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krmy2386 · 3 months ago

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Swan

Lord Alfred Debling x Reader (childhood crush on Benedict) about 2.5k words

1. PLEASE DO NOT STEAL!!! I WORKED VERY HARD ON THIS!!!!

2. NOT PROOF READ!!!

3. Yes I love Benedict but I needed a plot to don’t hate me😅

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Lady Y/N L/N was always called the Ugly Duckling. Not that she was ever actually ugly. More awkward in her younger years, especially compared to the beautiful Bridgetons, her closest friends.

She remembers the first time she was called that name. It was Benedict Bridgerton, her best friends’ brother, and the boy she had harbored feelings for as a child.

One day Violet Bridgerton was reading a book of stories to Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Y/N and Daphne. When they finished the infamous “Ugly Duckling,” young Benedict loudly declared the Y/N must be a swan, because she was an ugly duckling. This immediately caused Y/N to sob hysterically and Violet scolded Benedict while Lady L/N tried to console her daughter. Eventually the two children made up and it was forgotten. By Benedict, never by Y/N. She never forgot how those words made her feel.

Over the years, Y/N grew into both her features and her attitude. This was her third year on the marriage mart and it was no secret to the ton that Y/N would not be doing anything she did not want to do. She had a sharp wit and a tendency to find mischief. Many people, mainly the men, joked about who could “tame” her.

Maybe that’s why she was so drawn to Benedict. He seemed to radiate joy and light. Y/N wanted that. She wanted someone who would send shocks through her.

But that would never happen. Because now, as a grown woman, she hated Benedict Bridgerton.

————————————

Lord Debling was praying for the ball to end when he realized he had only been there about 5 minutes. He felt like a duck being hunted by a hound.

The mothers of the ton had set their sights on him. Their daughters were less intense but just as obvious.

He began lightly pacing, hoping for a hole to swallow him when he heard a shrill voice shout his name.

Oh God, he thought. Mrs Cowper, with her daughter Cressida in tow.

Lord Debling sighed, but did the gentlemanly thing and bowed.

“Lady Cowper, how are you this evening?” He asked politely.

Cressida flutter her eyes so fast a hummingbird would be jealous, “So much better now that I see you are here. Are you planning on dancing tonight?”

Fear ran through his body and he began to stutter, “Um, w-well I-I hadn’t..”

“Lord Debling!” It was his guardian angel, Lady Danbury. He felt relief fill his lungs and he turned to Mrs. Cowper and Cressida, “Excuse me.”

He rushed over to Lady Danbury and bowed before leaning to her ear, “Thank you!” He whispered.

Lady Danbury laughed lightly and patted his hand on top of hers, “Never fear, I promised your mother long ago to look out for you, and they looked ready to rip you to shreds.”

Lord Debling couldn’t help but nod. He tried to see the good in people but something about Cressida Cowper made him uneasy.

Something about the way she speaks down on everyone, her garish clothes, her unnatural hair shapes.

Alfred Debling never thought a love match would be in his future. The most he hoped for was a kindhearted friend to spend his days at home with. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have standards.

He didn’t want a fake person who would change the minute they were behind closed doors. He wanted someone real. Someone he could share life with, even if they were just friends.

“My mother would’ve loved this,” he mumbled softly. “Meeting people and dancing.”

Laney Danbury nodded in agreement. “Yes, your mother was a spirited and kind woman. And she would’ve put Lady Cowper in her place in a heartbeat.” She joked. Debling couldn’t help but laugh.

—————————

Y/N was miserable the entire carriage ride. Not only would she have to once again parade around like a peacock trying to catch a husband. It would more than likely fail. Her only solace was that she planned to escape to Penelope as soon as possible. But even the Featherington girl had been in social mourning since her whole plan with Colin blew up.

Stupid Bridgerton Boys, she thought to herself. They ruin everything.

“Y/N” she heard her mother’s gentle voice, “I know you hate this dear, but please try to have some fun!” Her mother was so genuine in her request, Y/N couldn’t help but smile. They didn’t need her to marry for money or title. She had that privilege.

Lady L/N knew something has shifted in her daughter. She never pushed Y/N to share, but she was worried. The spark had left Y/N’s eyes.

Y/ N grabbed her mother’s hand.

“I will try.” She said truthfully. Maybe she could force herself to enjoy one evening for her mother’s sake. She never meant for her mother to worry about her so much. As a child, her mother worried due to her talents in running off and climbing trees. Now she had all new worries, that Y/N might be sad, or lonely for a long time. No mother wants that.

—————————

Lord Debling was glancing around the room. Hoping for something, anything, to make the time go by faster.

When he glanced at the stairs he swears time stopped.

She was beautiful. She wore a cream colored gown with gold and silver thread embroidery. She glided down the stairs like she was floating. She didn’t have a large fake smile plastered on her face. She looked content but not overly excited.

“Beautiful is she not?” Lord Debling jumped at Lady Danbury’s voice.

“Yes,” he said. Then turning full attention back to the beauty on the stairs, “she certainly is… gorgeous.” He whispered.

Lady Danbury looked at poor Deblings face and almost chuckled. If he thought she was impressive to look at, wait until she spoke to him.

“That is Y/N L/N, daughter of some close friends of mine. She is a wonderful girl. Spirited.” Lady Danbury says with a knowing smile. “And, she is not yet married.”

Debling was now giving Lady Danbury his full attention. “She isn’t? Are you sure?” Lady Danbury normally would be offended at someone questioning her knowledge of the ton. But she took pity on him, this once.

“I’m sure. This is her third year out in society. She doesn’t need money or a title so she has the luxury of being picky. Although, most of the men in the ton find her to be too much to handle.”

Lady Danbury said gently. She loved and adored Y/N and knew she could be a bit much for some people.

This made Alfred Debling swoon. A woman who was unapologetically herself.

“Will you introduce me to her?” Lord Debling asked Lady Danbury.

This caught her slightly by surprise. He had never asked for her help meeting the women of the ton. He normally had no problem introducing himself to people. But she could tell by his eyes, he was begging.

“Alright.” She said taking his arm. “Follow my lead.”

———————————

After they descended the stairs, Lady L/N and Y/N thanked their host before heading into the main ballroom.

Y/N hadn’t seen the Bridgertons yet. Maybe. She would be safe after all.

“Duckie!” Hearing that name made Y/N cringe. There were only two people alive who still called her that name.

She turned cautiously and was greeted by both Colin and Eloise.

“She prefers Y/N, Colin. We aren’t children anymore.” Eloise scolded. She saw the hurt that would flash in Y/N’s eyes at the old nickname.

Colin, oblivious as ever laughed, “She’ll always be Duckie. Even her father called her that.”

At the mention of the late Lord Y/N everyone froze. Even Colin realized what he had done.

“I’m so sorry Y/N I didn’t mean to-“

Y/ N interrupted, “I’m going to get some air.”

And she all but ran away.

Eloise slapped her brother’s arm, “Great job Colin! We spoke to her for 10 seconds and now we’ll never speak to her again!”

It had been a year since Y/N had truly spent time with the Bridgerton family. Since her father’s death. Eloise had planned to ease their way back into her life. That clearly didn’t work. She should’ve known better to recruit Colin instead of Francesca.

————————

Alfred felt lightheaded as the approached Y/N. She was alone in the hallway. She excused herself from the ballroom and Lady Danbury insisted this was the perfect opportunity.

Y/N was staring out the hall window. Her mind was racing and she was praying for a distraction.

“Y/N! It’s so good to see you! How have you been darling?” Lady Danbury asked.

Y/N smiled. It was impossible to be in a bad mood around Lady Danbury.

“I’m doing well. How are you? I’ve heard about the new additions to your garden. Mama and I have been dying to see it.”

Alfred felt his heart jump at her smile. It was real. She was genuinely happy to see Lady Danbury. Maybe one day she would smile at him that way.

“Yes, the garden is in full bloom and ready for visitors. But I have someone here who wanted to meet you.” Lady Danbury gently pulled on Lord Debling’s arm, silently urging him to introduce himself.

“H-Hello Lady Y/N. I’m Lord Alfred Debling.” He choked out. Mentally cursing himself for stuttering.

Y/N was taken aback. A man wanted to meet her? A handsome man?

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Debling. I don’t believe I’ve seen you before.” Y/N said, mesmerized by his big, puppy dog eyes.

“Well I’ve been encouraged by my family to, um- get to know more people” He wasn’t sure how to explain his situation without blatantly saying he wanted a wife.

Y/N giggled. She knew exactly why he was here.

“I understand perfectly, Lord Debling. But I must warn you not everyone is worth getting to know.” Y/N said bluntly.

Alfred couldn’t help but smile.

“Is that so?” He started. “Perhaps you could escort me around the room and enlighten me to who is who?” He asked, mustering up all of the bravery he could.

Lady Danbury was shocked. Not only did Lord Debling offer Y/N his arm, she took it. Unheard of for both of them.

—————————

As the night carried on, Lady Danbury and Lady L/N watched happily as Lord Debling and Y/N walked circles around the room together.

Y/N talked on and on about everyone at the ball. Telling stories and sharing her personal experiences.

“And that is Lord and Lady Timsley. They are the oldest couple here.” She stated.

“Really?” Lord Debling asked. “How long have they been together?”

“52 years. They have a cottage close to ours in the country. Lord Timsley used to let me climb his Genovian Pear Tree. Until one day the branch I was on broke and I fell.” Y/N stated.

Alfred was shocked, “Good Lord! Were you alright?!”

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes I was fine. My mother was furious and my father found the entire thing hilarious.”

Alfred couldn’t help but see the bittersweet look when she mentioned her father. It’s how he felt when anyone mentioned his mother.

“Is there anyone else here I should be wary of?” He asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

“Um-“ Y/N surveyed the room then sighed, “the only people left are the Bridgertons”

Lord Debling looked at her and immediately knew there was an issue, “Are they people to be wary of?” He asked.

“No. N-no. I just… “ Y/N started before she was interrupted by the one person she dressed to think of.

“Duckie! Where the devil have you been? It’s been ages!” Nearly shouted inebriated Benedict Bridgerton.

Lord Debling saw Y/N immediately go tense and he became on high alert.

Y/N could tell Benedict was drunk. He didn’t hold his liquor well. She briefly looked over to where the other Bridgestone stood and they all looked mortified.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend, Duckie?” Benedict smirked. “Names Bridgerton.” Benedict forcefully pushed his hand forward and eyed Debling. Almost challenging him.

Alfred took a few seconds and took in his surroundings. Y/N was visibly uncomfortable. Maybe if he found the confidence to talk to her. He could find it to defend her.

So he took a breath and grabbed the Bridgerton boy’s hand. Hard.

“Yes, Viscount Bridgerton. Lovely to meet you.”

Benedict’s faces dropped. “Um- no. That would be my older brother Anthony.

“Oh,” Lord Debling started, “terribly sorry, you are the one who just got back from travels. Tell me, how was Greece? I hear it’s beautiful.”

Benedict’s eyes hardened in the man. “That would be my younger brother.” He gritted his teeth.

Y/N was speechless. No one had ever truly challenged Benedict before. Even Anthony would let him win just to go away.

Before either man could speak again. Violet and Anthony stepped in.

“Benedict, dear it’s time to go home.” Violet tried to gently coax him.

“But I’m being introduced to Lord Dumpling.” He replied.

“It’s Debling, and you’ve already met.” Anthony stated, clearly annoyed.

Benedict’s face lit up with recognition, “Yes! The man who watches the birds! Tell me, what do you eat instead of meat?” Benedict asked cheekily.

“That’s enough brother.” Anthony said sharply.

“What I’m just asking.” Benedict said in his best fake innocent voice.

“It is odd is it not?” He asked, looking directly at Y/N.

“I think it’s lovely.” All Bridgertons and Lord Debling looked at her.

“Really?” Alfred asked.

“Yes. It takes a lot of will power and compassion to make a bold choice like that.” She said looking directly at Lord Debling.

Benedict felt his heart lurch. She didn’t even spare him a glance.

He turned to Violet, “I’d like to go now mother.” Said stomping off to the nearest exit. Anthony rolled his eyes and followed after him.

Violet looked at Y/N, “I’m so sorry for my son’s behavior.” She breathed heavily and added, “All of it.”

Y/N nodded in acknowledgement, “Have a good evening Lady Bridgerton.”

Violet left and Y/N’s mother walked over.

“Lord Debling, it is so nice of you to keep my daughter company.” She said gently. Not wanting to draw any more attention to the situation.

Lord Debling chuckled, “it was quite the opposite Lady L/N. She has been a wonderful guide for the evening.”

Y/N felt herself blush.

“I was hoping I could call on you tomorrow.” Alfred said to Y/N, “if that is okay with you” he directed to her mother.

Lady L/N looked to her daughter to answer.

Y/N looked at Lord Debling. And once again, she became entranced by his caring and gentle gaze.

“I would like that very much.” She smiled, and he smiled back.

#bridgerton #benedict bridgerton #lord debling #benedict bridgerton x reader #alfred debling #Alfred debling x reader #lady whistledown

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wing-ed-thing · 8 months ago

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... And the Beast (Yonji Vinsmoke x Reader) Part II

Synopsis: You thought your little crush on Prince Yonji was a well-kept secret. Yonji is mean enough to exploit your eagerness to please in the face of his unrelenting cruelty; the thought of actually developing a soft spot for you never even crossed his mind.

Word Count: 4.5k

Tags/Warnings: Naive!Servant!Reader, No Reader Pronouns, Canonically Mean Vinsmokes, But Reader is Kinda Into It, Eventual Romance, Slow Burn, Wall Punching, Language, Reader Falls First, Yonji Falls Harder

Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI

Notes: My draft of this story in it's entirety is over 14k... and I haven't even gotten to the scene I wanted to write.

The two of you met by mere happenstance, and it was even rarer that the library was ever docked onto an important area of Germa. Spring marked the time for a seasonal cleaning. So, like every year before, the laboratory grunts were to store old accounts in the library and perform an overhaul of laboratory references, guarded by one of Judge’s children.

Yonji had been assigned guard duty this year, although the responsibility didn’t include much besides docking his fleet around the two storage snails. The men working in the laboratory would march back and forth carrying records and books, and you would assist in arranging your new inventory.

Aside from the one bulky book tower, the library ship didn't comprise much. The impressive structure took up nearly the entirety of the support snail, sporting several conical turrets and a grand archway in the center. The stone arch formed a closed bridge-like structure connecting the two towers. The northern wing housed important but dated scientific records, while the southern wing stored traditional texts.

With the bridge sitting near the eyestalks and the crew’s quarters located in the disconnected basement of the southern tower, paper took up more of the library snail than people did.

Given how little traffic typically went through the library tower, inventory day marked your snail’s busiest day of the year. Approximately five ships anchored around you, not including the laboratory, which was attached directly to your snail. You considered yourself lucky to have soldiers and technicians helping with the sheer volume of inventory, which had been shipped in bulk and hauled onto the library snail via a lift.

Yonji’s ship had docked directly onto the library snail. You remembered when you spotted his green raid suit from the library’s grand window, barking orders and taking command of the troops below. The ensuing wave of emotion nearly knocked you off your feet, a pit of fluttering anxiety festering at the pit of your stomach as you retreated outside to greet him.

You could recall every stone step down from the second tower and into the arch, and before you knew it, you were across the short yard. You greeted him formally and bowed. You were sure you were shaking.

Every other member of Germa 66 had served as a guard for you in the past during this occasion. Ichiji and Niji had been assigned to you once each, while Reiju had been several times in the past. But Yonji, in all the time you had been acting as the royal library attendant, had never made an appearance before this past spring.

He didn’t regard you with much, his indifference a stark contract to your acute, starstruck trembling. You bowed politely, blathering something about your job and a promise to do it well. Yonji stared you down with nothing less than annoyance and slight disgust, which, unbeknownst to you, would mark a recurring theme. And that had been your unremarkable first meeting with the fourth prince of Germa.

Like his siblings before him, Yonji didn’t involve himself much in your affairs. He seemed just about as interested in the reorganization process as he was in you, and you doubted that he’d even do a walkthrough when everything was finished, like Ichiji or Reiju. Instead, he busied himself with what you could only assume was his usual training regiment on the extended courtyard just outside the library window of the southern tower.

You saw him occasionally, catching a glimpse of green as you walked back and forth between the northern and southern towers with the inventory. And to your surprise, Yonji and his men remained active from the time the library organization team began in the morning until sunset, far later than even the inventory team worked. (The inventory team rose early and stopped in the mid-afternoon.)

You sat in your usual plush chair by the window, the commotion just outside becoming a part of your nightly routine as you read your book in the glow of the sunset. You didn’t even catch yourself staring, drifting off in thought as you watched Yonji interact with the men outside.

A little voice squeaked your name. You blinked to yourself, trying not to appear as caught off guard as you felt. The cook’s twin children sat on the velvet rug at your feet, eyes squinting in the setting sun's light. The little girl sat hunched, her hands gripping the ankles of her crossed legs, while the little boy lay sprawled out on the rug.

“Sorry, I thought I saw something outside,” you muttered a quick apology before clearing your throat to start again. “‘Well, Father, said Beauty, ‘as the Beast will accept either you or one of your daughters, I will give myself up to his fury, as it is on my account you have been involved in this trouble…’”

You continued to read aloud. Due to the archive ship’s distance from most of the larger snails, the library housed a single cook in a single, below-deck kitchen to support the small staff of you and a handful of soldiers and crew. And, like a surprising amount of non-combatant employees of Germa, the cook had children.

However, children under the age of twelve were not allowed to roam freely within their respective parts of the caste, and once they were of working age, they were expected to learn servant’s skills. But considering the isolation of the library snail and the few staff members who stepped into the archive at all, you could afford to bend the rules a bit. But with a member of the royal family visiting, one of your many priorities was keeping the children quiet and occupied, especially after dinner.

By the time you closed your book, your voice was beginning to sound hoarse, and the sun had completely set outside. The kids on your rug yawned with drooping eyes. You peered at the clock. You had kept them for far later than you intended to, but you supposed it was better that they were a bit late to bedtime rather than getting into trouble around the ship when the prince was visiting.

“Why can’t we play outside? We usually play outside after stories, and we haven’t been outside in weeks.” the boy groaned, tensing his arms and legs in a full-body stretch before letting them hit the rug below. “We’re gonna get vitamin D deficiency and die.”

“Nice try. It’s been two days, and it’s nighttime.”

The two children huffed. The girl stood and moved to the window to look out at the makeshift courtyard from the windowsill. She stood on her toes, barely able to peer out the glass. The boy rolled onto his stomach before pushing himself to his feet to join her.

You quickly bolted up with them, ready to pull the two from the window. While you had no issue with the twins listening to a story in the library as the archive’s sole keeper, you anticipated that Prince Yonji might not take terribly well to being ogled at by small, unwelcome children as his battalion trained.

But to your surprise, all of the soldiers were gone. You glanced at the clock again. You supposed that even people like Yonji had to sleep at some point.

“C’mon, shark bites.” You set the book of stories on the round table next to your chair. “Let’s get you back downstairs.”

The twins protested but were too tired to put up much of a fight. You scooped the boy up into your arms. He tucked his head into the nape of your neck, just about falling asleep instantly. You took the girl by the hand, ready to lead them out of the second tower and around the back to the two cellar doors leading to the servant’s quarters.

Just as you pushed open the doors with your foot to corral the two into the hallway, you could have sworn you heard movement. You were too focused to pay it any mind.

***

It took several days for the books and files to be properly organized into their respective archives—and several evenings of extended, after-dinner storytime sessions—but as had happened every year before, the operation went smoothly. The moment he heard that everything was finished, Yonji immediately called all his men back to their respective ships to depart.

“Master Yonji?” You trailed behind him, attempting to keep up with his wide-paced stride. Yonji paid no mind to you as he barked orders across the deck. “I don’t mean to insert myself into your affairs, but might I ask if you intend on performing a walk-through inspection? Mistress Reiju often likes to make notes concerning the new orientation to communicate with Lord Judge. And we’ve actually reoriented the delta files a level down this year—”

Yonji suddenly turned on his heel, causing you to smack into him. You recoiled, trying to resist the urge to grab at your nose. You might as well have walked straight into a wall.

“I don’t remember asking for direction from you.”

The two of you stopped in the middle of the archway, his form barely shaded by its shadow. Yonji stared you down with his dark irises. You took a file out from under your arm.

“I—”

Yonji’s fist swiftly struck the wall next to your head. He had backed you up against the wall, now towering over you. The stone behind you crumbled as your knees locked together. Yonji hovered over you, letting out a steady stream of hot, irritated air from his nose.

You were unaware of how his lips pulled slightly down and of Yonji’s rapid analysis of your face. Instead, your gaze remained solely on the gloved fist next to your head.

That was the first time Yonji saw that spark in your eye. Your lips formed a passive line, but the shine of authentic amazement that glimmered in your gaze betrayed you. You held a crushing grip on the files in both hands, and neither you nor Yonji mistook the beat your heart skipped as fearful.

He withdrew his fist, leaving the large divot in the stone. More fractured pieces fell, clacking on the solid ground below.

Neither of you moved, nor did you say a word.

You weren’t afraid of him, and Yonji should have been angered. If it were anyone else, he would have been. He stared down at you; his mouth contorted into a wolfish grin as he quickly decided he could make an exception for that stupid gleam of admiration in your eyes. You knew your place, Yonji considered, and it was marveling at his strength.

Your fate was sealed.

***

Yonji hadn’t wanted you at his quarters the morning of his mission in Speleothem, nor did he call for you for the rest of the day. And so, for the first time in the last few months, you spent your time in the library, tending to the archive.

You stood in the middle of the largest chamber of the southern tower, basking in the sunlight that flooded through the large window with a few books in your arms. You breathed in the smell of paper and sea air. It was a clean scent and one that you missed now that you spent so much of your time in the main castle.

You wheeled over the rolling ladder, positioning it right next to the gap you could see a few shelves up. With the three texts tucked into your elbow, you climbed the rungs. The encyclopedias had been slightly stained by dirt and significantly roughed up by the Vinsmoke princes’ target practice, but the damage was nothing a rebinding couldn’t fix.

The first book filled the gap on the shelf perfectly. Ichiji spent some time picking out his selection when the three princes entered your library. His intention to use the book as a part of his target practice didn’t stop him from picking out a pragmatic option: a collection of writings about early forms and types of gunpowder.

You ventured up the steps to the balcony, finding your next spot near the ceiling by the window. Niji had selected the bulkiest and hardest-to-reach text he could find within reach with the help of his jet-propelled boots. However, his efforts stopped at the very top of the stairs. Despite his intentions to torment you, his apparent curiosity seemed to fade with the effort of venturing up to the balcony. You placed the book in its spot, the compilation of weather patterns, maps, and navigational information making for a tight fit.

Yonji had selected the last book, although his choice didn’t appear to have much reason behind it. You were sure he was going to take the book you already had out. A piece of the late queen’s collection, the completed set of folk stories and fairy tales from all four blues had a near-permanent residence next to your usual reading chair. You pulled it enough to read to the twins, if not to yourself, for nostalgia’s sake.

You remembered how he stopped, head tilted downward, to read the book’s cover. With the two tips of his fingers, Yonji gently turned the book to face him. He had stared at it with his weight shifted to his back leg as he looped a thumb into the front belt loops of his slacks. He looked handsome, you had decided, as he stood posed in the afternoon light.

But Yonji left the book be, instead opting for the first text he saw on the adjacent shelf: a detailed encyclopedia about birds native to the North Blue. It fit right into the space left for it.

A gruff rumble sounded behind you. Your heart nearly jumped as you turned on your heel to see Yonji leaning against the open double doors. He cleared his throat again, pushing off the wall with his shoulder.

“Prince Yonji!” you exclaimed, quickly bowing. “How might I be of service?”

Your heart pounded as you wondered if your eyes were deceiving you. You had been convinced that talking out of term had banished you back to the library for good, but you couldn’t help the deep pang of excited dread that came with Yonji’s rare presence in your archive.

His eyes narrowed to the side as he approached you. The slightest pout played on his lips as he glanced around. His gaze traveled up the curved staircase to your left and along the balcony as far as his peripheral would allow. You rose from your bow.

“What information do you have on Rivulette?” he asked, and his question filled the air.

You replayed his words in your head, wondering if you heard him right. You tilted your head to the side, blinking as you tried to process what he asked of you. Of all people, Prince Yonji Vinsmoke couldn’t possibly be asking for a book— at least not in person or when he could easily search his own electronic database. (It was likely far more accessible than anything in your library, anyway. The library was extensive, but it was an archive at the end of the day.)

“Rivulette, as in, the island?” you questioned. Yonji scoffed. With a few shakes of his head, his lashes fluttered closed.

“Obviously.” He lifted an arm and rotated his shoulder backward to readjust how his usual white, short-sleeved button-up sat around his biceps. Yonji looked off somewhere into the room again with teeth gritted. “Do you have it or not?”

“I think we have some texts on Rivulette, but I don’t know if they’ll be what you’re looking for.” You scurried over to the rolling ladder. Yonji followed indifferently behind you, his scowl still ever-present. “It’s mostly basic geographical—”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he gruffed, standing directly beside where you moved the ladder. He did not hold it for you as you climbed the rungs.

You stopped three steps up, conscious of his watchful gaze, as you pulled a collection of texts from one of the upper shelves. Yonji watched silently from below, although you weren’t too far above his head. At his height, you were sure that Yonji could have pulled the books himself even without the ladder.

“I have a geographical account from about a hundred years ago, an autobiography from Rivulette’s eighth president, Brooke Waters…” You trailed off, tilting the shelved texts to allow Yonji to read the spines. You continued to rattle off the titles of the few books you had, all undoubtedly useless, especially considering the context. Yonji had to have a more extensive and relevant wealth of knowledge in his computer system.

“What’s that one?” Yonji gestured to a text at the very end of the compilation. The spine was easily four inches thick and partially obscured behind a section of your ladder.

“This one?” You pointed to it, glancing down at— or more accurately toward— Yonji, who rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, that one.”

“It’s an encyclopedia with information on native geography, plants, and animals—”

“Give me a summary.”

You blinked at him. Yonji stared back at you, awaiting an answer.

Oh, he was being serious.

“A summary of all the landmarks and wildlife on Rivulette… from the beginning of time?”

Yonji huffed, shifting his weight to his back leg as he pivoted slightly away from you. He ran a hand up his face into his hair with a shake of his head. When he turned back to you, he appeared to do so reluctantly, folding his fingers on his palm in a waving gesture.

“Just… bring ‘em all down,” he groaned again. Yonji placed his hands near the back of his hips, rotating his torso to stretch as he waited for you to complete your task.

You eyed the collection of books. While the amount wasn’t necessarily as extensive as some of your other accumulations, the sum of all the spines easily amounted to an arm’s length. You began at the far end, taking two sizeable texts in your hand. You collected them in the crook of your opposite elbow before reaching back for more.

Yonji observed your efforts with a creased brow and a judgemental dip of his lip. His hands still settled on his hips, although they had balled into scrutinous fists.

The ladder wobbled beneath you as you piled a total of five books into your elbow, balancing yourself only by the strength in your legs. You missed Yonji’s deep scowl as he stepped toward you.

“This is ridiculous” was about all the warning you received before you were scooped off the ladder altogether. Yonji lifted you from below, wrapping a singular, muscular arm diagonally around your hips as he effortlessly placed you on the ground below. He did so unceremoniously and easily, like your body weight— along with the small mountain of books that you nearly dropped on the floor in shock— was nothing.

Yonji moved the ladder out of the way and reached up to grab the rest of the stack with little exertion. Much like how he had forced you out of the way, his actions were straightforward as he supported the pile under his arm. He brushed past you toward the ornate table situated (and screwed down to the floor) just a short distance behind you.

Yonji placed his sizeable stack on the shiny wooden finish, and you put your smaller collection next to his, seeming to be playing catch-up as Yonji took a seat at the head of the table.

“Prince Yonji—?”

“Sit.”

You immediately did as you were told, pulling out a chair adjacent to his as Yonji began to separate the books. He appeared deep in thought, studying the covers briefly before spreading them across the immediate surface. Every so often, he would flick one open to thumb through the pages, grumbling to himself before placing the text in its designated pile.

You studied him, trying to hide your acute surprise as he craned his neck over the encyclopedia from before, his eyes pouring over the glossary. He looked out of place hunched over a large book. For his appearance and general demeanor, you had never thought Yonji to be one for the quiet accumulation of knowledge.

He was, after all, a physical being in all senses of the word. Yonji boasted a bulky build, which strained most of his clothes, and referring to him as tall was a drastic understatement. It wasn’t difficult to see how much pride he took in being Germa 66’s offensive tank, nor was it hard to notice his immense pride in his physical prowess above all things. You didn’t recall ever seeing Yonji eager to sit still very long for anything, more interested in finding nearly anything else as an excuse to test his strength and power.

You should know. You had been the one tending to his every whim for the past few months.

And so he sat at the edge of his chair, his forearm reaching across the top corner of his book to grip the top open and flat with a wide, sturdy grip to read. Yonji slung an ankle over his opposite knee, tilting his head at an awkward angle as he sank further into his light research.

“Commentary.” The word carried a downward inflection like a mix between a demand and a question, but you knew better than to take it as anything less than a command.

The single word stalled your thoughts. Yonji glanced up, his posture gradually reverting upright as he gripped the page he was on to guide the book closed slowly. Your lips parted to speak, but nothing came out. Yonji’s dark irises stared curiously into yours.

“Commentary on…?”

He leaned back in his chair and coiled his arms over his chest. The hem on the cuff of his short sleeves strained on his biceps. The hems of his clothes were always a bit too small for him, but you supposed that Germa 66 went through too many textiles to put much stake into personal tailoring.

“I bet you’ve read every book in this goddamn room,” he said, but his words were spoken like an accusation. Yonji gestured loosely with the bob of his shoulder, glancing briefly at the thousands of books that lined the walls.

You stared down at the encyclopedia, eyes slightly widened as you pondered the best way to answer him.

“I can’t say I’ve read an encyclopedia cover to cover, Prince Yonji,” you spoke quietly.

Yonji let out a bellowing laugh, letting his mouth hang open wide as he threw his head back. But he cut his laughter short, reassuming his almost hunched-over position at the table with a foxlike glint in his eye. Yonji slid the large book over to you before resting his cheek in his palm. His right hand gripped the armrest of his chair, his elbow creating a ninety-degree angle.

“What do ya remember about this one?”

The corners of his lips were upturned, not too dissimilar to how he looked when he was up to something mischievous. But the milliseconds you spent trying to figure him out only revealed the true seriousness that lingered just below the surface.

“Sparking sparrows,” you answered quickly, still unsure as to what he was getting at. Yonji’s frame visibly sunk. The upturned corner of his lips faltered as he glanced off to the side with a deep heave of his chest.

“Birds?” he spat.

“They’re very small but have very sharp beaks,” you offered. Yonji grew less amused by the second, although you didn’t quite understand why. But despite his evident dismay, he motioned for you to continue. You flipped through the pages quickly, pulling up the entry you were looking for. “They let off little sparks, um, and they use this electricity to terrorize wild snails. There are several accounts of them sticking their heads into transponder snail shells. They’ll actually go out of their way to—”

He shook his head with a deepening frown.

“No, what do you remember about the geography?”

You sat at the edge of your seat, your lips pursed into a slight line. One of Yonji’s brows twitched in annoyance, and while you weren’t quite sure what he was looking for, you knew at your very core that your answer was not it.

“It’s very pretty?” You unconsciously shrunk farther away from him, which only served to sharpen your posture. You held a death grip on the lap of your uniform, pooling the fabric in your fingers.

“Ugh, forget it.” Yonji stood suddenly and harshly, causing you to to nearly recoil back into your seat. He slammed his chair into the table, the two hard wooden surfaces coming together with a loud bang before he stalked off. He gestured to the table behind him. “Clean this shit up.”

***

Yonji didn’t like feeling stupid, although he didn’t know what to do with that information other than work off the steam. After an evening of training that was a bit more destructive than it needed to be, dinner, and then a post-workout workout, Yonji finally felt like he had reached an equilibrium.

Yonji didn’t know what he had been thinking. And your eagerness to please, the very trait that Yonji kept you around for, had vexed him that day. You tried to piece together his ambiguous requests, but each question only served to heat his demeanor little by little in annoyance. He didn’t even know what he was looking for when he visited you in the archive, and your simple questions did little more than call attention to how silly he felt in coming to you.

In fact, by the end of his last gym session, he was convinced that it had all been a waste of time. Yonji, a top commander in Germa’s military force, had followed a lead that turned out to be a fluke.

He could make peace with a fluke, he decided. But he had wanted to listen to his gut, and with the memories of Speleothem constantly ruminating in his head since the job, Yonji had always followed his instincts.

But now, he stood in the penthouse office on Rivulette with his siblings. Ichiji and Niji bickered over how to best crack the encrypted snails the client hadn’t told them about in the background. Yonji couldn’t help the heavy pang that reverberated through his chest as he locked onto the window on the opposite end of the room.

He thought he had been shot by something.

“Keep it together, Yonji,” Ichiji gritted. The room was still.

Yonji hardly heard him. His entire focus was on the small bird he spotted perched just outside the window. The bird pecked at the glass, leaving slight scratches with its shallow electric sparks. He walked over to the window, stopping just before the glass. The bird continued to peck, undaunted by the figure that loomed on the other side. The hand that Yonji held over his chest slowly rose to his mouth and over his right eye.

“Oh, man,” he breathed, glancing behind him. Ichiji and Niji continued to bicker.

Yonji turned back toward the bird, and suddenly, a whole night’s worth of thought spiraled down the drain.

Yonji opened the window.

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed, and supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

Notes: It would be my honor and privilege to remind everyone that Yonji stands at a whopping 194 cm (6'4"), so no one better come at me for the size difference. That man is a beast (pun intended).

And I spent an obscene amount of time making gifs to use for this series. It's not even funny.

Also, I use a grammar checker that completely messed up and started deleting random words/parts of words in the middle of the text. Please let me know if there's a crazy typo somewhere.

Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI

#yonji x reader #yonji vinsmoke x reader #germa 66 x reader #op x reader #one piece x reader #yonji #yonji vinsmoke #one piece fanfic #one piece fanfiction #op fanfic #x reader #x you #reader insert #germa 66

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lialucis · 29 days ago

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Ghost demon cuddles

@machveil I almost done with this damn thing I was going to send you as a fucking ask and it got eated so now have my second not as good attempt to word vomiting. 😭 So here we go 💖

Today was shit. This week was shit. Even this month was shit. Your phones battery deciding to go on strike should have been the first indicator. But then, your screen cracked. The final stroke for Murphy's Law to kick you in the pants.

Three sodas, three different days, neither of them more then halfway gone. All meeting their cruel maker on the floor. Two pairs of pants, your favorites! The ones that feel so comfortable, fit just right, make your ass look damn good. Gone, just like the stitching where the crotch and ass was ripped out at work. And if it couldn't get worse, a double charge on your debit card. Two hours of struggling to right this clearly wrong, 'wrong'. And your phone that was on life support, kicked the bucket. Dying for good and making it impossible to call back and save those two hours of your life you'll never get back.

It was the straw that broke the camels back. Storming into the pitiful excuse of a 'library', a lopsided bookcase hanging onto its last bits of life. Shelves bowing under the weight of all the books crammed in any and every little scrap of space. Only one book on your mind, a large black and blue book. One that would give many a good person a stroke if they ever caught wind of you so much as looking in its general direction. Let alone inching it off the bookshelf, standing on a sketchy chair as it is. So what's a broken neck?

You could have done anything else. A more 'positive' way of calming yourself down. Of relaxing, of 'forgive and forget' or what that horse shit is. No, you wanted some gods damned results right NOW.

Your eyes would trail up the black smoke churning in and coiling in on itself, spreading around the floor and towards the ceiling.

You could have gone out and treated yourself, bought ice cream and cried like a normal person.

Black leathery wings would slowly flap and stretch as they were made manifest, absolutely massive.

You could have done some 'healthy' hobby to cope with the roiling frustration scratching at your skin and mind.

Large curved horns and dusty brownish blond hair, were next to manifest. Face mostly obscured by the smoke as a large meaty paw raised up to the creatures face. Coiling and shaping, turning white and mimicking a skull to cover the upper half of the monsters face.

You could have gone and had some 'personal' time, especially as your eyes wander over the thick muscle chording itself together. Easily taller than you, twice the size almost. But no, you shook your head. Your mind was already set on what you wanted.

Dark honey brown eyes would slowly open, peering down at you, a frown marring those pretty black lips.

"Why have you broug-" The demon wouldn't even have a chance to get five words out before your arms snapped out. Those pools of melted chocolate narrowing as they wandered over you. They could see the way your face reddened, your eyes grew glassy your lip trembled, and chest ached.

A low growl would rumble from deep within the demons chest as he began to slowly approach, a scarred tail like a dragons sweeping across the floor as he got closer, and closer. This demon who has killed more for less. Who could kill you with the flick of his wrist. Head tilting as he stared down at you like you were a broken insect at his feet.

"We will discuss payment later." That deep timber would rumble out, large meaty paws bigger then your head reaching out. Claws tipped black and longer then your thumbs, attached to even bigger arms. Wrapping around you, trapping you. Holding you close, he could easily crush you.

"Do not speak." The skull faced demon would rumble out, grunting as he lowered himself down. Draping you across his warm chest. Wings flapping before folding, covering you, blanketing you in their warmth. "Rest."

Scarred and split knuckles would brush down your head and back, as you were held close. Enveloping you in everything that is this demon, this 'Ghost', as the book calls him. A heavy sigh escapes you, and the only thing you can wonder. Why this demon somehow smelt like oranges?

#cod #how to tag #simon ghost riley x you #cod simon ghost riley #cod au

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elliespeach · 2 years ago

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you belong to me | part two

pairing: ellie x reader

synopsis: ellie’s crush seems to spiral out of control one day on patrol and now she’s left to face the consequences.

warnings: 18+, strong language, sexually explicit descriptions, ellie and reader smoke weed together, possession and jealousy, david bowe? sandra

wordcount: 3k+ (periodt)

author note: thank you guys for so much love on the first part, i appreciate it more than you know that people enjoy my writing! i saw a tiktok about how moonage daydream is probably one of ellie’s favorite songs and i HAD to jump on it (i dont know who made the tt im sorry) i love that song and personally, i totally see ellie loving it so u know i had to incorporate it somehow. i hope you guys like this one! w loveeeeee

ellie held open the door for you once you reached her garage behind joel’s house. the small but cozy little apartment was familiar to you, the smell of weed and ellie was pungent but delightful as always. a small smile appeared on your lips as you glanced around ellie’s room, you’ve seen it a hundred times but it just screams ellie and you loved every knick-knack. ellie couldn’t help but stare, twiddling with her fingers ever so slightly but when you caught her eye she dropped her hands and her eyes darted to the wall.

“uh– dina and i smoked my last blunt, gotta roll a new one.” ellie stammered, suddenly really aware of her movements. she made her way to her small couch, gathering her supplies to make the perfect blunt for you. she could roll with her eyes closed, but you made her so nervous and she was worried her shaky hands would spill her stash.

normally, ellie wasn’t like this around you but given the circumstances, she couldn’t help it.

fuck oh my god ellie just fucking roll like you’ve done a thousand times. she made the mistake of glancing at you, seeing you looking around her room. her heart nearly lurched from her chest, you fiddled with her paint brushes, leading your finger to the comic book she had open on her desk. rollrollrollrollroll.

“what’s this?”

“my amazing-spiderman comic, i read it like a thousand times already.” ellie had regained control of her shaky hands, putting all of her focus into it. you let out a small laugh, causing her to lose focus and look up at you.

“nerd alert…” you said under your breath in a joking tone, locking your eyes on her stereo.

“excuse m–”

“what tapes do you have?” you searched through her tape box, landing on david bowe, you let out an exaggerated gasp “oh, perfect!”

ellie scoffed lightheartedly, “i have the blunt ready, when you’re done bullying me.”

“oh please, i could do worse,” you skipped to moonage daydream and pressed play. the music erupted through the speakers and you turned it down to a reasonable volume and turned back to ellie, who was watching you diligently. “thank you.”

ellie held out the blunt for you and you took it while settling in on the couch, the song vibrating throughout the small garage. “don’t sweat it, anything for you.”

keep your 'lectric eye on me, babe, put your ray gun to my head

“no, really thank you, for everything.” you said, taking a hit from the blunt. feeling what little nerves you had left diminish into thin air. being around ellie had calmed you down a lot more than you had anticipated, and this was noticeable to ellie as you got more comfortable on her small couch. she watched your every move, fuck you look good hitting the blunt.

press your space face close to mine, love, freak out in a moonage daydream, oh yeah

“like i said, anything for you,” you reached out, offering her the blunt next and she took it with ease. “can i ask you something?” ellie asked, her confidence coming back with the high creeping up on her.

“shoot.” you responded.

“what did you see in her?” along with her question, she passed the blunt off to you, and you hit it while contemplating your answer.

don't fake it, baby, lay the real thing on me

“i don’t know, if i’m being honest. she asked me on a date and we had a good time,” you took a beat. “it was nice, for a little. i guess.”

“she didn’t deserve you, you know?” ellie remarked, taking the blunt back. “i’m not saying that because i kissed you, im saying it because i really mean it.” and because i kissed you. because you deserve someone like me.

not someone like me. just me.

“yeah, i know.” you answered softly.

the church of man, love, is such a holy place to be

a silence fell between you and ellie, and she took the time to inhale the smoke into her lungs and back out. it was nearly out now and she ashed it into the tray. you loved the way she looked when she smoked, her hair in a messy bun, eyes red. your mind raced to the thought of her hands on you like they were a few weeks ago, aggressive but polite. the way she treated every curve of your body like it was a piece of artwork, you’d never admit it but you yearned for that feeling again.

“well, can i ask you a question?” you asked her and she nodded bringing the blunt back to her lips, which somehow gave you small flurries in your stomach. “why did you kiss me?”

she raises her eyebrows slightly, cocking her head to the side with a smirk. “you kissed me back you know? didn’t we just vow never to speak of it again?” she said in a mock accusatory tone.

“i asked you a question,” you demanded, half joking. “and we're high, so it doesn’t count.”

make me, baby, make me know you really care, make me jump into the air

she looked down to the blunt between her fingers, choosing her words carefully. “heat of the moment, i think.” lie.

“c’mon ellie, i was honest with you.” you persisted with a laugh, knowing she was keeping the truth from you.

she breathed out your name and her red eyes bore into yours, “why do you think i kissed you?” ellie spoke softly, as if anyone else would hear.

she wanted to kiss you again and images of you on your back and your arms wrapped around her neck flooded her mind. it clouded her to say the least, as if the weed wasn’t doing that already. the way your body felt against hers, the electricity she felt when she kissed you and above all, you moaning in pleasure by ellie just simply touching you made her weak in the knees.

keep your 'lectric eye on me, babe put your ray gun to my head

“i wish you would’ve done it before i went out with her,” you stated, unsure if that was the right thing to say. ellie’s eyebrows raised and you admired her eyebrow slit and how it suited her face well, even if it was an accident.

“i wanted to ever since you got here,” ellie remarked, thinking about the day you arrived in jackson, she smiled at the memory. “but you were so…you, it made me nervous.” admitting that to you made her cheeks flush bright red and she could feel the heat she was radiating off.

“oh, wow. i make the infamous ellie williams nervous?” you flaunted, theatrically throwing your hair over your shoulders.

“shut up.” she playfully pushed your upper body.

“you shut up!” you laughed, pushing her back which resulted in her dropping the small blunt on the floor. you both immediately went to go pick it up, your hands touching as they reached the blunt. you were leaning further over than ellie was, face close to hers and you could swear you felt her breath on your face.

press your space face close to mine, love, freak out in a moonage daydream, oh

the feeling that came over her the day in the woods was back again, this time in fuller force. every nerve in her body was heightened and her mind was screaming, kiss her you idiot! over and over again until she couldn’t fight the urges anymore.

swiftly, she cupped your face in her hands, pulling you into a deep kiss. it wasn’t hungry or lust filled, it felt sweet and you all but smiled as she did. your hand involuntarily moved up to grab her forearm, desperate for her touches again. and as if she could read your thoughts ellie gently pushed you down so she was over top of you on her small couch.

the song in the background faded out slowly, the only sound was the heavy breathing of both of you. your legs went around her waist and she lowered herself into you. she pulled away from the kiss, staring at you longingly. a small smile splayed across her face and she reached up to brush away a loose strand of hair from your face. she pushed it behind your ear, following your hair down to your neck with her finger, just looking as if she was committing you to memory. and she was.

“els?”

“yeah baby?” she cooed, still hovering her eyes all over you a new found confidence in her, knowing you were just as crazy for her as she was for you.

her green eyes found yours, “i have patrol in the morning,” you all but whined and ellie groaned playfully, burying her face in the crook of your neck. “i should try and get some sleep,” ellie kissed your neck, sucking on one spot below your ear which made your body twitch. “williams!” you laughed and her face was in front of yours again.

“stay here tonight?” she asked, almost begged, her puppy eyes nearly bulging out of her head.

“course,” you replied and she very hesitantly got off of you to go to her dresser. as you sat up on the couch, you noticed the blunt still on the floor. picking it up and seeing it was definitely ashed by now you looked around for her trash can.

when you went to throw it away you saw crumpled up papers in the bin, ellie wasn’t one to waste and when you reached down to investigate she yelled from across the room, “don’t!” but it was too late, the paper was being unfolded in your hands and when you saw what she didn’t want you too, you understood why.

she had drawn you, on your horse looking out over jackson from the patrol look-out. ellie came up behind you and snatched the paper away from you, replacing it with a large t shirt of hers. “you’ve been drawing me?” you asked sweetly.

“maybe,” she tried to deflect, “cmon, change. you need your sleep.” you obliged, letting her take the picture which she flattened out on her desk instead of throwing it away again. she was embarrassed about it but you adored it and wondered if that was the first time she had done that. it wasn’t.

ellie often found herself sketching you, even if she didn’t mean to. she was practicing eyes and thought they looked familiar until she realized they were yours. those were crumbled up as well, probably long gone by now and she cursed herself for it.

you changed and despite the moment(s) she had with you, she turned away as you did letting you have some privacy. she was waiting patiently, looking at her old books on her shelf when you came up behind her and took her hand in yours. she felt electricity in her hands as you touched her, the feeling not going away as you pulled her into her own bed.

you fell asleep listening to ellie’s heartbeat in her chest, her arm wrapped tightly around you. there wasn’t much said, the high putting you both to sleep and when morning came ellie was alone in her bed, her clock reading 9:06 am.

for a scary moment, she thought she had dreamed the whole thing. she got too high and hallucinated you flirting back with her, kissing her sweetly and wearing her t-shirt. she rolled over and noticed a small indent in the bed and could still smell the springy smell that belonged to you. not a dream…

right, you had patrol. but why wouldn’t you wake her? ellie groaned and sat up in her bed, regretful she wasn’t able to say a simple goodbye before you left. she knew from previous trips you’d be back in about an hour, so ellie got up and got ready for the day and set out for the front gates. it was the middle of spring, she decided to wear a short sleeved blue button up with ripped jeans and her converse that desperately needed replacing.

as she approached the gates, the familiar sound of bustling jackson townies filled her ears. she could smell the breakfast from the only restaurant in town and her mouth filled with water, but she was determined to make sure you got back safely first.

she was approached by dina, who looked tiresome. “thank god we have the day off, im exhausted.” normally, she would agree. patrolling could get boring as often as she did it, the same routes she’s always taken, fighting small groups of infected here and there. but today she wished differently, her eyes darting from dina and the still closed gates, she wished she could have come with you.

“yeah,” was all she said at first, contemplating telling her friend about the events of last night. sandra breaking up with you, taking you back to her place, how you kissed her back passionately. it made ellie think about how you could have ever been with sandra, and if you ever kissed sandra like that, felt her the way you did with ellie. a feeling of jealousy swarmed over her, glossing over her thoughts and destroying them. had you done all of that with her? did you think about me when you were with her? were you with her like that?

she decided against speaking about it, scared that she would burst into flames on the spot. “i’m switching back to morning patrols next week.” ellie announced to dina who raised her eyebrow in question before coming to her own conclusion about why.

“so things are good with you guys again?” dina asked, biting into a sandwich and the sight made ellie’s stomach grumble.

ellie looked everywhere but her friend. “yeah, i guess so.” she figured dina had no idea what transpired last night being so enveloped in jesse, but dina knew something was off even if ellie had stated you two were okay.

“so, what happened? all the gritty details, please.” dina said in between bites, ellie’s eyes still wandering to the gate.

“where’s jesse? shouldn’t you two be off, i don’t know, making babies?” ellie said defensively, having no effect on dina being as she's used to ellie’s snarky remarks. she glanced back from the gate to look at her friend whose mouth was agape.

“oh my god, ellie williams what did you do?”

ellie scoffed, crossing her arms. “i didn’t do anything!”

“tell me right now, ellie. malcom owes me some favors and putting your name on horse clean-up will be no problem.” dina threatened.

she sighed, looking to the ground in defeat. “sandra broke up with her and i made her feel better, okay? that’s all.”

“you boned her the night she got broken up with?” dina asked, astonished at her friend.

“jesus christ,” ellie sighed. “no, i didn’t bone her, asshole. we just smoked and talked for a while and…”

“and what?” dina cut her off quickly.

“she may have spent the night.” dina’s shocked expression changed into a soft one and ellie immediately huffed, looking back to the gate. still not opening.

“dina!” they both heard jesse’s voice behind them, dina turned to see her boyfriend waving her on.

“i have to go, but i want details when i see you later!” she stated swiftly before patting ellie on the shoulder and sprinting to jesse. ellie said a quick goodbye before hearing the familiar sound of the creaking gates, indicating you had returned.

before she knew it herself, her legs were moving her towards the gate as the horses started to stride in. she waited anxiously, scanning faces of all the morning patrols before landing on your beautiful face, but when she glanced over to see your patrol partner, her hand clenched into a fist by her side.

it was sandra, her horse keeping the pace next to yours as if on purpose. ellie’s face went red, feeling the heat burning her cheeks she thought she would have burn marks from it. she watched as you looked at sandra, laughing. that laugh you had been blessing her ears with the night before. “the fuck…?” ellie said to herself in a low whisper.

you made eye contact with a disturbed ellie, quickly glancing back to sandra as if to say bye. and as ellie approached you and your horse, she helped you dismount without a word. “hey els,” you said happily, hoping to see her face relax. it didn’t, but ellie handed off the reins to a stable keeper before taking her hand in yours.

she basically dragged you away from the stables, taking a quick look back to see sandra looking at you two with an unrecognizable expression. “ellie, she was already scheduled–”

jealousy pouring out of her, ellie responded, “i don’t care about that, what i do care about is her playing with your feelings.” she said in a huff. her hand was still firmly in yours, leading you away.

“she’s not playing with my fee–”

“what was that, then?” she turned to you, stopping both of you in your tracks. “did she even apologize to you? does she even know how much she hurt you?”

“well– uh… not really.” you responded shyly.

“exactly,” she let out a deep breath, she had stopped you in a small alleyway between unoccupied houses, the sound of the town around you seemed to drown out behind ellie’s heavy breathing.

“i know what this is,” you said with a playful smile. “you’re jealous.” you pointed a finger at her chest and poked her jacket.

“what?” she asked, half listening. her mind was racing with the thoughts of you and sandra on patrol together, laughing together, being together.

“you’re jealous,” you said simply, reaching your hand up to her chin gently, redirecting her eyes to you. “its sweet really. but you don’t have to worry about her anymore.” you planted a small kiss on her burning cheek.

ellie’s eyes closed in comfort at your touch. you pulled away, your intoxicating scent leaving her swiftly before her eyes opened again, peering at yours intensely. your faces just inches from her’s, ellie pulled you into a kiss. wrapping her arms around your waist to bring you even closer.

“okay,” she breathed, finally feeling herself relax with your reassurance. suddenly feeling a little self-conscious of her actions she cleared her throat. “let’s get some breakfast, yeah?” you nodded before wrapping yourself around her arm and continued walking further into town. i don’t have to worry about her anymore, she repeated to herself. you belong to me.

#ellie williams #ellie williams fanfiction #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams x you #tlou2 #tlou #ellie tlou2 #ellie williams smut #ellie williams fic #ellie williams the last of us #ellie williams tlou #ellie williams x reader smut #ellie williams imagine

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sparrowrye · 8 months ago

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Demi Demon || Alastor x Reader, A3 part 6

Synopsis: Alastor disappeared for 8 years, leaving you confused, crushed, and angry. You spent those years building up your new self and protecting the haven from dangers left and right. What will happen when he returns to the new changes? Will he return anytime soon? Could you even go back to the way things were?

Previous part

Part 6: sweet nothings

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

I let out a groan as I stretched my arms out. My eyes snapped open to see Alastor still here and sitting in a chair by the empty fireplace. The evening sun was streaming through the large window and making his red pop out all the more.

His eyes were already on me when I looked him over. He placed his book on the side table and stood, his shadow lifting his cane for him to take. It took two strides to cross the room to kneel beside the couch.

I rolled over on my back as a red claw gently caressed my cheek and unstuck a strand of hair on the side of my face. When had he put a blanket over me? I pulled it off most of the way from being overheated.

"How did you sleep, dear?" he asked, voice crackling like his radio. His cane rested on his thigh.

"Not bad." I ran my hand up his sleeve to cover his hand, our fingers shifting so they could half interlace against my face. It was satisfying to stare up at his face.

He leaned down to press a gentle kiss on my forehead.

Beautiful darling, I heard him say.

He moved lower and pressed his lips onto mine. I leaned further into the pillow and found the back of his head with my other hand. His hair tickled my cheeks where it fell.

A string of fear pulsed through my mind at the thought of him leaving. I wanted so badly to keep him at a safe distance yet that had proven futile in the end. I couldn't resist him. Not now, and not when I first developed feelings for him. He somehow always managed to rope me back in.

I wasn't so sure I wanted to untangle myself.

****

Alastor spent the next few days doting on his soulmate. It felt like he was basking in warm sunlight on a breezy summer afternoon every time you were in the room together. Your magic melded so perfectly where it had been jagged before. It was comforting.

Though it was bittersweet.

Now that the bond had connected fully again, he was able to hear the little doubts that plagued your mind. You weren't shielding him in the way he was shielding you. His...other...feelings were still hidden safely behind a wall. You didn't need to see those.

You were highly skeptical of his affections but you never stopped him. He noticed the little devils making more frequent appearances around you. If he left you alone, they were at your side by the time he came back. If he barely turned his head, one of them was appearing from underfoot to grip at your pant leg.

Nym was the more intriguing one. She had a tough, rowdy spirit and seemed to drag her brother with her wherever she went. The boy was smaller than her and ran to his adoptive mother if he feared Nym would bring him somewhere muddy or had a small creature in her palms.

Reagan still hated him. He never cared for her to begin with but she lived under the same roof and caused plenty of problems. If it wasn't for his soulmate, Alastor would've corrected her bad manners long ago.

All three devils were in the kitchen while you made dinner. He placed a gentle kiss on your forehead before excusing himself outside through the back door. He stood at the corner of the house furthest from the haven — a place no one would ever be looking — then leaned against the wood grasping at his chest.

He pulled his bow tie loose and gripped his microphone until it bent under his strength. His breathing was erratic, his legs felt numb, and his claws were frozen in whatever position they were currently in. He tried to force his heart to slow its beating but his magic was difficult to reign in.

He had been suffering from these random panic attacks for days. They came on without warning. Horrid memories and anxieties resurfaced, along with bad possible scenarios. He had to get a hold of this panic. Every time he grew more panicked, his magic would slip away from his fingers—the one thing he relied on for centuries, the one thing that made him feel safe and in control.

A thought came to mind and his panic flew away. You had managed to regain control of your magic with a magic-restraining headband on; back when Blackwater was still alive. Alastor had been yanked into the darkness too soon for him to properly search your mind for how you did it. Maybe you would allow him to look back in that memory.

Dinner was awkward, as expected. The two of you sat on the long ends of the table with the devils in between. Nym sat on the chair adjacent to Alastor while Thatcher and Reagan sat closest to you.

Thatcher liked to talk—whenever his sister wasn't talking over him—and Nym liked to stare. She looked away whenever Alastor caught her observing him.

Reagan was silent unless you asked her a direct question. After the first two, you left her alone and listened to the younger pairs' wild adventures in the haven.

After dinner, Alastor watched from the corner of the kitchen as you and the tiny children cleaned up. Reagan was quick to retreat to her room for the night. Alastor would make a comment about that later.

He focused his attention on you as you stood behind the pair washing and drying the dishes. Thatcher liked to play with the water and soap while Nym preferred to dry, probably from her love for mud and anything dirty.

He was surprised to see Thatcher placed a cluster of soap bubbles on her arm. She tried flicking them off but when that didn't work, she angrily took a towel to it. You laughed and placed a gentle kiss on both of their heads.

Something moved in Alastor.

He wasn't sure what exactly. Was it love? Jealousy? Adoration? What he did know was that it made his shoulders less tense, made the edges of panic fade away. His smile was genuine when you glanced over your shoulder at him.

After the dishes had been cleaned, dried, and stored away, you sent the two to their bedroom. He wrapped an arm around your waist and basked in your warmth when you returned the gesture, leaning in so your bodies were comfortably against each other. It felt so good to be able to touch you again.

"I need to speak with Reagan first." You said after a quick kiss. He grimaced at the name but unstuck his claw from your waist. The sooner you spoke to the insolent child, the sooner he would have you for the rest of the night.

He waited in the bedroom, coat off, and glasses on as he read through the abstracts you had made in his absence. Your handwriting was difficult to read but the farther he read in a book, the better it looked.

His foot tapped the floor repeatedly and his eyes kept jumping up to the clock on the mantle. How long did it take to speak to Reagan? It had been thirty minutes already.

He glanced at his cane resting against his leg to ensure it was still there.

Footsteps creaked on the floorboards. His eyes snapped up to the door in anticipation. Upon seeing your head poke through the door, he sprung to his feet and glided over to meet you.

His mind touched yours as his arms wrapped around your back. You let his mind pass through the shields and he shoved away the uneasy feelings Reagan had caused. He felt amusement and annoyance from you at his action.

When you tried to push further past his walls, he placed a firm kiss on your lips as a distraction. He didn't want you to see the building anxieties and tension he had been hiding for weeks since his return. He knew that if you felt him shielding from you too firmly that you would grow upset with him and ask questions.

He threaded his claws through your hair, practically bending you backwards from the effort to be physically close, and searched your mind. It took all of three seconds for you to notice what he was doing and broke the kiss. You pushed him out of your mind and unhooked his arms from your back.

"Tell me what's going on." You crossed your arms.

"What do you mean?" His distractions had failed. How did you even feel he was searching her mind? He had been painstakingly light.

"You keep trying to go deep in my mind but you won't let me into yours."

Ah, so he hadn't been doing a good job at hiding it. Your magic perception must've gotten stronger in his absence. He felt both pride and disappointment knowing he wouldn't be able to hide much from you soon.

"I have allowed you in my mind," he argued gently. He glanced over to see his cane still resting on the chair.

"Not deep. Not as deep as I allow you. So why?"

His eyes left yours as he claws closed around nothing. He summoned his cane into his hand and tried to find the proper words. He felt your mind moving softly around his, not yet trying to push through the barrier. It was something he had done to you so many times before.

He was waiting, expecting you, to say something more to move the conversation along but you didn't. You waited in silence, eyes pinned on him and nowhere else. It was as if he was on a dark stage with a single spotlight on him. Usually he didn't mind it but tonight was different.

"You have your fears, I have my own," he finally said. General, not too specific, but still revealing in a way.

"What fears do you have?" Your question was genuine and not at all accusatory. Everyone had fears. Yet you truly thought he had none.

"Leaving you." His red eyes flicked up to yours for your reaction. Your ears perked up on the sides of your head. Your mouth hung open and a single hand was hovering over your stomach, as if you were debating on touching something, on touching him.

He wanted you to touch him.

"But...why won't you let me in?" you asked next.

"I do not want you to be fearful of my absence again. If I fear it, you will too."

You let out a sigh and took a step closer. Your gentle claw laid carefully on top of the one on his cane while the other gently grabbed his other arm. His hand came up to rest lightly on your back.

"I'm not as fragile as I once was," you said, your eyes scanning his body from his waist to his antlers. They settled down to meet his eyes, "You don't need to protect me from everything."

For a while nothing was said. Your eyes never parted, drinking in each other's gaze after such a long time apart. He noticed then that you were right. You were looking at him differently. Before, you always had a look of anxious anticipation or fear. Now, you looked at him with curiosity and even a fan of confidence. You had grown in the past eight years.

You retracted your hands from his body and he instinctively pulled you against him, afraid to lose you a second time. You let out a small laugh and patted his chest lightly. "I'm just doing something. I'll be right back."

You pushed off his unwillingly arm and walked over to the dresser where a radio sat. You switched it on and turned the dial until you found the station you were looking for. Soft, slow jazz music filled the red room (Unforgettable- Nat King Cole). You kept it at a decent level where you could both hear it but not disturb the children across the hall.

The low piano tunes danced overhead as you sauntered back over to him. You gripped his red staff and lightly pulled his wrist up, successfully peeling off his tight claw from his crutch. You placed his hand at his side and moved to lean the cane against one of the chairs.

You returned to him a moment later, his hands moving instinctively into a waltz position. Your claws were so thin and small compared to his thick, red, sturdy ones. But that didn't lessen your comforting grip. He noticed the way your gaze lingered on your intertwined fingers.

He also noticed the way your pupils widened when they finally looked up at him. His other hand was comfortably on your waist, your own resting on his shoulder. Had you grown taller? He could vaguely remembering stretching his arm more to touch your back when you first learned to dance with him.

He noticed the shadows mimicking the dancing movements along the wall.

He felt a small spike of nervousness from you as you took the first few steps of the waltz. He could feel that it had been some time since you last danced like this with anyone. It was both a sadness and comfort.

He had been stuck in darkness but you had to live on, remaining loyal without an explanation to his disappearance. You had chosen him as he had chosen you. From the big actions like killing Blackwater to the small things like never dancing with someone in his absence, you had chosen him.

His smile grew. His lips were closed as he stared lovingly into your soft eyes. They were the only ones he ever wanted to look at him. They were the only ones that deserved to look at him.

He drunk in your presence, your stare, your love, your touch, your everything. He waited for so long to experience another dance with you. Why had he been so stubborn with you before?

The song ended and you both came to a slow stop. Another song came on, one just as soft and slow as the first, and you continued the gentle waltz (moonlight serenade - glen miller).

Nothing was needed to be said. You basked in each other's mind, unable and unwilling to pull away. You threaded your souls together like stitching a quilt, careful and slow and methodical. No rush. Just peace. Just warmth. Just love.

At one point you laid your head on his chest. Love and adoration swelled inside. He felt like a cup overflowing with something. He was utterly shocked to find himself coming close to the feeling of crying.

He had done plenty of that in the darkness but out here? Why was such a happy moment making him want to cry? It seemed counterintuitive.

You rubbed your head against the red fabric and let out a heavy sigh. He slowly let your hand down and wrapped his arms around your shoulders, allowing you enough room to wrap your own around his waist.

You swayed from side to side now, no stepping required to break your concentration on him. Your mind filled him to every inch and centimeter of his being. He could feel you in his fingers, in his cloved toes, in his wretched tail, in his ears, and every mind space he had.

There was you and only you.

Until your glow dulled as you nearly fell asleep standing up. He hummed a laugh and felt another spike of something strong coming from you. You pushed your face further into his chest.

"Come love," he whispered. He leaned down and lifted your legs, his other hand holding your back securely. He brought you over to the bed and, before placing you down, snapped his fingers to switch you into your usual night attire.

He pulled the covers over your shoulders and moved to get himself ready for bed. Your hand grabbed his and he gently tapped it. "I'll be right back."

He noticed your watchful gaze never left him as he walked to the other side of the room. He snapped his fingers again to adorn himself in different clothes. His cloved feet touched the soft carpet underneath.

He slipped under the covers and you attached yourself to his side instantaneously. He wrapped his arms securely around your back and nuzzled his face into your soft hair. He sucked in your sweet, earthy scent and let out a heavy, relieving sigh. You followed suit.

"Goodnight my dear," he placed a kiss on your head.

"Goodnight," you mumbled. He began to hum a familiar tune and felt your conscious fighting to stay awake to enjoy the feeling of his chest vibrating against your touch.

I love you.

I love you too.

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

Author's Note:

It's been a long time coming...

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

Taglist:

@wendigonamecaller @saccharine-nectarine @thesimpybitch @papas-ghoulette @masochist-downfall

#demi demon #alastor the radio demon #alastor x reader #hazbin alastor #hazbin hotel #soulmate au #soulmates #reqs open

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mysteryshoptls · 1 year ago

Text

SSR Jack Howl - Platinum Jacket Vignette

"Happy 100th Anniversary"

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Jack: Oh, this painting has wolves in the snow chasing an intruder that was romping through their territory. Very brave of them.

Jack: And this painting… Ah, it's a wolf that raised an orphaned baby. Didn't know one did that.

Jack: There's so many wolves to be proud of.

Jack: ―Ah, oops. I can't help lingering whenever I see a painting of wolves. Since they invited me all the way out here, I should take a look at the other stuff as well.

Jack: Hm? What's that painting of those animals over there…?

???: Oho? This is quite the tasteful art piece.

Jack: Oh you're… Malleus-senpai. So, you like this one, too?

Malleus: Indeed. It is truly a scene to behold that I could not help myself stopping before it.

Malleus: The sight of the baboon walking through the throng of animals, all whom have their heads bowed, is majestic and beautiful… Whatever could they be doing there?

Jack: I think this is… Yeah, a depiction of when all the animals gathered to celebrate the birth of their prince.

Jack: The baboon in the center there was respected by all the other animals as a real capable sorcerer.

Jack: Not only was he an amazing mage, he was also good at drawing, and was real strong, too.

Jack: Don't you think that's amazing? It's only natural that he'd remain in the history books, especially being that skilled.

Malleus: True, those with exceptional talents have a charming tendency to attract the attention of others.

Malleus: And you, Howl, seem to have quite the font of knowledge, with how you to readily are able to answer my queries...

Jack: Heh, I just a thing or two about the history of animals, since I'm a beastman, and all. Back when I was a kid, I'd have a ton of picture books, and I'd hear all about them.

Jack: But I think it was the tales of the King of Beasts that really made me actually go to the library and want to study more on it.

Jack: Take the fact that he was the leader of his pride. He must've been a head above everyone else in all his abilities.

Malleus: Heh… I'm certain that was the case. At any rate, it sounds to me as though this conversation has lit a fire inside of you.

Malleus: You seem to have some form of attachment to the King of Beasts.

Jack: I wouldn't say attachment… I just respect the way he pursued his life.

Malleus: Respect, I see. Well then, have you ever thought of seizing the position of pack leader as the King of Beasts did?

Jack: Nah. I don't like being part of a pack, and I'm not one for leadership.

Malleus: Oho? I was under the impression that wolves hunted in packs.

Jack: If we have the same end goal, sure, I'll team up with whoever. But it's not like I'll obediently wag my tail for everyone.

Jack: A pack leader needs to be wiser and more responsible than anyone else.

Jack: If the guy at the top makes the wrong judgement, then everyone else will suffer.

Malleus: So, you consider "wisdom" to be the key trait of a leader?

Jack: I mean, it's not enough to just be wise. They also have to be physically strong. There are folk out there that'll use sly and cowardly methods to do what they want.

Jack: If they don't have the strength to completely crush 'em down, they're not worthy of that spot at the top.

Malleus: Heh… You sure do tout some lofty expectations, Howl.

Jack: I just don't like compromising. And, since these are expectations, there'd be no point into setting them so low in the first place.

Jack: Sometimes people say I'm overly conscious, or a pain to deal with, but… So what?

Jack: No matter what anyone else might say, I follow what I believe in. I decided that long ago.

Malleus: Heh, I see that you're a rather stubborn one, Howl. However, I cannot say that pride is a terrible thing to have.

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Jack: So, this museum also has a painting of a young lady wishing at a well, huh.

Jack: Back home… I mean, in the Shaftlands, you'd see this pretty much everywhere, but it's been a while since I've laid eyes on one, myself.

Malleus: Hm? Is this painting that well known in the Shaftlands?

Jack: Not really this painting, so much as the actual story behind it. To the point where you'd see artwork based on it displayed all over the country.

Jack: You'll get people tryin' to make a wish in the well like she does, too.

Jack: My little sister'll run to a well every time she sees one. Not like there's any proof that it'll grant her wish, but she still does.

Malleus: You make it sound as though you've never wished upon a well, Howl.

Jack: Uh, well… I did try when I was a kid… But only once.

Malleus: Oho, and why was that?

Jack: At the moment I tried to cast my wish, I fell into the well…

Jack: At the time, I was a little too short to look over the edge of the well. So, I tried to hoist myself over the rim, but I put a little too much oomph into it.

Jack: It was an old well, so there wasn't any water, but a huge pile of fallen leaves, so I didn't get hurt… But it did startle me pretty bad then.

Jack: On top of that, that well was in the middle of the forest, where people didn't really walk past. No matter how hard I yelled, no one came by.

Malleus: What misfortune. However, as you are standing here before me today, I must assume that someone did indeed come and save you.

Jack: Nope, I got out by myself. Luckily, the inside of the well had real blocky walls, so I was able to use them as footholds as I climbed out.

Jack: But that definitely wasn't easy. Back then, I wasn't training or nothing, so I didn't really have any muscles, either.

Jack: I thought I was going to fall so many times, but somehow, I got out of there…

Jack: As soon as I got out of the well, I collapsed, 'cause I was so exhausted and just couldn't move for a while.

Jack: I really thought I was in a huge pinch there, but… At the same time, I was also a pretty impressed.

Malleus: Impressed…?

Jack: Yeah. I was having trouble just climbing up to the edge of the well in the first place, but then I was able to climb the whole well up to the surface.

Jack: I was able to do something that I didn't think I'd be able to do. That means that any wish can be granted…

Jack: SO LONG AS I HAVE STRENGTH AND MUSCLES!!!

Jack: So, basically, anytime I'd have extra time that would have otherwise been spent wishing on a well, I just worked out, instead.

Malleus: Fufu, you truly found an extreme approach… But I see. Essentially, this incident was not completely misfortunate.

Jack: Yeah, I'd say so. I think I'm how I am now, because of what happened there.

Jack: Now that I'm thinking of why I got into all this training, I kind of want to work out now.

Jack: When I get back to campus, I'm going to throw myself into my training even more, so that I can overcome anything I encounter with my own power!

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Jack: The Queen of Hearts, huh… I feel like I see her depicted alongside animals a lot.

Malleus: True. However, that is a rather unusual bird.

Malleus: It appears to be a flamingo; however I've never seen a lime green one in my life.

Jack: From what I heard, in the country that the Queen of Hearts ruled over there were flamingos of various colors, not just pink.

Jack: When Heartslabyul do their traditional croquet tournaments, they use magic to color the animals to match this tale.

Malleus: Oho? You certainly know much about this.

Jack: Me and those two from Ramshackle got invited by Ace and Deuce to play croquet with them, so…

Jack: It's just something I heard back then.

Jack: …Ugh, man. Talking about it reminded me of how I lost pretty bad then.

Malleus: Those in Heartslabyul are quite familiar with croquet. Is it not surprising to lose to them?

Jack: Even if I've never played it before, I'm usually pretty good at any sport I try. Only…

Jack: The croquet they play in Heartslabyul has real weird rules, and you need to get the animals to work with you.

Jack: During our game, the flamingo and hedgehogs were nervous only with me, so they didn't move like I was hoping they would.

Jack: They weren't scared of Grim and [Yuu], even though they were also playing with us...

Jack: The fact that I lost without being able to do anything really frustrates me.

Jack: Or more like… Can that game even be called a sport, in the first place?

Malleus: Certainly, I would agree that it is a far cry different from what one would consider an ordinary sport. I was also surprised when I first observed it.

Jack: You think so too, right!? It's just weird, needing to work alongside the animals like that...

Jack: Seeing that all the sport-loving types in my dorm haven't ever played it before…

Jack: I really don't think they could even be put in the same category. But I can't deny that I did lose the game.

Jack: When the next time comes that I play croquet with them, I can't show a terrible display like that again.

Jack: So that just means that I have to keep up in my Animal Linguistics classes!

Malleus: I see. So, ever since you lost, you've been continuing to improve yourself.

Malleus: They do say that the languages of smaller animals is rather difficult to absorb. Good for you, putting your all into even a mere game.

Jack: That's 'cause I don't want to lose the same game twice. Next time, I'll make Ace and Deuce lose face.

Malleus: Fufu, I shall hope for your efforts to be successful.

Malleus: ―Well then, I shall make my way to a different exhibit. You should also make an effort to look at some more of your favorite paintings.

Jack: …There he goes. He just does his own thing, huh? I really don't know what goes through his head.

Jack: Well, whatever. I guess I'll head towards another exhibit too. …Hm? This painting…

Jack: Ah, a lion prince, and his hornbill attendant. Heh, how can such a pathetic lookin' lion really become king?

Jack: I'll only ever accept someone strong. If they're to be king, they need to have the power to crush all greedy and sleazy people down.

Requested by Anonymous.

#twisted wonderland #twst #jack howl #malleus draconia #twst jack #twst malleus #twst translation #twst birthday #mention: ace #mention: deuce #mention: grim #mention: yuu

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sheeple · 2 years ago

Text

Miracles don’t exist | 2: Nice Slytherins

Genre(s): Riddle!reader / Slytherin!reader / kinda slowburn / little happy moments Fandom(s): Harry Potter Pairing(s): Theodore Nott x Reader / Harry Potter x Riddle!reader Summary: Being the Dark Lord's daughter and raised under the strict supervision of the Malfoy's is no easy life. Especially if you start crushing on your father's arch-nemesis, Harry Potter. And that while being engaged to one of his follower’s sons. Warning(s): None this chapter [Masterlist] [Mini masterlist] [Playlist]

You make your way through the busy train hallway, following behind Draco and his 'friends'. You roll your eyes as they sneer at a couple first-years before taking a seat in ─ the now-empty ─ compartment.

Taking a book out of your bag, you lean against the window as you pull your knees up to your chin. Harry lent you the book before the summer break. It's a muggle book about four sisters and their adventures. You really like the character of Amy.

The three bullies are deep in conversation about whatnot when there's a knock on the door. Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott stand in the opening; Theodore with a smirk and Blaise with his ever-so-bored expression. You gulp as Draco invites them to sit with you all.

Theodore takes place next to you. Blaise glares Goyle out of his seat and he lets himself drop into the now empty seat.

Over the summer, aunt Cissy had organised a ball with all the important pure-blood families. After the umpteenth time you were introduced to a boy ─ sometimes ten years older ─ you knew what this was about. In true pure-blood fashion, this ball was to find you a husband. And of course, the Nott's and Zabini's were invited.

Theodore's father is an avid supporter of your father and also a Death Eater, so it was rather obvious why he is a candidate. Mr Nott gave a deep bow to you when you were introduced and shoved his son forward.

"You might have met my son", muses the elder man, a hand on the back of his son. "He's in your house and year, after all."

With a fake smile, you hold out your hand for a shake but Theodore places a kiss on your knuckles. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

You've seen Theodore all the time. He's friends with Draco and hangs around him most of the time. But sometimes he's seen around with Lorenzo Berkshire and Blaise Zabini. You've heard he can be quite aggressive at times, so you decided to stay away from him as much as possible.

And Blaise Zabini. His mother is a beautiful witch — one you wish to look like when you reach her age. Though not part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, it became clear after talking to Mrs Zabini why the Malfoy's had chosen them. Blood status means a lot to them.

It was quite clear from the beginning that your family favoured the Nott's over any other family. With the fact that Mr Nott is still a follower of your father, and that Theodore actually talked to you during the event. The choice was not that hard.

You stand in a hidden corner, munching on hors d'oeuvres that are passed around. You feel multiple pairs of eyes on you. The feeling makes you want to throw up, and you clutch the sides of your too-tight dress.

Placing your plate down on a table, you rush out of the banquet hall, needing air. Weaving through the many guests, it was only a matter of time before you bumped into someone.

The person clutches one of your shoulders and the other around your waist to steady you. You look up and see a worried look on Theodore's face. Shit. Why of all the people did you need to bump into him?

"Are you okay?", he asks, a worried tone laced in his voice.

You reach up to push his hand off your shoulder. "Just peachy."

"Would you look at that?" A cheery voice makes the both of you turn around. Mr Nott looks at both of you with greedy eyes. Theodore's hold around your waist tightens protectively.

"Wouldn't the two of them make the perfect pure-blood children? Don't you agree, Lucius?"

A shiver runs down your spine at the memory. You snap the book shut and stand up abruptly, making everybody look at you. "I have to... return something."

You rush out of the packed compartment, nausea bubbling in your throat.

Roaming the train with the book in your hand, you decide now is the best time to return it to Harry. Who knows how much alone time you get in the upcoming year.

Finding the compartment where Harry and his friends are isn't so hard. A lot of people ─ mostly first years ─ swarm around it. You smile politely at a bunch of eleven-year-olds before you open the door and step inside.

You give a nervous smile to Ron and Hermione before turning toward Harry. "Hey, how was your summer break? Thanks for lending the book, by the way."

You hold out the book for him to take, but Hermione snatched it out of your hands. "Did you steal it?"

Ron tenses up and sits on the edge of his seat as Harry jumps up to stand between Hermione and you. "I gave her the book! I thought you wouldn't mind if you got it back after the summer break."

Hermione drops her shoulders and slides back next to Ron, who still eyes you suspiciously. "Couldn't you just get the book yourself?"

"My aunt and uncle are very... anti-muggle. Our library only has wizarding books. I've read them all by now and I just like how muggle authors of the past write their stories. And I'm not really allowed to go into the muggle down close to home." You nervously tug a strand of hair behind your ear, but it falls back in front of your face.

The tension is to cut, but both Ron and Hermione sit back, still keeping an eye on you. Harry rummages through his luggage, pulling out a letter. He holds it out for you to take. "It's from Sirius", says Harry with a slight smile and you tense up.

Glancing at the handwriting, you grip the letter. "Do you mind... Can I read it here?", you ask, glancing at the other two passengers in the compartment. "It's kinda crowded in ours."

Harry slides to the side and you sit down, opening the letter. The handwriting is scratchy and shaky.

Dear (Y/n),

To be honest, I don't know where to start. I got very excited when Harry told me I had a decent cousin. From what he told me, you sound like a pleasant person.

I know it may be too quick, but I would like you to spend Christmas with me at Grimmauld Place. If you don't, that's alright If you would like to owl me about your answer, that would be great.

Because I am currently in hiding, that would be best if our correspondence keeps secret. I will send an owl for your answer on the twenty-fifth. I hope to hear from you and get to know you.

Sirius

You knit your eyebrows together as you lower the letter. He really tried hard, it's petty sweet.

"Are you alright? What was in the letter?", asks Harry concerned.

"He wants to- Sirius asked me to spend Christmas with him." You glance at Harry to see his reaction. You know how much Harry really wants to see and live with Sirius. He told you about the offer his godfather gave him last year.

Hermione quirks a brow. "And that's bad... because?"

You are quick to shake your head. "No! That's good! Great even! Now I don't have to suffer through dinners with the Nott's that for sure is going to happen over the break." You let out a huff of air, recalling the many times the family came over during the summer break. Mr Nott really creeps you out.

"Why would you have to do that?"

Pressing your lips into a thin line, you breathe out through your nose. "To put it simply, I am being married off. You know, keeping the bloodline pure." You roll your eyes at the last part. "It really grosses me out."

"Can't you just say to your family that you don't want to marry?", Ron asks, and Harry nods along with him.

A humourless laugh escapes through your lips. "Of course not, that's practically suicide. If my father hears about it, he will murder me on the spot."

Uncle Lucius once told you that you are expected to marry into a good and pure family to maintain your father's reign ─ once he rises again and takes over he needs his heir to have heirs of their own.

After that, the conversation kinda falls silent. You drum with your fingers on your knees before you stand up. "Well... it was great, but I have to get back and get dressed before we pull into the station. Don't let the colour scare you."

As you close the door, you hear Hermione hiss at Harry, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"It's her way of saying don't be a stranger. With her house and everything", Harry explains, shrugging.

Ron scoffs. "There are no nice Slytherins."

The comment earns the redhead a glare. "She's a nice Slytherin."

Taglist (bold means I can’t tag you): @the0doreslover @lqndkxlmqma @st4rrry

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darkficsyouneveraskedfor · 1 year ago

Text

Crushed 12

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, manipulation, cheating, sleazy behaviour, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Your next door neighbours hook up, bringing to surface deep-seated feelings.

Characters: Colin Shea, Jonathan Pine

Note: I am very sick rn and didn't sleep.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

Love you like my dog loves belly rubs (that’s a lot). Take care. 💖

Jonathan closes the door and flips the small looped bar in front of it. You put your work bag on the counter and cling to it, bowing your head as you close your eyes. You’re mortified. More than you’re afraid, you are embarrassed. He must think you’re so pathetic.

“I’m sorry–” you begin.

“How long has this been going on?” He asks abruptly.

You open your eyes and breathe out. You leave your bag as it is and shrug. You cross your arms and turn your back to him.

“You really don’t have to stay. You can sneak out once it gets dark–”

“I’m not leaving,” he insists, “and you’re going to answer the question.”

That tone. So rigid it slices into you. That’s how a boss talks. That’s what he is. Your superior. He holds your job in his hands and you’ve already dragged him down into the dirt of your life. You pace and hug yourself.

“A few days?” You utter, “it’s my fault. I… just a stupid crush. I don’t know why I ever thought I was good enough. I don’t know why I’m saying all this. I should’ve left him alone, that’s all it is. I did it to myself.”

You look around. The apartment is the same mess you left behind. The ruin that Colin inflicted upon your safe space. Why are you so stupid?

“You can’t blame yourself for his actions. He did this, didn’t he?”

You shrug again.

“So you felt something for him, that isn’t a crime. But this,” he slowly strides closer, brushing by as he passes and puts the coffee table upright, “this is. You’re too good for him, fawn. He knows it and so he acts out like the child he is.”

“You don’t have to lie–”

“I know it isn’t my place to say all this. Admittedly, I’ve crossed a lot of professional lines in the last few days but it doesn’t worry me. Because when I see someone like you who needs help, well, I don’t think so much of red tape.” He tidies up the strewn coasters and stacks them neatly.

“Please, don’t– I’ll clean all this up.”

“You will do no such thing. I am overriding your authority,” he declares, “not as your boss, but I hope, your friend. So, I will tell you exactly what you will do,” he smiles as he takes a book off the floor and smooths the pages before closing it, “you will go and choose some cozy nightclothes and I will run you a hot bath. And you will take your time and relax. I will tend to all of this.”

“I… Jonathan,” you drop your arms and clasp your hands together, “I’m not helpless. I don’t need–”

“You do need this. You need to let yourself not think. For just a little.” He stands and removes his jacket. You watch him drape it over the back of the couch and he unbuttons his cuffs, rolling them up, “you nearly passed out from fright in my kitchen this morning. I think this is much more serious than you're admitting.”

“He’s just mad–”

“And I’ve seen what angry men do,” he interjects, “I don’t want to scare you further but a door is just a door. These things are just things,” he gestures to the clutter of your belongings tossed around the apartment, “but you are not replaceable. You must take care of yourself first and if I must put on my boss voice and order you to do so, then that is what is what I will do.” He pushes his shoulders back and clears his throat, “I expect you to be bathed and nestled into bed within the next two hours.” He checks his watch, “so darling, you’ve a deadline to meet.”

You blink. You don’t have the strength or energy to argue. As always, you’re weak. You slump your shoulders and pull your hands apart.

“Okay…” you accept meekly.

“I will have a tea ready with your bath as well,” he says, “tea is always a good cure for whatever ails.”

You nod and pivot reluctantly on your heel. You peek at the door before you head down the hall. You can't believe this. Your neighbour is insane and your boss is cleaning up your apartment.

You enter the bedroom and stop short. Your bedspread is a mess, wrinkled and shoved to one side. In your haze, you hadn't noticed when you came to grab your things. You'd only been thinking of an escape.

Inching closer, you notice something else. A stain on the sheet. Crusted and dry. Are you serious?

You hold back a scream. Instead you rip the blankets to floor and strip the sheet by the corner, crumpling it to lay with the rest. You are absolutely repulsed by what he's done. He's tainted every part of your life.

You step back breathless. You can't do this. You can't handle this. This isn't what you wanted. You just wanted to be wanted. Is that such a crime?

You hear the bathroom faucet squeak. The noise pierces your self-pitying cloud and you turn to your dresser, pulling open the drawer and grabbing a night gown blindly. You go to the bathroom door and peer in.

Jonathan stands straight, bracing his hips as he rolls his shoulders. He turns slowly, his eyes drifting to you as he flinches in surprise.

"There you are. A hot bath and tea," he gestures to the mug on the corner of the counter. "I've left the bag in to steep."

"Uh, thanks, that's... too much. Really, I'm all good. I don't need anything else."

"Of course, I'll leave you to it," he raises his hands and comes forward, sidling past you into the hall, "but I will be at hand if you call for me."

You hum dully and step inside. You close the door gently and gust out a long sigh. You put the nightgown down and look at yourself in the mirror.

Maybe you should just quit and cut your losses. Go back and live with your mother so she can compare you to your sisters. So you know your worth clearly and don't get any more silly or dangerous ideas.

💗

The hot water takes over and you let yourself ease into it. Still, you are innately aware of the activity on the other side of the wall. Jonathan moves with purpose but also caution, you can tell he’s doing his best not to disturb you. That amount of consideration is flattering but unfamiliar.

When the water is lukewarm, you get out, drying off with the waiting towel. You have no urgency. Reluctant to go out and face reality and your unexpected houseguest. You pull on your nightgown, a pinkish sheath pattern with clusters of petals.

You emerge, peering up and one the hallway before tiptoeing out. You go to the bedroom, intent on hiding away. There, you find a set of fresh sheets pulled over the bed and blankets neatly folded down at the top. He is thorough.

You can’t help the pang of guilt in your chest. You should at least thank him before you sink into self-pity. You should maybe even consider finding a new job and ease his burden completely. You don’t expect with how it’s gone so far, that you’ll be holding onto your position much longer.

“Ah, something smells wonderful,” Jonathan frightens you as he strides down the hall behind you.

You turn in the doorway, nearly choking on a surprised guffaw. He’s exchanged his sleek tailored suit for the fluffy red house robe you never use. You almost forgot you had that.

“Um,” you tilt your head curiously, “what happened–”

“I got a bit carried away. I thought to wash the bedding, then I saw the hamper, and finally, I realised I won’t have anything clean to wear tomorrow so I took the liberty of putting everything in–”

“You’re doing laundry?” You furrow your brow.

“Well, I regret to inform you I made the executive decision to dispose of your former bedding. I’m certain you understand,” he hooks a long thumb in the pocket of the robe. It’s barely at his knees and his shoulders keep it from closing above the middle of his chest. “I was only coming to ask if you’re hungry. It’s well past supper time.”

“Er, I’m okay,” you back up, “I think I’m just going to lay down for the night. I’d hate to miss another day of work.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did,” he says, “but if you wish, I will let you be.”

“Or… I guess I should stay up and help you with the laundry–”

“Ah, no, I’ve a handle on all that, you rest. I don’t want you lifting a finger,” he puts a hand on his hip and you notice how the bottom of the rob shifts, just a little. Eyes up. “More tea?”

“No thank you,” you clutch your hands in front of your chest. You’re not wearing a bra and the realisation is making it more obvious. “I, uh, I’ll just go to bed, but, um, if you do need help–”

“I won’t, please,” he puts his palms up, “you deserve a night of peace.”

You smile at him. A small smile, the most you can muster. Your eyes flit away shyly and you stare at the wall.

“You’re too nice–”

“I don’t think so. I only think you’re not used to kindness,” he insists, “I shall do my best not to disturb you.”

“Thanks,” you back up into the bedroom and rest your hand on the knob, “I won’t mind if you do.”

“Nor would I,” he says, “were you to disturb me. I mean, if you require anything, you may simply ask, darling.”

A sweltering moment of tension wedges between you. You chew your lip and turn slowly on one heel. You reluctantly inch the door towards the frame, “good night, Jonathan.”

“Good night,” he purrs back as you gently shut the door.

You stop and lean against it. You won’t let yourself overthink this. Not again. You’ve learned your lesson. You are not special, only pathetic.

💗

Sleep hits you harder than you expect. The adrenaline of your day fizzles and leaves you burnt out. You drift into a thick slumber, swept up in nonsensical recreations of the waking world. Colin’s angry voice and Jonathan’s gentle touches smother you, cornering you, suffocating you in the void of your subconscious.

Your anxiety peaks and snaps you back to the world. More than the pluck in your stomach, there is something else tugging at your consciousness. You roll over and groan as the tinkling melody quiets. It’s not your ringtone. You can’t even remember where you left your phone.

You look at your alarm clock. It’s after four in the morning. You can’t believe you’ve slept so long. You still have a few hours.

You sit up and hang your legs over the side of the bed. You stand, your bladder squeezing. That’s what you get for drinking tea so late. You go to the door and pause as you listen through the barrier. You hear Jonathan’s voice and another in return. He must be on a call.

The thought of your own phone nags you. You’ll need to plug it in or you won’t have any juice left for work. You open the door, careful not to make any noise. You could just sneak out and grab it from your bag. You’ll deal with the weight in your bladder on the way back.

You pad down the hall and peek out into the living room. You see only the glow of Jonathan’s laptop in the dark space. You can just creep through the shadows and get what you need. Still, you feel intrusive.

“We miss you, hon,” a British woman chimes from the speaker as Jonathan’s silhouette hunches across from the coffee table, “so dark. Where are you, dearie?”

He hushes her, “it’s late here–”

“And it’s early here.”

“Mum,” he says softly. The couch creaks and reaches over to turn on the lamp, “why are you calling so earl–”

He stops short and looks at you, caught in the glow of the unexpected light. You give a small wave and smile awkwardly. The robe hangs open across his chest and he has a throw blanket over his lap.

“Hi,” you utter dumbly.

“Someone there? Did we interrupt?”

“I’m just grabbing my phone,” you murmur, “sorry.”

“Plugged it in for you,” he points to the corner table.

“S-sorry,” you apologise again and grab your cell, pulling it free of the cord, “I didn’t realise–

“Quite alright,” he assures you.

“I’ll just go…” you trail off as you turn back and flit back into the hall. Oops.

You stop at the bathroom door as the speaker of his laptop echoes behind you, “is that her?” The woman asks.

“Finally found a wife, boy?” A more distant timbre asks, obviously further from the microphone.

“Father,” Jonathan hisses.

“She sounds very nice,” the woman, his mother, proclaims, “she must be the one you mentioned–”

You spin into the bathroom and close the door. It isn’t right to listen. His personal life has nothing to do with you, regardless if you dragged him into your own. You need to cling to the few boundaries still left between you. You don’t need a spiteful boss on top of a deranged neighbour.

#colin shea #dark colin shea #dark!colin shea #colin shea x reader #jonathan pine x reader #fic #dark fic #dark!fic #what's your number?#the night manager #series #crushed

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ghostwise · 24 days ago

Note

if you like, 11 or 12… ;—;

11. for encouragement Thank you Jay! I thought this prompt suited this scene from Lace Harding's romance in Act 2, and I wanted to zhuzh it up anyway, perfect opportunity 🥺

A soft blue glow washes over most of their interactions as of late.

He’d noticed it when they’d first fessed up to it: Is there something happening between us? I’m not just imagining things, am I?

She’d worried about making things awkward. But he’d only smiled and leaned in closer.

Lace Harding, I have never seen the like from you. You do all things with grace.

And there the first hint of blue.

That glow had spread through her ever since.

It was in her eyes, in her freckles, making the constellation of Lace Harding light up like a night sky. He could coax it out with a joke or a honeyed word. Lirio found it lovely, like many things about her. And to think, all this time, he’d been to blame!

Or at least, that seemed to be what she was trying to explain to him. The truth of how and why she activated her lyrium when they were together.

“I just want to make sure I’m hearing you right. Are you trying to say you lose control of your powers—when you’re feeling affectionate?”

“O-oh,” Lace stammered, blushing brightly. “Don’t make fun.”

“I would never,” he said, and he hopped up to sit beside her on the table.

Lace gasped at his nearness, and scooted away at once.

Lirio looked at her. He could see that this had been bothering her since their kiss. He liked to think he’d gained an understanding of the matter that was her heart; the heart of a shepherd turned scout turned soldier.

She was a woman who felt things deeply, who acted with intent when something mattered to her. No doubt she felt it was her responsibility to fix this.

But she didn’t have to do it alone, and he wanted, desperately, to show her this.

Lace sighed. “Lyrium is the blood of the Titans…” she said carefully. “If my heart’s beating, and my blood’s racing around… but then wouldn’t it happen at other times, too? Running from Darkspawn! Climbing… stairs?”

“Stairs?” Lirio asked with a chuckle.

“The steps are harder for me! I’ve got short legs!” she expressed desperately.

Lirio covered his scarred mouth, suppressing warm laughter.

“It’s not funny, Rook!”

“I like your short legs,” Lirio said, and quickly piped down. “I’m sorry, my love. How can I help?”

“No, no,” she groaned. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For… I don’t know. Snapping.” She sighed, frustrated, then, continued, distracted. “Did you just call me ‘love’?”

He held her gaze and nodded. Her glow returned, with a vengeance.

“Emotions,” she whispered. “You do these things to me, Rook.”

“Well if I had lyrium-blood, I’d be glowing too,” he said, and that, at least earned him a smile.

Anyway, it wasn’t a bad thing, her glow. It was part of her now. He liked the entirety of her; the gestalt of what made Lace Harding. He liked her quirks, and her giggle, and her voice when she was reading the goriest lines out of her favorite book, and her furrowed brow when she was aiming her bow.

“Tell me what you’re thinking?” he prompts suddenly, needing to know.

“That I want to kiss you,” she said at once. “And it crushes me that I can’t.”

Lirio nodded slowly. “Close your eyes, Lace.”

She did. Her eyelids, dappled and long-lashed, veins all aglow, fluttered shut. After a moment, he reached for her necklace, the cornicello he had gifted her to help with her dreams. With utter care, lifted the little charm of red coral to his lips.

Lace’s eyes blinked open. He let the charm go, allowing it to fall against her chest once more.

“We’ll handle this, Lace. The way we handle everything else. Together.”

She nodded. Her eyes flicked across his features, and lingered on his lips for a beat.

“Together,” she whispered, and kissed the charm he had kissed.

#rinnywrites #dragon age #datv #datv spoilers #lace harding #rook x harding #harding x rook #oc: lirio laidir #lots of pining <3 #. tbh i wrote a lot for them while in act 2 then i kinda soured on the game in act 3 so i've been uninspired #but i like them anyway

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simpingland · 1 year ago

Note

Ok so what abt…

lucerys with a knight!reader and hes like whipped and things their the coolest person ever but gets all nervous when he sees them training or talks to them

idk I think it’s cute 🙏😽

Trust // Lucerys Velaryon x neutral!Knignt!Reader

Summary: Luke is enchanted by a new young Knight. He is so desperate to impress his crush that he put himself in embarrasing situations.

A/N: Loved this request, but I had a headache trying to decide the pronouns!!!!!! But I sorted it out, thanks for reaching, hope you like it!<3

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

Being a knight had never been Prince Lucerys Velaryon's dream. He had enough work trying to come to terms with being lord of Driftmark. But seeing you made him question many things. Your uniform of armor was one of a thousand things that had caught his eye. It had been Rhaenyra who had placed you close to all her family, you were one of the finest knights, young and respectable, though not of noble birth. Your primary duty was to protect the princes, and this was something Luke appreciated. His interest in learning to fight grew, and he used to pester Jace to spend more time with the sword, which he himself didn't like. But no one understood, and Luke carried it very quietly, knowing that his chance with you was nil. That didn't stop him from getting up early to watch you train, with that thin layer of sweat making you shine. He couldn't even feel jealous when some other knight made you smile, for he loved to see you in the comfort of being out of work.

It took him a long time to summon up the courage to speak to you, and as he had feared it went terribly wrong. He approached you with the intention of demonstrating how good he was at archery, which he was certainly better at than the sword. He deliberately positioned himself close to where you were resting, with a feigned air of confidence, and pretended to watch the arrows with precision.

"They are all the same, my Prince," you told him.

He instantly turned red.

"That's what I was checking."

He tried not to pretend he saw your smile, but it wasn't malicious either, the Prince looked very tender with that focused face. The first arrow was just a little off the centre of the target, and the court nobles applauded Luke falsely. Not you, you just stood and watched as Luke sighed in dissatisfaction. The second arrow missed completely and caused something of a commotion. When the third missed again, the laughter of the crowd was impossible to hide. That was the moment when Luke disappeared, with the excuse that he had to go back to his Valyrian lessons.

You would have liked to follow him, to tell him to ignore the people, but it was not appropriate. So the next day you made an effort to talk to him. You were walking along the beach, on your way to visit Arrax. The young prince kept his head down, looking everywhere and avoiding your face.

"The good thing about arrows, my Prince, is that during battle it doesn't matter how well you aim them, the important thing is that they hit the enemy, and they always go in masses."

You saw him smile sheepishly.

"The worst of it is that I am better at it than the sword," he replied.

"It is more important that you have a sharp mind than a knife. We'll take care of the rest.

"I know, it's just…I just…" you could see him try to say it, but he couldn't and you decided to change the subject.

"When I was little, I didn't have anything in the house except sticks and knives. No dolls, no books… I spent all day fighting with my siblings. But honestly, I wish I had had a lot more at my fingertips. I like knowing that I protect you and your family, my Prince, I just don't like the idea of going into battle. And knowing how to handle a sword or bow is not so reassuring. So don't be in a hurry to learn."

Luke didn't know how to tell you that he wasn't in a hurry to battle, he was in a hurry to impress you, of course that made him even more nervous. When Arrax appeared before you, the dragon, who was getting bigger every day, roared with joy at the sight of his rider. Then Luke forgot his nervousness, happy also to see his dearest friend. He could sense your nervousness, as you tried to move away from the creature, which, though beautiful, was still fierce.

"Arrax is very calm, you shouldn't be afraid of him" Luke tried to convince you.

"Well, your majesty, luckily I'm not the one who has to ride him."

"Do you…do you want to pet him?" He twisted his cloak in his hands.

"I don't want to risk losing my hands, Prince."

Maybe it was your fear, or maybe it was because Arrax's presence always made him feel better, but Luke started to get a little too confident. He turned to Arrax and whispered words in Valyrian that you did not understand. Then he took your hand, which was a little tense, and looked you in the eye.

"You are the bravest knight at court. And that Arrax knows." He watched as you smirked.

"And how does a dragon know that?"

"Well, because I told him."

When you laughed, Luke felt a stupid pride, and noticed how you squeezed his hand, still resisting.

"Are you sure he's not going to devour me? This armour must look pretty crunchy to him…"

"That armour to him is like a diamond to us, small, nice and shiny. Come on, trust me."

You looked into his eyes for a few seconds, he seemed to be begging for it.

Then you finally let him guide your hand, and slowly, he raised it for Arrax to sniff. You could see how it took him a few seconds before he finally rested his entire muzzle on your palm, and you felt a purr that was much louder than a cat's, but quite tender. Soon you could move your hand to stroke his face, neck and wings, the dragon circled around, making it clear that he liked you. And Luke kept his distance, watching you and admiring you. This stupid infatuation…he was never going to get over it at this pace.

Over the next few days, you could feel Luke's confidence to talk to you and smile at you grow. On the other hand, his desire to train had waned, and it was probably because of the humiliation he had recently endured.You could only watch the brothers from afar as they continued their lessons. Besides, Jace was a lousy learning partner, quick to get impatient and unable to understand that what Luke needed was a little patience. It wasn't your job to comfort him, so you had to hold back the urge to hug him and tell him how great he was without the need for swords. And the smiles you gave him only made him blush, though he always returned them, full of gratitude.

One of the many nights Luke couldn't sleep, he wandered around the castle aimlessly. And when he found you standing guard on the beach, he felt it was fate, though anything reminded him of you, for there was nothing else on his mind but you. The gentle breeze put those curls of his in front of his face, making him feel awkward, yet the breeze moved your hair in a poetic, almost dreamy way.

"Are you on night watch?" he asked, unable to think of anything else.

"Yes, my Prince. One of the knights has taken ill and owed me a favour."

"I hope it won't take long."

"Don't worry, I find it hard to rest so I like to be doing something at night…like you, I suppose."

"I couldn't sleep," Luke regretted his words instantly, for something in common you'd found and he's going to correct you. "Aren't you bored?"

"I'd like to tell you that the views are so beautiful that this is a pleasure…but the truth is that after three hours it gets repetitive."

Luke laughed as you smiled, glad to see him so relaxed. He stayed a while longer keeping you company, talking to you about the things he had done with Jace that day. He also asked you about your life before the Kingsguard, listening intently, entranced by your every word.

"Your parents must be proud of you," Luke said, picking up and throwing sand in his hands.

"They would have been happier if I had given them grandchildren, but the armour impressed them quite a bit too. Yours must be proud too. Everyone knows how clever you are."

"But it's no use. My father was able to fight at the Battle of Stepstones. I can't even hold a sword properly." His sad tone touched you and made you impatient in equal measure.

"I think you should put an end to that attitude once and for all. Come, let's practice!" Your enthusiasm caught him by surprise.

"Right now?"

"Yes! We have the whole beach to ourselves, we can take the swords from the cupboard. I think it's time you gain some confidence."

He followed you, somewhat confused and nervous, but your smile managed to reassure him. In the quiet of the beach, you guided Luke through every move. Being patient, clear and concise. And even though Luke was hesitant, he followed your instructions well and gained confidence by the minute."You're doing great, my Prince. But I think it's time you try to surprise me. Attac."

"What if I hurt you?" he asked unsure, though Luke thought he sounded arrogant.

"That's the whole idea of this…"

"I mean if I'm so clumsy that I end up hurting you without meaning to." The boy knew what he meant, and it took you a moment to remember that one time he pull out his uncle's eye as a kid.

"You'd rather practice with the bow?"Luke preferred to practice other things, but even thinking that already made him nervous, so he agreed to switch weapons. With torches illuminating the target, you walked a considerable distance. Luke knew the theory inside out, but it still made him tense, and even more so knowing you were watching him."You need to relax a bit," you pointed out. His arm was dislocated. When you placed your hands on his sleeve, Luke swallowed, letting you lead him on. "A little higher… let go."

When he shooted he missed. He couldn't hold back the insults, directing them at no one in particular. He kicked as you picked up the only arrow available.

"I should stop wasting your time…" he apologised dejectedly, handing the bow back to you.

"No, please!" You stopped him before he even turned around. "I don't want you to leave…not like this."

He sighed, looking you in the eyes and flattered, you wanted him to stay with you…you didn't want to see him sad, you genuinely care about him and Luke now knew that. He let you reposition his whole posture again.

"It's just that I always do something wrong…and I don't know what it is," confessed the Prince.

"It's not something you do, it's something you don't do. And it's being patient, being calm. And to do that you have to believe in yourself." Your voice caressed his face, his pulse quickening.

"What if I never get to believe in myself because I never achieve anything? It would be a hellish cycle." The arrow was still tense, he couldn't look at you.

"Then think of me. I trusted you, and I got to touch a dragon. How many knights can say that?"

He could see your beautiful smile, as encouraging as ever, and Luke caught his breath. You were so close to him that you could feel him stand up straight and seem to grow taller by the second, as if he was becoming a true Lord in front of you. When he finally released the arrow, it hit the centre of the bullseye. A clean and beautiful sound, as well as his smile full of joy. You gave him a hug on impulse, unaware that you were on duty or that it was the Prince. He didn't seem bothered though, returning your embrace with some surprise but full of affection. When you pulled apart, you looked at that sweet face and were at a loss for words.Luke couldn't find any appropriate ones either, nor was he able to keep his hands off your shoulders. It was strangely pleasant, and it took you quite a while to come out of your trance.

"I told you you could," you said, giving him a loving punch that pushed him away. The celebration went on for a while longer, with arrows still hitting the target, jokes and more silly anecdotes. As the sun began to appear, your turn was about to end. You walked together to the castle.

"I have to say I'm going to 'roll' into my bed," you were already starting to unbutton some of your armour, but first you had to escort Luke to his room.

"You make me envious, I'm due for Valyrian lessons in a bit."

"By the gods, I'm so sorry. I should have made you go back to bed, my Prince," you felt terrible, though Luke blushed at your dismay for him.

"No, no, no…it's not your fault. I'd trade a hundred hours of sleep to be able to spend even one awake with you."

The confession came as a surprise, and Luke knew it had sounded just as he felt it, because your eyes shone differently. If he could he would have run, but the warmth you radiated made him hold out a little hope. And the confession was repaid when you took his hand, gave him a little bow and planted a kiss on his knuckles.

There was no need to answer him, Luke could see you for the rest of the days, in your shining armour, and he could hear your voice whenever he needed to confide in him. He never told you, but it became obvious, that the night he roamed the castle he couldn't sleep because you were in his thoughts, remembering the touch of your hand on his. And now, he achived not only a kiss, but your love and trust.

#house of the dragon fanfiction #lucerys velaryon x reader #lucerys velaryon x you #lucerys velaryon fanfic #lucerys velaryon x neutral!reader #lucerys velaryon x male!reader #lucerys velaryon x female!reader #lucerys velaryon #lucerys targaryen #lucerys valeryon #house of the dragon #elliot grihault #game of thrones fanfiction

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thehusbandoden · 1 year ago

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Crushing on the Same Heroine (Shoto and Dabi) (Two different endings)

Genre: slice of life (??) \\ wc: 711 \\ posted: 12/19/2023 \\ requested

So in this scnerio you're a few years older than Shoto, and a few years younger than Dabi.

Both you and Shoto are pro heroes. You're four years older than him, and have a lot more experince under your belt.

Shoto immediatly started looking for a hero to work under when he graduated. You were lucky enough to catch his intrest from the dozens who offered.

He became your sidekick and you worked together for about a year.

Shoto fell in love with you in that time, and is completely smitten.

He does his very best to please and impress you, bathing in the glorious bask of your praise.

During an attack initiated by the lov, Dabi saw you up close for the first time.. your beauty immediatly caught his attention.

He defied Shigaraki's orders and attacked you straight on. He was grinning as he flirted with you while the two of you fought.

Your witty remarks and captivating apperance instantly stole his heart, and he became obsessed.

He intentionally didn't hurt you.

After several calls from Shigarki he finally listened when Shigarki started to spew vulgar words at him, promising him pain if he didn't listen.

With a sassy eye roll, Dabi restrained you just to press a kiss to the back of your left hand, leaning down to whipser in your ear:

"Bye for now, Doll."

He then released you, heading back to Shigarki.

Shoto was helping several civillians evacuate at the time.. but when he watched the video the News reporter caught... he was fuming.

He grew insanely protective, staying glued to your side even off hours.

When you scolded him he got really sad and felt guilty. He properly bowed, apologizing.

But before he left.. he left a kiss on the back of your right hand.

You were shocked, you mouth opened slightly as you watch Shoto fade into the distance.

Dabi on the other hand, was in a great mood.

He argued less, simply mindlessly agreeing or waving it off, he was eager to go on patrols and/or missions, and he volunteered to go on grocery runs.

He started disapearing for long hours... but he came back every night.

He was just.. obsessed with you.

He stalked you.. like straight up stocked you.

He learned your schedule, followed you wherever you went, and did his best to seperate you and Shoto whenever possible.

Now.. this good technically go two ways.

(In my book anyways)

One, you fall in love with Shoto.

You and Shoto grow closer, and you slowly start to fall in love with him.

He is completely overjoyed with your new behavior, and asks you out after a few monhts.

You accept, and you go on a lovely date.

Well.. one thing leads to another and the two of you are officaly dating.

You spend almost ever waking hour with each other, falling deeper and deeper in love.

Dabi gets increasingly jealous, and messed up one day.

Shoto catches sight of him, and watches carefully for the remainder of the day, his arm wrapped around your shoulders protectively.

He ends up catching Dabi in the act, and he notifies you and several agencies.

After months of failure, your agency and three others team up to capture him- which you did! He gets put into Taurus, and you are no longer being stocked.

You and Shoto end up getting married two years later, and the two of you are deeply in love.

And two, you fall in love with Dabi.

Dabi commits several crimes just to fight with you again.

He flirts with you each time, and his alluring words and charming grin start to get to you..

One day after a battle he pulls you into an alley, a hand covering your mouth.

He leans down next to your ear, his hot breath against your jaw.

"Doll, talk with me.. I promise I won't hurt you if you promise me a nice little chat.."

One chat became two.. and two became three..

You started to meet up with Dabi in the middle of the night, laughing for hours as you talk about everything and anything.

He kissed you one night, and you kissed back.

The two of you secretly dated for years, before he finally convinced you to leave your old life and run away with him.

You both ran away from the rest of the world, settling down in the middle of nowhere.

He proprosed and the two of you eloped.

You didn't have much.. but you loved one another greatly.. and either of you would watch the world burn if it meant the safety of the other.

~~~~~

Dabi's masterlist | Shoto's masterlist | Masterlist | Navigation | You can tip me here <3

Reblogs and feedback are greatly appreciated <33

~~~~~

Do not copy, repost, nor plagiarize my work. Ask before you translate or use my work in any way -minus reblogging.

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fizzing-imagines · 2 years ago

Text

Carrie | Gareth Emerson x Girly! Cheerleader! Reader

Notes: This has been living in my head rent-free, so here y'all go

Warnings: None

Words: 2.3k

You had a guilty crush ever since you first saw him in class. It was very unlikely, at least your friends would say that. He loved D&D, was in a metal band, wore ripped clothes every day. But most of all; your friends couldn't stand his peer group. The Hellfire Club were called freaks by your friends daily, and although they didn't seem to care you always felt bad when you saw it happening. And it made you question if you'd even wanna be friends with them still but who else would you have? You didn't even have a chance with Gareth Emerson.

At least that's what you thought. One day, while you were rushing to history class, you crashed into Gareth, making his books fly everywhere. "Shit, I'm so sorry.", you said while helping him pick up his books. "I didn't mean to run into you, I'm running late." You profusely apologised while giving him his things. "Don't worry, it's fine.", he said to you. Everything fell into place that day, because you had a note with your landline number in your pocket. You kept one because you've felt sick that day and wanted to have it in case you needed to call your dad, but now you slipped it to him. Gareth noticed, and he gave you a questioning look. "I...I think you're cute.", you stuttered out before rushing off down the hall. And he stood there, note in hand and blushing profusely.

He called you the same evening. At first, your father picked up but handed the phone to you once Gareth said he wanted to call to make sure he didn't hurt you in the accident earlier. The two of you talked for a good while, laughing, genuinely laughing, and chatting about school. "Not every day a cheerleader calls me cute.", he said after a while. "I don't know what went through my head, I'm sorry. But I meant it." Your face was flushed red and even though he couldn't see it, he could hear it. "Don't apologise, I didn't mind.", he said. His lips formed a smirk when he heard you fumbling for your words. "Although I don't know if this is all a scam. Cheer squad hasn't been nice to me, like, ever." Oh yeah, that was your biggest concern. "Well, I'm not gonna pull a Carrie on you.", you said with a slight giggle. "(Y/N), popular cheerleaders, knows Carrie?", he said in an ironic tone, followed by a chuckle. "It's my favourite movie. Horror movies in general are my thing.". Gareth really didn't think about his words, it just spurted out: "Maybe we should watch it some time. As a date?" Once again you blushed, a deep shade of red this time. Did he actually just ask you out on a date? "Y-yeah. Yes, I'd like that. Really like that, actually." You were a stuttering mess and couldn't grasp the concept of him asking you out on a date. "Tomorrow, after school? My parents don't come home until eight, we can use the living room then." You nodded, then realised that he couldn't see you. "Y-yeah. Tomorrow after school sounds good." As it was already late, the two of you wished each other a good night and hung up.

Next morning, you carefully picked out your outfit for the day. Blue flared jeans, a pink spaghetti strap top, pink and white sneakers and some jewlery. In the end, you put your hair into a half up half down style with a pink bow on top. You thought you looked cute - and hoped Gareth would think the same. Once you ate breakfast and grabbed your bag, your father dropped you off at school. You met up with your friends on your way in, who gave you compliments for your outfit, and walked to your first class: Math. Lucky you, Gareth is in the same class. Once you walked into class and saw him in his seat you couldn't help but smile. He smiled back, looked you up and down, then started grinning. He did like it! Class went by fast, on your way out Gareth brushed your hand while passing by you. It made your heart beat faster and impatient for the afternoon. But just like math class, any other class flew by in no time. At lunch, Gareth couldn't stop looking over to you. Yes, you looked like the complete opposite of him but exactly that was what made you even cuter to him. Nobody at your table knew that you were a horror nerd who has a secret interest in anything paranormal, only him. They didn't know what he knew. Gareth loved that thought and grew just as impatient as you for the afternoon. A peanut to his face, followed by a "Earth to Gareth." from Eddie was what pulled him out of his thoughts. "What?", he asked with a confused face. "Jesus man, you were almost drooling at that cheerleade.", Jeff said while nudging his arm. "Cheerleader, huh?" Eddie smirked, then his head turned into your direction to see who he was looking at. "Don't make it obvious, man!", Gareth said as he threw the peanut back at Eddie's head. "Someone's got a crush.", Jeff teased with a snarky grin. "So what, she's nice." He had a feeling where this conversation was gonna go, and he didn't like it. "She hangs out with the basketball players, there is no nice.", Jeff said, now with a displeased facial expression. "Which one of them, anyways? They all look the same. Except Barbie over there." Gareth punched him lightly in the shoulder at that, giving away just who he liked from the cheer squad. "Her? Really?" The third Hellfire member at the table said. "She looks like a unicorn shit her out." Gareth rolled his eyes, now clearly annoyed by his friends. "Let him be man, you don't know her." Eddie said in his defence. Finally, someone with common sense.

After school, he waited at the exit for you. He realized you two never made out a place to meet up, so he thought the exit was his best chance. And he was right. Once you came out and saw him, a wide grin formed on your face. "Hey.", you said in an excited tone. "Hey.", he said back with a smile. "You look beautiful." You blushed at his compliment and stuttered out a "Thank you." before you two started walking to his house. Luckily, he lived 10 minutes away from school. What the two of you didn't realize that both, you and his friend groups, saw you two walking off and him taking your hand. But this wasn't relevant now, because him holding your hand made the butterflies in your stomach fly all around your body. Once you two arrived at his house, he told you to get complete in the living room while he grabbed the movie and some snacks. So you did, you sat down on one side of the couch and crossed your legs over one another. Gareth came back soon after, with two VHS, chips and some drinks in his hands. "I hope you like cherry coke.", he said while handing you a can. "I love cherry coke.", you replied with a smile while he put down the food on the living room table. He smiled back at you before holding the VHS up. "So, I have Carrie and I also have The Shining, which I think you've watched already." You nodded your head in agreement."I did, multiple times." His lips formed a grin at those words. "Great, so you wanna watch Carrie first? I also have Friday The 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Exorcist if you prefer those." You giggled at his words while opening your can. "Came here for Carrie, but I'd love to watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre afterwards." Gareth nodded his head, put the VHS in and sat down on the couch, a few inches away from you. 10 minutes into the movie and he put his arm on the backrest of the couch. You knew what he was trying to do, so you scooted closer to him and leaned your head against his shoulder. He took it as his chance to put his arm around your shoulder and squeeze you a bit closer. It was so nice, you could barely concentrate on the movie with the feelings erupting inside you. Regardless, you remained like this, only moving sometimes to readjust your legs. At the end of the movie, neither of you wanted to get up to change the VHS. You were way too comfortable like this. It just felt natural - meant to be. "Gotta get up, (Y/N).", he said after a while. And he did, but not without you whining in protest. He thought it was the cutest thing ever. While he went to his room to grab Texas Chainsaw Massacre, you took the bow and ponytail out of your hair because it's gotten quite uncomfortable while having the back of your head leaned against his shoulder. And you could only imagine that it kept pressing into him. Once he came back downstairs and saw you with slightly messy hair, he thought you looked even cuter than before. "Got it.", he said while walking over to the TV. You smiled as you pulled your knees up to your chest and wrapped your arms around your legs while he was putting on the movie. A look on the clock in his living room told you that it was six already - only two more hours. That thought displeased you before being replaced by being happy that you even have two more hours. Once the movie started playing, Gareth sat back down next to you and wrapped his arm around your shoulder again. "I could roll you around like an egg when you sit like that.", he said with humor in his voice. You laughed at that "Try it.", you dared him. And he did. He moved you around from left to right, front to back, until you almost fell from the couch and held onto his shirt to not land on the rug underneath you. He quickly wrapped his arms around your waist to not let you fall, holding you close to his body while profusely apologising. "Was that my payback for running into you yesterday?", you joked before laying your head down on his chest. His heartbeat was fast, you could hear it. He adjusted his legs, with one dangling off of the couch so you could lay down on top of him with your head still on his chest.

"This is really nice.", you mumbled as the credits rolled. Gareth hummed in agreement before letting out a yawn. "Tired, huh?", you asked him with a smirk. "Not of you, at least.", he responded. That comment made you blush, as if you haven't been laying on top of him for the past hour. "Wanna stay like this.", he mumbled before letting his right arm travel up to your head and carefully playing with your hair. "Me too.", you said back while relaxing under his touch. "But your parents are coming home soon." He hummed once more. "They won't mind, it's not like I've ever brought a girl over anyways.". You giggled, not wanting to think that that was actually true. "So no dates, no girlfriends, anything?", you asked in disbelief. "Nope, not one.", he sighted after those words. "You?" You thought about your words for a while. "Like, two boyfriends from the basketball team. Irregular dates sometimes, but all of them were so bad." Gareth chuckled a bit at those words. "I hope this one wasn't." You smiled and moved your head so you could look up to him. "Not at all."

The two of you kept having dates, usually at either your or his place. When Friday Fright came out, he took you out to watch it together. Eventually, the big confession happened.

You were laying on top of him, as you did on your first date, and decided to take your chance. It was now or never. "Gareth?", you asked while looking up to him. "Yes?", he said while looking down. "I...I like you. Like, really like you." Your face went red once again. And Gareth knew that what he was about to say was mean. "I don't." All colour left your face as you got up from him and sat down on the couch. To be precise, you were ready to cry. "I love you, actually.", he added quickly once he saw the tears dwelling in your eyes. You did start crying, but out of joy as you tackled him in a hug. "You're so mean!", you sobbed into his shirt while holding tightly onto him. "I'm sorry, princess.", he said before placing a kiss on your temple. There was still a chuckle in his voice, but he tried to hold it back. "I'm sorry, okay? I love you." You sniffled and whiped a few tears from your cheeks once you let go of him. He whiped the remaining tears from your face while looking into your eyes. "I love you, too.", you mumbled after a while. Gareth smiled, then leaned forward a bit to see if you'd do the same. He has kissed you on your forehead, cheek and top of the head before, but this would be your first real kiss. And also his first kiss. He wanted it to be perfect. Lucky him, you leaned forward as well, closing the gap between you two and kissing him. You leaned back onto him, making him lay down on the couch again as you got completely on his lap while still kissing Gareth. It was you who broke the kiss after a while and resulting in you starring into his eyes. "Can't believe you're my boyfriend.", you mumbled with a smile on your face. "Me neither.", he responded, grinning like an idiot. You leaned into him once more and kissed him again.

The two of you ended up being the most unlikely couple at Hawkins High.

#gareth emerson #gareth emerson x reader #gareth emerson fluff #gareth stranger things

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kikyoupdates · 9 hours ago

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Crushed Velvet ⭑˚🥀⭑ ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

yandere!ocs x f!reader

yandere, reverse harem, yandere reverse harem, original characters x fem!reader, slowburn, isekai

Your parents are thrilled to have secured an engagement for you with the royal family. Your suitor, the crown prince, has agreed to be wed to you. It seems as though your entire future has been assured, so why is it that from this moment onward, your life starts to fall apart at the seams?

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Nowadays, there were many things on your mind. The rumors circulating about you had yet to die down. If anything, they were just getting worse. You hadn’t gotten word from the royal family about this, which you supposed you were thankful for, otherwise you may have had to suffer humiliation while defending yourself against baseless slander. Soon enough, the news would reach them, and they would either brush it off and put an end to the rumors themselves, or you would have to bow your head and hope for their understanding.

But that was a problem for a different day.

You preferred to avoid thinking about the complicated matters of your engagement as best you could. A little over a week had passed since the announcement, but you hadn’t met up with Xeno even once since then. Truthfully, you were a bit thankful for it. He was rather hard to deal with, and he didn’t even seem too excited about this whole arrangement to begin with, so you still didn’t understand why he’d rushed to go ahead with it.

Every day had seemed so busy lately. Then again, just because you were engaged didn’t mean that you would be getting married right away. It was possible that you wouldn’t have to see much of Xeno at all, not until you were officially tied together.

If you were lucky, you might even get to continue on with your life the same way it had been up until now. Well, mostly the same.

“You seem to be in a good mood today, my lady,” Ella remarked. “Is there something happening that I am unware of?”

“No, not really,” you replied, lips pinched into a smile as you leafed through the pages of your book. “I was just thinking I might have gotten worked up for nothing. Sure, I’m engaged to the Prince, but that doesn’t mean that my entire life is going to flip upside down. I’ve decided to just enjoy the little things that I took for granted before. I don’t want to stress out about it too much.”

She smiled and finished dusting off your vanity. “Yes, your health and happiness comes first, always. There’s no reason to feel ill at ease. Everything will work out perfectly for you, I’m sure of it.”

“I appreciate you saying that. I’m trying to think more positively.”

“Shall I let you go back to your reading until it’s time to get ready for your tutoring session?”

“Yes, please interrupt me if I’m running behind.”

“Of course, my lady.”

She bowed her head and quietly crept out the room, not making a sound as she shut the door behind her. You let out a contented sigh and flipped over to a new page, occasionally sipping at your coffee.

Hardly two minutes later, Ella was knocking on the door again.

“Um, my lady? May I please come in?”

“Yes, what is it?”

She poked her head in, looking rather sheepish, then proceeded to step aside. Your parents waltzed into your room in her stead, grinning ear-to-ear.

Somehow, you had a bad feeling about this.

“[Name],” your father beamed, “we have some very good news to share with you.”

You eyed him suspiciously. “Is it really good news, though?”

“Good heavens, what do you mean? When have we ever lied to you?”

“I suppose not,” you sighed. “What is it?”

“You’re getting a new tutor!” your mother exclaimed, nearly keeling over in her heels from the excitement.

See, I knew it.

“But I don’t need a new tutor,” you frowned. “I’m perfectly happy with the one I have now.”

“Oh, he’s a good sort,” your father agreed, “but you must admit, he’s a touch on the older side, and rather old-fashioned. Please understand, a great deal of responsibility comes with this engagement of yours. Prince Xeno will one day be King, and you, his Queen. Your education must thus be expanded upon. You are to delve deeper into the realm of politics, to learn about what is necessary to help rule a kingdom. For that, we have hired only the best of the best to teach you. He is a young man who comes strongly recommended and is said to be a genius, working directly under the High Council.”

“My current tutor could also teach me about those matters. I’ve worked with him ever since I was a little girl, and he’s practically family. Even if this other man is a so-called genius, I’d feel much more comfortable keeping things as they are.”

Your mother shook her head. “Come on, now. Don’t be difficult, sweetie. I promise you’ll find this arrangement much more beneficial.”

“But, I just—”

“You just?”

“I just…”

I’m tired of everything changing.

That was what you wanted to say, but your parents’ hopeful expressions made it difficult to get the words out. You knew just how happy they were for you, for your family’s reputation. An engagement with the Crown Prince was something they could’ve never foreseen. At best, they hoped you would marry some other high-ranking nobleman, but so much more was at stake now. You knew that this was their way of showing their support, but they would probably never understand the way you felt. Your current life was more than enough. You hadn’t even been able to realize it for yourself up until you’d met Xeno face to face.

“It’s nothing,” you said, trying to hide your rejection. “I suppose… if you two think this is really a good step for me, then I’ll give it a try. But I would really like to let Mr. Strauss know that we are considering this change. After working with him for so many years, I feel that it’s common courtesy.”

Your parents said nothing, just awkwardly biting their lips.

“Oh, what now?” you sighed.

“I apologize, [Name]. The truth is, we’ve already informed Mr. Strauss of our decision. Your new tutor will be arriving later this afternoon in his stead, so that you can have your first session together.”

“Oh, brilliant.”

You shook your head in disappointment. It was one thing to try and funnel resources into your engagement and future marriage, but they really could at least consult you in the matters that directly concerned you. The fact that you hadn’t even been able to say goodbye to the kind, hardworking gentleman you’d known since childhood made your chest ache in dull pangs.

“It will be good,” your father reassured you. “This is a necessary discipline to ensuring your future.”

They sensed that you were no longer in the mood for idle chatter, so they wished you a rewarding session and left the room. Your poor maid was still standing by the door, her brown doe eyes trembling from visible discomfort.

You furrowed your brows.

“Ella, please bring out the expensive tea I only drink when I’m angry.”

He was late. Your new tutor who was supposedly the greatest thing to ever grace this earth was late on his very first day. Mr. Strauss was never late, not even once. He had always been right on time, his wispy little gray mustache shaking about every time he bowed his head to greet you.

You kept pacing around the foyer, irritated for no reason in particular and hopped up on all the tea you’d had to drink earlier. It wasn’t like it was the end of the world or anything. You knew you were just looking for excuses to not like him, but goddammit it, you were pissed off.

When the knock on the front door finally arrived, you made sure to open it yourself, lips pressed into a thin line as if to say, “that’s right, I’m angry”.

“Ah. Hello. You must be [Name].”

The first thing you noticed was that he was tall. Extremely tall. You had to crane your neck quite a bit to look up at him properly, and as you did, his lips curved into a lopsided grin. He had amber eyes that slanted off into long lashes, and his fine hair was a pale gold hue. It occurred to you then that you didn’t even know with what name to greet this stranger.

“Hello,” you said. “I’m sorry, but my parents never told me your name.”

“Oh, they probably didn’t know what it was. They were able to book my services through the High Council, with the royal family’s recommendation. I’m Lucius,” he introduced, reaching out to shake your hand. He smiled again, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Come in, Lucius.”

You didn’t know what you’d been expecting, but you couldn’t have predicted that he would be this young. He looked maybe a few years older than you, or perhaps he just looked young and was actually older? There was no way to tell, so you decided to just outright ask.

“How old are you?”

Lucius stared at you in confusion, a brief chuckle leaving his lips. “Oh my, you’re straight to the point, aren’t you? Not that I mind. I’m twenty five years old. What about you, young lady?”

“I’m twenty. Here, the study is this way.” You peered up at him out of the corner of your eye. “Still, that’s quite young to be recommended as a tutor. I suppose you really must be a genius.”

“Your praise humbles me. I only hope that I can live up to your expectations.”

“Yes, well, we shall see.”

It wasn’t until you were finally sitting down in your private study that you were able to relax and talk to him at eye-level. To put it simply, you were staring him down, not really making much of an effort to hide your displeasure. He had arrived to his very first session incredibly late, he did not refer to you by title, and to top it all off—you got the sense he was sneering at you inside his head.

“I will be frank with you. I did not want to switch tutors. I was very happy with the one I had, but my parents thought this would be a vital step to eventually becoming the Queen. I am not usually this stern with people, but I will be judging your capabilities as a teacher very strictly,” you declared.

Lucius stared at you for all of five seconds before breaking out into laughter.

Did he just…?!

“I’m sorry,” he chortled, wiping away at his eyes. “Your face, you just… you looked so serious! Ha-ha… it’s been a while since I’ve had a good laugh. My apologies. I know you intended to come across as imposing, but your expression was far too adorable. I am sorry to hear about your former tutor and I will do my very best to fill their shoes.”

You could feel the blood rising to your cheeks. “This is funny to you?”

“I found it quite funny, yes. I mean it as a compliment, though. You seem like a very thoughtful, pleasant lady. Acting stern doesn’t quite suit you.”

“Most would find your behavior right now incredibly disrespectful.” You paused for a moment, eventually letting out a sigh. “Luckily for you, I am not like most. I’m sorry, I didn’t intend to be angry with you. I suppose I’m just a little frustrated having to suddenly say goodbye to a long-time companion and trusted teacher.”

“You really are cute as a button,” Lucius mused. “I was the one acting out of line, and yet you’re still apologizing to me.”

“Well, I just want to be honest with you.”

“And I appreciate that. All jokes aside, I do take my job seriously, and I have full confidence that I will be a suitable tutor.”

“Well, you work for the High Council, so I can’t really doubt your capabilities.” You tilted your head to the side. “Are you a mage then, as well? The High Council has the largest aggregation of mages, to my knowledge.”

“Hm? Ah no, just a simple scholar,” he smiled, but there was something about the way his gaze flickered that struck you as odd.

“Very well then. Should we begin?”

“Yes, let’s do that.” He rifled through his briefcase, pulling out a few pieces of paper. “I took the liberty of constructing a little aptitude test, just to get a sense of what subjects you’re comfortable with, and which areas will require more work. You can get started anytime you’re ready.”

You nodded and gripped your pen, eager to showcase the fruits of your labor, the sturdy foundation that Mr. Strauss had helped you build through the years.

Roughly thirty minutes later—

“Mhm. I see, I see.” Lucius set the papers down, smiling widely. “You got about fifty percent of the questions correct.”

“Stop!” you squealed, burning from the embarrassment. “You didn’t have to say it aloud! It was only because… I’d never even learned more than half the things that came up on that stupid test…!”

He keeled over, clutching at his stomach as a wave of laughter overtook him. “Ha-ha! Oh, you’re so amusing, [Name]. All of your reactions are so utterly priceless.”

“You’re such a liar. You said you couldn’t remember the last time you’d laughed so hard… yet you seem to be laughing every thirty seconds.”

“It’s only because you make it so hard not to,” he grinned. “Don’t worry. I knew full well that you would most likely not be versed with most of the subjects covered on that test. If anything, it’s actually amazing you still got half of it right, even though you weren’t familiar with the concepts. This just helped to reaffirm what we need to be focusing on for the next little while. With my help, you’ll be an expert in no time.”

“Well, your confidence certainly isn’t anything to scoff at.”

Lucius just kept on smiling. He was an eccentric sort, clearly a free spirit who didn’t much care for the rules. It made it that much more impressive that he’d been able to secure his position with the High Council. The difference between genius and madness was said to be almost indistinguishable. You still weren’t exactly thrilled about losing your old tutor, but at least he seemed interesting enough that you wouldn’t have to worry about getting bored.

The rest of the session was spent with Lucius giving you an in-depth introduction to the subjects you’d be tackling first. He was, to his credit, an excellent teacher. It was easy to follow along, and he also did a good job of stimulating your intrigue and investment.

By the time it was all over, you hadn’t even realized two hours had passed.

“Thank you for having me today,” Lucius said. You’d walked him to the front door, whereupon he’d tipped his head forward in appreciation. “I hope the lesson was to your liking. If there were any issues, please let me know and I’ll make sure to address them before our next session.”

“It was good,” you acknowledged. He was getting a little ahead of himself by already presuming that you would continue to seek out his services, but you supposed that was just how he was. It seemed like the royal family wanted you to have a new tutor anyways. If he was really one of the best, you decided there was no point in being stubborn and refusing.

“I’m glad to hear it. I look forward to seeing you next time.”

He flashed you another smile, his amber eyes twinkling like freshly cut gemstones. You closed the door behind him and let out a huff.

“I’m going to make sure to ace whatever test he gives me from now on.”

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ofoceansandtombsanew · 9 months ago

Text

Sparkle

cw. pre!release, gn!reader, step 1

pairing. tamarack x reader

notes. a cute anonymous request i received not too long ago. it made me think of the cute dialogue in step 1's prologue if the MC has a crush on tamarack and finds her special. first love, amirite?

"Oh no!!" Tamarack's sudden screech of dismay brings you to a halt.

You look at your neighbor in worry, "what's wrong?"

"I forgot my scarf at school!" Tamarack answers with a frown.

She's right, you realize. Where normally a muted pink scarf, hand-knit from Granny herself, rests on Tamarack's shoulders, there is nothing. Neither of you had noticed at all that it had well-loved scarf had still been in Tamarack's cubby when you left your schoolgrounds in favor of heading home.

Today was supposed to be a particularly fun day at the Baumanns.

Mom had work so you'd be spending the afternoon with the cozy family next door. Granny had made stollen the night before and you'd all be eating it together once you got home. Then once you ate your fill, it would be back to your normally scheduled programming.

You'd play in the confines of their backyard until the urge to explore grew stronger. Then you'd go off the beaten path and play in the autumnal woods surrounding the cul-de-sac until it was time to go home. If you were lucky, maybe Mom would even let you have your own sleepover.

While you doubted a missing scarf would be enough to ruin your day, it still is a damper on the mood walking home from school.

"Do you have an extra in your bag?"

"No," Tamarack sighs, shoulders sagging forward in disappointment.

You would have thought everything was in the messenger bag Tamarack brought everywhere. It's much like Mary Poppin's magical bag with how much Tamarack manages to squeeze in it. If she were to ever pull out a bed or a lamp from it, you wouldn't be surprised in the slightest.

"We can always go back to school and get it," you offer. You turn back around in the direction you came from. "Mrs. Murray might still be there!" The chances are slim but they aren't entirely zero.

Your teacher had been there when you left, at least. So were Qiu, Darren and Baxter who all planned on having some sort of dinner at The Diner Table before going to the Murray's for a sleepover. Maybe if you turn back now, you'll be able to catch them.

Tamarack shakes her head, sparkly hair dancing in the wind, "it's okay." The shorter girl shudders. Autumn may be her favorite season but not even Tamarack is a match for chilly weather without her scarf.

"Wanna wear mine? I'm not cold."

"Really," Tamarack brightens almost immediately at the suggestion.

You nod with a grin, "you let me use your scarf all the time anyway." So it's nothing to let your best friend wear yours when the shoe is on the other foot.

Your scarf unravels with ease when you tug at it due to the lazy manner you threw it over your shoulders earlier.

"We're scarf buddies now!" Tamarack puffs her cheeks in an eager grin, her fuzzy eyebrows angled for mischief. "Ones that switch scarves."

"Allow me, Miss Baumann," you mimic the honorable bows of knights in books and movies, accent posh and haughty.

Your actions only serve to make Tamarack giggle, hopping giddily in place. Her heavy bag jingles with her movements, thudding against her audibly. The giggles and hopping eventually subside but Tamarack's ruby eyes shine regardless as she wipes her clothes down with small hands. Once she deems them proper enough, she bows using her the ends of her overall shorts as a dress, curtsying. "Thank you, Knight [First]," Tamarack replies as regal she can manage.

You share another laugh as you straighten up. With your friend standing still for once, you set to work. It's not difficult at all but you still make careful work in wrapping it around your friend's shoulder as she often does, tying it just so.

It isn't Tamarack's handiwork but you know it'll stay wrapped squarely around her shoulders indefinitely until she decides to take it off.

"Oops," you giggle when you realize her hair has been smooshed under her scarf as well. "I'll fix it!"

Tamarack snickers as well, raising her chin although it doesn't truthfully do much to help you in moving her hair outside of its scarf prison.

Sparkle. Tamarack does nothing but sparkle.

From the shiny speckles dotted throughout her gold hair to how her eyes light up whenever she's excited. You wonder where she gets them from. Neither Granny or Mr. Baumann's hair sparkles. Maybe they did once long ago before they got old and the sparkles faded from their hair. But I've seen pictures of Tamarack's dad, there are few scattered throughout the drawing room in the Baumann family hair. He doesn't got any either.

As for the one picture you found of Tamarack's mom. (Something tucked far into the corners of the house that isn't easily seen in the slightest. It's the only complete family photo you've ever found of the Baumanns. Tamarack was very young in the photo, nestled in her mother's arms while everyone smiled at the photographer. If everyone was so happy in the photo, you wonder why it seldom sees the light of day.) Her hair is brown and there aren't any sparkles to be seen there either.

Maybe this means Tamarack's sparkles are something special. A Tamarack thing.

That makes a lot sense in your fifth grade mind.

Berry red eyes look up at you, framed by fluffy locks with sparkles interwoven in each strand.

Pretty...

"[First]?"

You blink with a start, "huh?"

Tamarack raises an eyebrow curious but she smiles despite her confusion, "come on let's go," she hops once more.

For a moment you wish you hadn't offered your scarf to the girl so you could bury your face in it. You still feel the fluffy soft strands underneath your fingertips. "Yeah, let's go," you follow after the forest-loving girl who has already started skipping ahead, unaware to your plight.

#look she's writing #our life #our life: now & forever #olnf #our life x reader #tamarack baumann #tamarack baumann x reader #tamarack x reader

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