhere else. The crew, while surprised at first, had welcomed her back with open arms, their loyalty unwavering. Even her First Mate seemed to had missed her, as they gladly stepped down from the captain’s position unchallenged and took their place back by her side.

Ever since then, she hadn't turned back, and despite the dangers, she knew she had made the right choice. Everything just felt right.

As she lay in her bed, Taro felt as if her little stowaway was trying to get comfortable themselves, stretching their cramped limbs out in order to get settled. It made her chuckle as she placed her hand on one of the lumps on her belly which she was sure was a foot, slowly rubbing it to help them get settled. Soon the lump disappeared and the child seemed to finally get comfortable inside her, going still again.

Once again Taro found herself making the same silent promise she always did to her unborn child. She promised that she would keep them safe, no matter what. She would teach them the ways of the sea, and show them the wonders of the world. But she would also find a way to balance her love for adventure with the responsibilities of motherhood.

The cabin grew quieter as the night deepened. The sounds of the crew's laughter and conversations eventually fading, soon replaced by the rhythmic creaking of the ship and the distant calls of seabirds. The soft lapping of the waves against the hull was a comforting sound, a reminder of the vast, untamed world beyond.

Taro's thoughts wandered to the future, imagining her child growing up on the Jolly Serpents. She pictured a small figure running across the deck, learning to tie knots, and listening to the tales of the crew. She couldn’t yet imagine their face, but she figured that would come in time once she was able to finally meet them. She imagined the pride she would feel, knowing that her child was growing up surrounded by the same wonders that had shaped her own life. Captain Taro then let the familiar, rhythmic sway of the ship lull her into a peaceful sleep, dreaming of the adventures that still awaited them on the open sea.

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As the Jolly Serpents rocked gently with the rhythm of the waves, Captain Taro lay asleep on her bed, her body curled protectively around her belly. The soft light of the moon filtered through the small window, casting a gentle glow over the room and highlighting the serene expression on her face.

Just then the door to her cabin creaked open, and the First Mate slipped inside, they then turned and closed the door behind them, with a gentle click before moving over to her. Their movements were soft and careful to avoid disturbing their captain as they went to check on them.

They had found themselves getting into the habit of these nightly visits, being spurred on by their deep concern over the safety of both Taro and the life growing inside her. Despite Taro's fierce independence and formidable strength, the First Mate couldn't help but worry, knowing the dangers and challenges of their life at sea.

As the First Mate approached the bed, their steps light and careful, Taro’s face was relaxed in sleep, her breathing steady and calm. The First Mate took a moment to study her, she seemed alright, peaceful even, as she lightly snored.

They noticed that Taro had kicked off her blanket in her sleep at some point, the cool night air touching her exposed skin and making it raise with a few goosebumps. With gentle hands, the First Mate picked up the blanket and draped it over her, ensuring she was warm and comfortable. As they did so, their eyes were drawn to her belly, which rose and fell with each breath.

For a moment, the First Mate hesitated, their hand hovering above Taro's bump. The urge to place a hand there, to feel the life within, was strong. They wanted to offer some form of comfort, to silently communicate their support and care. But they pulled back, respecting Taro's personal space and the boundaries she had set. Taro had stated on more than one occasion she did not want others to touch her belly, and they respected that decision.

The First Mate stood there for a moment longer, watching over her with a tender gaze. Taro’s long hair, that was usually tied up in a tight bun, was now laying loose and free on her pillow, looking like the familiarly gentle waves of a calm sea, her bangs perfectly framing her face. The sight stirred a mix of emotions within them, mostly admiration. No doubt this pregnancy had been harder on her than she let on, the role of leader was stressful and yet she carried on, supporting both her crew and a new life.

Their face softened with a deep, unspoken affection as they watched a moment longer. Finally, they stepped back, moving towards the door with the same quiet care they had when they entered.

Just before leaving, the First Mate turned back, their voice barely above a whisper. “Goodnight, Taro,” they murmured, a small smile gracing their lips before closing the door behind them.

With a soft click, they closed the door, leaving Taro and her unborn baby to their dreams of adventure and the sea.

#preg kink #pregnancy kink #pregnant #magical pregnancy #fpreg #pirates #fic commissions #writing commissions #commissions

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