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courtofcrescent · 5 months ago

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Your kingdom has lost the war. The Royal Family is dead, including your mistress, the Old King's beloved concubine. Following her last command, you are forced to bend your knees to the new ruler. You continue to live your life as a dutiful high servant, striving to maintain normalcy as best you can, until one moonlit night, you accidentally uncover a terrifying secret... and attract dangerous attention.

Thus begins your new life as the Royal Consort, navigating the intrigue of your old-yet-new Court, all while guarding The Secret with your life.

"May Luxen always shine upon you."

Play as a male or female bearing the title of Royal Consort.

Romance the Ruler with a questionable reputation who is your now lawful partner; the Knight with a piercing gaze who follows you like a devoted shadow; the scandalous nouveau riche who happens to be the Minister of Entertainment; the striking Cousin who prefers the company of books; or a secret... something?

Join the exquisite intrigue of the Court by planning lavish parties, attending charitable events, or simply lying in your pavilion all day in hope to avoid assassination attempts—or perhaps even plot some yourself.

Acquire an expensively crafted dagger... and stab a few people in the back—or you know, a charming smile works too!

Embrace your new royal life with all its privileges and responsibilities—or find yourself trapped in misery, contemplating your choices.

Secrets. Hidden Truths. Lies. You name it.

Here's the list of romantic options who may or may not desire the demise of the Royal Consort. Questionable information. Proceed with extreme caution.

MALLORY d'ASTRUM | THE RULER (M)

Formerly the enemy commander who slew the Old King, Mallory now become the new Ruler who reigns over the Court of Crescent—your beloved kingdom's new moniker. A member of the Imperial House Astrum, you were familiar with his rumors long before the Empire invaded your kingdom. Wolf of War, they said, so that's why you are quite... baffled when you find him as tame as a pampered royal dog, for lack of better words. Did you hear the right rumors? Were all the bard's tales lies? Is this sweets-loving gentleman truly the same vicious commander once called the Beast of Battle?

"My Moonshine, would you care for a dance with your partner?"

VIVIAN d'BENITO | THE KNIGHT (F)

Every royal family member always has a loyal personal Knight, and so do you. Vivian is the very epitome of a guard on duty, according to your etiquette book. Silent yet attentive, her gaze never strays far from you. Obedient yet firm, she grants any wishes of yours as long as they do not clash with Mallory. Vivian has sworn an oath to protect you from any external threats, however can you trust your life to a knight who serves the Imperial House that destroyed the former royal family? Can you trust any oath that passes the lips of a former member of the Knights of Raven?

"I'm yours to command, Your Serene Highness."

ELLIS EDSELLY | THE MINISTER (M)

Scandal, scandal, and more scandal. Ellis's life is never dull, if the rumors are true. Raised to power by the very incident that destroyed the former royal family, he has garnered quite a reputation. Some despise him, some commend him, some licking his boots—or licking much more. Ellis accepts them all with a grin and a wink. If life is a stage, surely the Minister of Entertainment has the center seat. A commoner turned merchant turned noble, he has certainly climbed the power ladder quite high. You wonder, will he continue to ascend even further?

"Let us raise our glass to the night of merriment!"

SORIN FLAVENY | THE COUSIN (F)

You don't know why your reclusive, anti-court great uncle grants his blessing to send your second cousin to the Court. The last time you met Sorin was when both of you were still nursing, thus your impression of her mostly comes from your other cousin's words. Citrine of Flaveny, or so you've been told, her beauty shines like gems under the sunlight, captivating countless suitors. A face of great asset, yet from her very first gathering, you hear that Sorin always curls herself up in the solitude of the palace library. Why does she even bother to come to the Court?

"Cousin! Ah, I mean, Your Majes—Serene Highness! You have a very nice home. So... yellow."

???? | T̵H̸E̸ ̶E̴N̵I̶G̵M̸A̷?̷

G̶o̶.̵ ̷S̴t̵a̴y̶.̷ ̷G̷o̵!̶ ̵S̴t̷a̴y̴!̴ ̵N̶o̸!̸ ̴D̸o̶n̴'̸t̴!̶ ̸Y̷E̷S̸!̸!̴!̴

"Y̶o̷u̴.̵ ̴A̸r̸e̶.̷ ̷M̸I̷N̵E̸!!!!"

Court of Crescent is rated 18+ for mature themes, death and near death experience, blood and violence, alcohol and drugs, sexual content, morally questionable behaviours, really morally questionable behaviours, and more.

[DEMO COMING SOON]

[under construction]

#if: intro #interactive fiction #if wip #if game #choicescript #court of crescent #coc: if

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short-honey-badger · 6 months ago

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Uhm... Surprise!

Summary: You are Rosinante's secret wife, hidden away under Sengoku's protection. He shows up in the middle of you putting together a nursery, ruining your surprise.

Just a lil something sweet for Rosinante. I just finished Dressrosa, and this poor, dumb, gangly limbed man has stolen my heart. He's such a sweet one.

Masterlist

You are in the middle of painting the walls a soft pink, the same color that Rosi likes to wear, when you hear the front door hit the wall and the sound of your husband's voice echoing through the house.

"Honey, I'm home!"

You curse quietly and carefully climb down the step ladder you're on. You are glad you decided to change into a baggy sweater and leggings before beginning to paint. It would hide your baby bumb. However, hiding the rest of the room would be the biggest problem.

You fast walk out of the nursery, shutting the door behind you, before you go to meet your husband. Rosinante lights up the second he sees you, a big smile crossing his lips as he opens his arms and sweeps them around you.

"There you are. I thought you were hiding from me."

You laugh with a shake of your head, "Nope. Was just cleaning up. Not that I'm complaining, but I thought you were going to he gone for another two months?"

Your husband beams at you, "My brother sent me away cause I "annoyed him. " Sengoku said that I could spend my first two weeks away with you."

Rosi immediately notices the strain around your lips and the tension that lines your brow. You are happy that he's home, of course you are, but you also had a surprise for him. One you wanted to be perfect.

"Is everything okay? Did I do something wrong? I can fix whatever I did."

Your heart hurts at the sound of his growing panic, and so you surge up and seal your lips to his just to shut him up. Your husband kisses you back without a thought, and you lose yourself a little in the kiss before you pull away, though you keep close, your hands cradling his blushing face.

"You didn't so anything wrong, baby," you assure him and lean up to kiss his nose, "I just.. I had a surprise for you, but it's not ready yet."

Corazon frowns, feeling guilty that he's ruined something that you've obviously worked so hard on. If he weren't holding you, the marine would dig for a cigarette. He's about to offer to leave, when you suddenly step back and take his hand.

"Come on, I may as well show you now."

Rosinante follows you through the house and to a back room, left unused since it was usually just you here. His breath gets caught in his throat when he sees what you've done to the room. Half of it has been painted his favorite pink, and there are two dressers, both half built, and there tucked in the corner, is a tiny bassinet.

His heart pouts loudly in his ears, and he can hardly hear you as you ramble by his side, telling him about being too excited to just work on one project at a time. He hears you apologize for the mess, but Rosinante is still too focused on the bassinet.

You bite your bottom lip, growing nervous when your husband doesn't say anything. You shuffle in place, one hand coming down to hold your stomach, "Rosi..?"

Cora whips around, and you can see that he is grinning, tears welling up in his eyes and sliding down his face as he falls to his knees in front of you. His hands hover around you like he's suddenly terrified to touch you, but you grab one of them and hold his palm to your growing belly.

"I'm gonna be a dad?"

You nod, your own eyes filling with tears at the elation and awe you hear coating his voice. You sniff loudly and raise your free hand to scrub at your eyes, a smile tugging your lips up.

"Uhm... Surprise."

Rosinante pulls you in for a kiss so full of love that you can't help but melt against him. It might not have gone how you wanted it, but this was just as good.

#one piece #corazon #donquixote rosinante #rosinante corazon #corazon x reader #rosinante x reader #reader insert #fluff

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sungbeam · 9 months ago

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𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬

jeong yunho x gn!reader

1.1k words, friends 2 friends who cuddle ?, one bed trope, fluff, humor, like two swear words cuz who am i without cursing, snuggling, consequences of yunho being Tall (implied that reader is shorter than yunho)

a/n: im sorry that this kinda sucks ass but yeah,, one bed trope :')

“OH MY FUCKING GOD, I'm going to hate this,” Jeong Yunho swore as his head poked up into the attic space, eyes wide in horror.

When the inn owners said that the attic was hardly an attic, they unfortunately were not exaggerating. It was close to a crawl space, with just enough room for you to stand up straight, and outfitted with an extra long twin bed, nightstand and lamp, a pillow, and two large sherpa wool blankets. The bed was fitted beneath the slope of the roof because the entire space wasn't even large enough to put the bed in the middle.

You were starting to sweat, and considering there wasn't even heating up here, you raced to calm your nerves. “It'll be fine,” you said with a small, anxious laugh.

Yunho moved his terrified eyes up to you. “Respectfully? I'm gonna go sleep in the storm.”

When he moved to descend the ladder, you slid on your knees to grab hold of his wrist. “Come on, big guy. It's one night.”

“Yn, what if I said I was claustrophobic, huh?” He whined, but reluctantly followed you all the way up the ladder and into the attic. He straightened—big mistake. You heard the loud thump as his head met the roof, and grimaced. “Oooow!”

You hissed and reached over to gently rub the place that began to smart when he leaned down. “Are you okay?”

“No,” he whimpered. “Can I sleep in the lobby?”

Around ten minutes later, after many trials and tribulations and head bonks, you and Yunho somehow transferred your duffle bags up the ladder and into your glorified crawl space. They took up the space just beside the ladder and at the foot of the bed, and as you stared at said twin bed, you wondered if Yunho's legs would even fit on it.

Most likely not.

In fact, you were certain that two people couldn't even fit on the bed unless they were either on top of each other or packed together like sardines.

You reminded yourself that it was only going to be one night. This was what the two of you got for leaving five hours after everyone else, just to get caught in tonight's awful storm and stuck with the only “room” available for miles. In retrospect, it was your fault. Yunho had been generous enough in offering to stay behind with you until you finished your last exam.

“You can have the bed,” you told him as you were both crouched by your bags to grab clothes to sleep in. Despite your realization about your counterpart's long limbs and the bed's shortcomings, you wanted to extend an offer of chivalry.

Yunho twisted around and sent you an incredulous look. “What?”

“You drove us up here,” you replied with a shrug. You swiftly draped your sleep clothes over one arm and gathered your bag of toiletries in the other. “And you waited for me to finish my exam and you're kinda being dealt the short end of the stick with this room.”

He sat down on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest, and though his face was still pulled into the same expression, he laughed. “Yn, I hate to break it to you, but I think you're gonna fit better on that bed than I will.”

You pursed your lips, gazing over at the narrow slot on the floor between the other sloping roof and the bed. That was the only other place someone could sleep in this room. “I don't want you to sleep on the floor though.”

“I know I was complaining, but don't worry about it,” he reassured as he turned back to dig through his duffle. He flicked his wrist blindly in your direction. “You can wash up first; I'll set everything up.”

Since he left little to no room for argument, you resolved to do as he suggested. There was a community washroom on the floor below that you made your way toward. As unfortunate as your accommodation was for the night, you were eager to head back up and go to sleep. Yours and Yunho's friends were all waiting at Seonghwa's cabin already, and perhaps it wasn't just exhaustion that made you antsy for this night to get a move on.

You and Yunho just needed to get through tonight. It would be fine.

When you returned to the attic crawl space, Yunho had everything set up as he said he would. He'd found an extra set of sheets from one of the downstairs closets and laid it on the ground by the bed, then rationed one of the blankets for himself and the other for you on the bed.

You let out a tired sigh and trudged over to the bed to grab the pillow from where it rested on the headboard. You set the pillow instead at the head of Yunho's sleeping situation, then balled up one of your jackets to use as your own pillow. Once satisfied, you climbed into bed, and you were out like a light.

Everything was hazy as you emerged from deep sleep to confused half-consciousness. The room was descended into darkness, the sounds of light rain drumming steadily against the sloped rooftop above your head. Your brain felt like it was stuffed with cotton—why had you suddenly woken up?

Then you heard it.

“Achoo.” Then another one. And another one.

Even half dead, your brain could put two and two together. You rolled over slightly to wave your arm over the side of the bed, hand flapping around until you bumped Yunho's shoulder. “Hey, Yunho.”

Another sneeze.

“Yun, get your butt up here.”

He grunted. “'m fine.”

“You're gonna get sick,” you grumbled with your face half squished against your jacket zipper. That was definitely going to leave a mark in the morning. “Come up here, for fuck's sake.”

He made another noise, perhaps of acknowledgment, before you heard sounds of movement.

You kept your eyes half-lidded to keep as much light out as possible, and rolled over again. As he crawled onto his knees, and then his feet, you opened up your blanket to him so he could join you.

“Pillow,” he slurred—you whined when it hit you in the face. “Sorry.”

In a drowsy drugged tango, you swapped your jacket out for the pillow and Yunho wormed his way onto the bed beneath your blanket. You scooted as close to the wall as you could, but even then, Yunho was pressed flush against you. His arms came around your waist, his nose wedging itself between your neck and shoulder until he was comfortable.

“Your feet are cold,” you muttered. “Get them under the blanket.”

“Too tall.”

“Show off.”

He huffed out a puff of air against your neck like a laugh, then tucked his knees up slightly to fit under the blanket. Your legs were now tangled among his, your bodies curled tightly together. In the morning, you would rationalize it out as creating body heat to prevent either of you from getting sick.

When movement stopped, you voiced into the darkness, “Better?”

A content sigh. “Better.”

Maybe this accommodation wasn't so bad after all.

ateez m.list

permanent taglist: @flwoie @vatterie @seomisaho @hqrana @ja4hyvn @outrologist @rikizm @tinkerbell460 @meosjinn @hyunjaespresent-deobi @stayarmytinyzenmoa-l @floatingpluto @gyulfriend @jaehunnyy @shakalakaboomboo @soonyoungblr @justanotherkpopstanlol @kangfication @pxppxrminty @fluorescentloves @haechansbbg @jaerisdiction @super-btstrash-posts @jundundun @http-gyu @mvvnsseul @mars101 @kflixnet

#kflixnet #ateez x reader #jeong yunho x reader #yunho x reader #ateez fluff #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez oneshot #ateez drabbles #yunho fluff #yunho oneshot #yunho scenarios #yunho drabble #yunho imagines #ateez fanfic

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penny-anna · 14 days ago

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IMO the ideal lost light polycule situation is as follows:

Drift is dating Ratchet and also Rodimus. Ratchet is his primary partner and Rodimus is his secondary. Rodimus is constantly angling to move up the boyfriend ladder and be Drift's no 1. He doesn't even want to be in a committed relationship it just pisses him off that Drift prefers Ratchet. Ratchet isn't threatened by this bcos he's very secure in his relationship but he does find it extremely irritating

Rodimus is also dating Megatron and keeps hinting that he'd like Drift to join them for a threesome. Drift kind of does want to fuck Megatron but he's in a stable enough place mentally to know what a terrible idea it would be so he's pretending not to notice. He is avoiding even being in the same room as Megatron

Megatron is trying really hard to be a good friend & metamour to Drift bcos Drift is one of the literally billions of things he carries a huge amount of guilt over but Drift is actively avoiding him. Megatron thinks Drift must be terrified of him which makes him feel even more guilty but in actuality Drift just feels kind of awkward about the situation

One time they did manage to have a pleasant conversation and Megatron was like wow this is going so well I'm finally in but then he got a little too relaxed and accidentally called Drift Deadlock and destroyed all the progress he'd made

Megatron kind of wants to date Ultra Magnus but the only way to date Magnus is to formally court him so Megatron is researching etiquette to try and figure out how to do that

Cyclonus, Tailgate and Whirl are in a well negotiated poly triad. Ratchet hates this bcos it infuriates him that Whirl of all people is doing polyamory better than him and as a result Tailgate and Cyclonus think he deeply disapproves of their relationship. Whirl knows what his problem is but isn't talking bcos he thinks it's funny.

#transformers #transformers mtmte

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hazbinsboss · 6 months ago

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Love (Alastor x Fem! Reader) (Hurt/comfort)

Established relationship, hurt/comfort because I'm a sucker for it, Alastor is kinda broken in the fic ngl, he's mad in love with reader. He fought Adam, ending up bloody and battered in his radio tower, and Y/N is desperately trying to find him.

"Al! Alastor, please answer me!” Y/N shouts, traveling up the ladder of the radio tower as fast as she could. A bum leg and shoulder adding onto the difficulty. Alastor was supposed to take care of Adam, but Adam was still alive until Niffty killed him. She heard the first man’s name being yelled by Lute, but made eye contact with a certain king of hell who nodded and she took off. Reaching the top of the radio tower, she notices the blood. “Al!” She screams as she pulls herself up even faster. Seeing the Radio Demon laying against his equipment and clutching his abdomen, clearly in a mass amount of pain. She scurried over to him, putting pressure on his wound as he dejectedly stared up to her eyes. Wincing as she grabs medicinal herbs and bandages from her bag that she always wore. “L..leave…” Alastor scoffs, trying to shoo her off with the hand that wasn’t clutching himself. Y/N didn’t reply, she couldn’t, not when he was this hurt. “Move your hand or I’ll make you move it” she says prying his hand off of himself, he tried to use the remainder of his energy to summon some sort of shadow to scare her off. The shadows reached only a few inches from his body before he began to cough, blood spurting from his mouth. At that moment she was terrified. She had never seen Alastor this hurt before, to the point that he couldn’t use any of his powers. She uses this moment to pry his arm away, basically ripping his coat and shirt open. Fortunately using the remainder of her own power to summon some of her own shadow beings to help her.

The small shadow imps helped in handing her the bandages and applying the herbs. When Y/N saw the wound healing on its own, she bandaged him, wrapping around his bare abdomen. Treating other minor scrapes and cuts as she went along. The woman's adrenaline finally wears off, as she nearly collapses next to Alastor. Carefully wrapping her arms around him, redressing him in a quickly mended coat that the imps had helped with whilst she tended to his smaller wounds. “My dear… I was weak” Alastor scoffs to himself, evidently the near death he had just suffered getting to his psyche. Wordlessly she rests her forehead on his, grabbing a clean rag and cleaning the blood from his lips and chin. “You did what you could, Alastor. The only ones who did any real damage to him were Lucifer and Charlie. The king of hell and his fucking daughter. If they could barely do anything, we can’t assume that we could” Y/N spoke softly, as she brought her hand up to stroke his ears. Something she had always done to comfort him. His ears twitch and he lulls his head to be closer to hand. “Let’s get you recovered before we worry about anything else” his head rests on her shoulder as he melts at the gentle touch. Alastor hated the way that this made him relax, made him soft, the Radio Demon, soft? No… No. He couldn’t.

Alastor tries to sit up again feigning a confident, fully recovered front, but as he goes to stand up the shooting pain of his injuries. Stumbling forward he expects to meet the cold floor of the radio tower, closing his eyes hoping that he could just pass out. However it never came, in its place were warm and gentle arms wrapped around him supporting him so he didn’t fall. “Hey now… Al, you can be weak around me. Trust me, honey” She said, and for once, he obliged. Using her arms to stand up straight and let her guide him down the radio tower.

‘God my body hurts’ Y/N thought to herself, her shoulder and leg causing an immense amount of pain. Something that Y/N didn’t think Alastor noticed.

— Y/N stumbled a bit after finally getting Alastor to a fully safe place to lay down, and recover. Shakily bringing tea over to him, she hadn’t had anyone tend to her wounds yet. The wounds on his abdomen were already almost fully healed as his skin mends itself together. He noticed how she stumbled, how her leg had a gash on it that was still slowly bleeding. “Darling?” He speaks, his radio effect no longer on as his staff was broken. “Yes, Al?” She sits next to him, placing a hand on the side of his chest that wasn’t damaged. Gods did he love the way she smiled at him, in a place that is nothing but overwhelming heat. Somehow her soft, warm aura made him melt again. “Lay down, dear. Let me take care of you. My darling doe” Alastor gestures as he gracefully sits up, having enough energy to summon shadows to grab the medical supplies that he needed to take care of her. She obliges as he half picks her up putting her on his lap, she smiles and lets her head rest on the radio demon's chest, as he soothes her with small kisses to her forehead as he cleans and mends her wounds. “I…Al” She was about to say something but settled for his name to avoid any awkwardness that may arise. “What were you going to say, darling?” He says, however he had an idea of what she wanted to say. For the first time someone wanted to say I love you to him, the first time in hell at least. But it's been decades since those words were spoken to him. They hadn’t even thought about it, and that's what Alastor enjoyed. That the usual relationship needs were not needed with her, they simply enjoyed each other's company more than the rest. “I… Thank you. For everything” she says instead, Alastor chuckles a bit and tips her head up with a finger underneath her chin to have her look into his eyes instead. “I love you Y/N” He leans down kissing her gently. Being careful to not wound anything further. She feels her cheeks heat up, blushing at the fact that Alastor. Him. He said it first. “I love you too, Alastor. So much” She says as he pulls away and continues to tend to his lover's wounds. Her uninjured arm wrapped around his neck, as he cradled her closely to his body. His wound throbbing a bit with the small movements but the loving feeling he felt from her was well worth the pain. Upon finishing mending her broken body together, he guides her to lay with him. Something that Alastor rarely initiated, so she obliges, as she lays her head on his chest. Letting herself get whisked away to sleep for the first time in days. The peace of feeling his chest rise and fall with every breath only furthered the onset of exhaustion over her body. “Sleep, my love” Alastor tells her, humming a show tune in which he knew would lead to Y/N falling asleep. He loved it, he loved the feeling, he loves her. An emotion even he thought he was incapable of feeling after he spawned in Hell after his time on earth. Having a few moments like this with, well, anybody really. He barely remembered his prior lovers in his life, he just knew that nothing ever felt right. He had known how to take care of any needs he might have experienced, especially being part deer and rut being a present situation he found himself in every year, that being much easier now having a partner. Y/N had only been in his life for two years, but those two ruts were the easiest ones he’s had over the time he’s been in hell. He gently brushes his claws through her tresses, as her arm is wrapped around his waist. “Oh darling… How you have me wrapped around your finger. It terrifies me” Alastor laughed to himself, as he closed his eyes allowing himself to meet her in sleeping.

#alastor #alastor x reader #alastor hazbin hotel #alastor fluff #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel fandom #hazbin fic

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entitled-fangirl · 9 months ago

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Two idiots in love. (P12)

Joel Miller x anemic!reader

Summary: The reader wakes up and Joel is there to comfort her.

Warnings: ptsd, depression, brief mention of rape, panic attacks

Masterlist

Part 1 and 13

...............................................................

Joel was grateful that he didn't have to deal with snow anymore.

Y/N had been asleep for almost 48 hours now, and he was beginning to worry.

To give everyone a break, they hid in an abandoned RV.

Just until she could wake.

Joel stepped outside to talk to Ellie, who was sitting on a truck bed nearby.

"Ellie! I found this in there! Beefaroni. Chef Boyardee." And he held up the can like a kid on Christmas.

Ellie nodded, "Okay. Cool. Probably won't be as good when you cook it."

They both laughed, but those laughs turned serious as they both remembered Y/N.

…

Joel was startled by the loud gasp of air that came from the RV couch.

He quickly kneeled next to the couch that held Y/N. He took her head in the hands gently, "Y/N….? You awake?"

Her eyes opened just barely.

Joel let out a breath of relief, "Oh, sweet girl!"

She let out a whimper and squirmed in his hold, "D…stop… stop, please…"

Joel wanted to cry at the lack of strength she had left.

"Y/N. It's me…"

His words did nothing to soothe her.

Her hands came up to grab his, "I didn't do anything… please…"

Joel immediately let her go to give her space, letting his hand move away from her face and rest at her waist.

But this only made things worse.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She clawed at his hands in a desperate attempt to free herself from him.

Joel grabbed her face again, determined to let her recognize him. He pulled her face close to his and let his voice relax, "Y/N, you sweet, sweet woman. Please look at me. It's me. It's Joel."

She simply stared in fear.

He had seen her be scared many times, but never had she looked so terrified.

And it was from him.

"You know me." Joel tried to reason.

She cried out as she studied his face. A look of recognition crossed her features. "I… J…Joel? JOEL?!"

He smiled with a laugh, "Yeah! You're safe, honey…"

She jumped into his arms, crying into his shoulder.

He held her tightly, letting his arms wrap around her shaking frame.

He kissed the side of her head in relief, letting his eyes close to enjoy the moment while he had it.

"You okay, sweet girl?" He asked softly.

She pulled away just enough to look him in the eyes, "Is Ellie o…okay?"

Joel smiled and gently wiped at her tear-stained face, "Yes. You protected her. She's just fine. You need to tell me about you."

She shook her head, "'M fine."

Joel shook his head, "No. You need to be honest with me. I need to know what happened in there."

She sniffled, shaking her head as well.

Joel sighed in frustration.

He watched her eyes fill with tears again at his sigh. "Oh, honey. I didn't mean to-"

"-Plea…please don't hurt me, Joel…"

"W…what? Y/N, I'm not gonna hurt you."

She was insistent, "p..promise me?"

He nodded without thought. "I'd promise you anything you wanted. You know that."

She seemed to accept his words.

But Joel saw the way the shine in her eyes dulled away.

…

"They had a guitar in that RV," Joel stated as they walked, "It was all smashed up but got me thinkin'. Maybe I should find one. I haven't played in forever."

Ellie nodded, following along with his trail of thoughts.

"In fact," he continued, "I was thinking maybe I could teach you. I bet you'd be great at it. Do you wanna learn how to play guitar?"

But she had turned her attention to Y/N, who walked on the other side of Joel like a skeleton that hadn't seen daylight.

Y/N was slowly turning into a shell.

"…Ellie?" Joel questioned.

"Oh, yeah. That sounds really cool." She nodded.

The three continued to walk. The man and girl occasionally threw worried looks at the other for the woman.

But neither of them knew what to do.

…

"I get you up there, you can drop that ladder down, maybe we go through that way. C'mon, I'll give you a boost."

But Ellie was distracted again.

Joel approached her again, following her eye line to see her staring at Y/N again.

The woman was sat on a crate nearby.

Her eyes never left Joel's frame, despite the empty look in her eyes.

Only then did Joel notice the hollowness of her cheeks.

The dark bags under her eyes.

The constant shivering of her entire body despite being fully dressed in 80 degree weather.

She hadn't spoken since the initial moment with him in the RV.

And that was a few days ago.

Ellie turned, "Boost. Got it."

When Joel moved to boost Ellie up, he saw Y/N slowly stand. He stopped her, "Hey, honey. You stay there. Just a minute."

When she said nothing, he took that as an answer.

He boosted Ellie up with relative ease.

She picked up the ladder, but got distracted and dropped it, "Woah…"

It crashed on the floor loudly, making Y/N flinch terribly.

"Goddammit, Ellie!" Joel grumbled.

He turned back to his woman, "Sweet girl?"

She said nothing, her gaze already on him.

"Let's go up, yeah? Can we do that?"

She let out a soft sigh and stood.

…

It took the two a while to catch up to Ellie, but when they did, they were in awe.

Well, Joel was.

A giraffe at eye level.

He turned back to Y/N, "C'mon." And he offered his hand to her.

But she only stared at it.

He sighed and nodded, walking to Ellie alone.

Y/N watched from behind as they began to feed it.

She had been fighting with her mind.

She looked at the two in front of her. Her family. She knows them. She knows she does. She feels safe with them, but her mind only replays David's words and actions in her head.

And she was scared that he was right.

The giraffe began to walk away, and Ellie was determined to follow it. "C'mon, c'mon!"

Joel sighed and turned to follow her, walking to Y/N. He offered his hand once more.

She stared at it.

Then slowly took it.

Joel smiled as their fingers intertwined carefully.

…

The three stood on a balcony, taking in the fresh air.

Y/N sat on the opposite end, needing some time to herself.

"Look," Joel sighed at Ellie, "I don't know where this hospital is-"

"We'll find it."

"Sure," he nods, "It's just… Maybe there's nothing bad out there, but so far, there's always been something bad out there… We don't have to do this. I just want you to know that."

Ellie scoffed, "What do you mean? What else are we supposed to do?"

"Nothing. We go back to Tommy's. We forget about the whole damn thing."

Ellie stared at him in disbelief, "After everything we've been through. Everything I've done… What Y/N did… It can't be for nothing."

Joel felt his jaw clench in thought.

"I know you mean well," Ellie smiled, "I know you wanna protect me. You have. And when we're done, we'll go wherever you want. Tommy's, sheep ranch, the moon… I'll follow you anywhere you go."

Joel laughed under his breath.

"But," she continued, "There's no halfway with this. We finish what we start."

He finally nodded, "Alright."

"And," Ellie pointed at him, "When were you going to tell her about her son?"

Joel froze, "…w…what?"

"I read the note, Joel. I know."

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, "I will. I was gonna. But… I can't tell her anytime soon. Not in her state."

Ellie nodded.

"Tell me, Ellie… what do you think happened to her exactly?"

The girl sighed, "Joel, you know what probably happened. You're not stupid."

He nodded. "Guess I was just hoping you'd have something positive to say."

She gave a sad smile, "Not about this."

Joel let his eyes wander over to Y/N's meek frame.

The things he would do for her.

...................................................................

Tags: @lover-of-books-and-tea, @pedropascalfan221, @lottieellz101, @bambisweethearts, @hiroikegawa, @elliaze, @littleshadow17, @n7cje, @ashleyfilm, @darling-imobsessed

#fanfiction #joel miller fic #joel miller tlou #joel miller x reader #joel tlou #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal fandom #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal x reader #tlou fanfiction #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller imagine #joel miller #pedro pascal #the last of us fanfiction #the last of us fanfic #the last of us hbo #the last of us #tlou

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eff4freddie · 15 days ago

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After She Left | Epilogue

Words: 2.4k

A/N: Yeah ok, I wasn't quite ready, either. I had already started planning this one-shot but I realised, thanks to some helpful and gentle feedback, that if I was already thinking of a one-shot maybe the main story wasn't as done as I thought. You must have been right, because I have never written something so fast in my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you again for all the love on this series. Apart from the occasional one shots, I do think I'm actually done this time. Maybe.

Fifteen | Series Masterlist |

This time, you didn’t borrow Maria’s dress. Having traded a couple of old books and some promises of extra lessons for Mika, you’d secured yourself something bespoke from the seamstress in town, cut from blue old curtains soft from years of fading in the sun. You ran your hands over the gentle fabric, trying not to gawk too long in case Ellie burst in and busted you for it. You had to remind yourself she wasn’t there, spending the afternoon with Dina and a couple of her friends decorating the mess hall. She’d insisted you not do it, this time. And you’d let her have it, the ownership of the space. Trusted her, more than you trusted anyone, that she would do a good job.

You cleared your throat. You knew Joel would be there, and that he’d got in ahead of Tommy this time and volunteered to chaperone, and you reminded yourself again and again that it was for Ellie’s sake, not for yours. You still hadn’t really spoken properly, even after he’d started coming around a night or two a week for dinner after a shift on the wall, and you weren’t sure what you would say to him if he did. You just hadn’t had the time alone with him, Ellie always hovering in that way she had.

It felt different, though. Lighter. Like a storm had passed. You smoothed down the seams of your dress over your hips and sighed. This was a work thing, you reminded yourself. You were there to look after the kids.

‘It’s OK to be hopeful,’ Rose reminded you, over your shoulder where you saw her reflection in the mirror. She wasn’t aging, even though it had been years.

‘I know it is,’ you said, smiling warmly at her.

‘Are you?’ she asked.

You glanced back at your own reflection, your sister waiting quietly on the other side of the veil.

‘I don’t know if I need you anymore,’ you said, plainly to her, in that honest way you were starting to learn from Ellie.

‘Just want me then,’ she said, and then she was gone.

You stood on the steps of the mess hall, the snow starting to fall. Even in the cold you were hesitating, not sure what would greet you when you walked in. Not sure who.

You could already hear the band starting up, could hear Ellie barking last minute instructions to her crew of terrified workmen. She was a natural leader, even if she didn’t know it yet, you mused.

‘Hey, girlie,’ a voice said behind you, and you turned, a smile already spreading over your face.

‘Thought you were off the hook tonight,’ you said, and Tommy grinned at you. He was just wearing his usual clothes, and you realised for a second you’d been worried Joel had sent him in his place.

‘Just swingin’ back from patrol, thought I’d come by and check it out,’ he said. You knew what he meant, that he was checking in on his idiot brother, and on you, to see if you’d murdered him yet.

‘I don’t even know if he’s here yet,’ you said, by way of explanation, gesturing to your shaking hands.

‘He’s in there,’ Tommy said, smiling warmly at you. ‘I know because he royally pissed of Billy beggin’ off his shift early to make sure everythin’ was just right.’

You turned back to the door, surprise painting your face. ‘He did?’ you asked.

‘Been in there since lunch,’ Tommy said, turning to face the street. ‘Wouldn’t trust Ellie up a ladder, for starters.’

‘Smart man,’ you agreed.

You jumped a little as the younger Miller stepped up beside you, looping his arm around your elbow.

‘C’mon, my lady, I’ll walk ya in,’ he said. You leant into him, borrowed some of his strength to cross the threshold.

Inside, it was breathtaking, and you gasped a little. Ellie had taken all the efforts of the previous Prom and doubled them, the little cut out stars strung up amongst coloured streamers, twinkling lights. There wasn’t an inch of ceiling not covered in dangling decorations, some of them strung up so high into the rafters you weren’t sure they’d ever make it down.

‘Wow…’ you said, roughly calculating the mathematics of it.

‘Yeah, we helped a little, Maria and me and the Town Council,’ Tommy said, stretching his hand as if it still ached. ‘Rather take a gunshot to the head then deal with a papercut again.’

You gasped out a little laugh, trying to push the tears away. Under her paper constellations Ellie was dancing with Dina, holding the girl to her like she wouldn’t ever let her go.

‘God, she’s fucking magnificent,’ you said, seeing Tommy nod out of the corner of your eye.

‘That’s true, ain’t it, brother?’ he asked, and your head snapped to your other side where Joel stood, several paces away, his hair slicked back again and this time wearing a black shirt you were sure he’d borrowed from his little brother. The buttons strained a little in the middle, for one.

‘Magnificent,’ he said, staring deep into your eyes.

‘Teach!’ a voice called from across the dancefloor and Ellie was on you then, breaking the spell. You exhaled, not realising you’d been holding your breath. ‘Come see, come see…’ she said, grinning as she took you by the arms and pulled you across the room, in amongst the throng of teenagers and out the other side, to a table set up by the band.

There, next to the punch bowl full of what you hoped was so far un-spiked drink, there next to the plates of little cut sandwiches, there across the top of the long table ran an enormous banner, the words ‘THANK YOU TEACH’ emblazoned on it in what you knew to be Dina’s careful bubble handwriting. In every space a student had written a message to you, of thanks and of kindness. Mika had drawn you as a superhero, a cape fluttering out over your stick figure shoulders.

You bit hard into your lip then caught yourself, giving up and letting the tears flow.

‘Oh, shit, Ellie…’ you said, gripping her by the shoulders and pulling her into you.

‘You swore,’ she said, delighted.

‘Fuck off, I’m off the clock,’ you gritted out, tears sliding down your face.

She squeezed you, just long enough before she let you go, suddenly concerned she didn’t look cool in front of her friends.

You turned to her, before she disappeared, knowing that after this she would go back to the dancefloor, that you wouldn’t see her again that night until twenty minutes after curfew.

‘I don’t know what to say,’ you confessed, simply, all your nerves exposed, fizzing, in the stuffy air.

Ellie glanced back to where you had been standing, to where Joel still stood, sentinel, by the walls.

‘Figure it out,’ she said, not unkind.

Joel shuffled on his feet, his shirt too tight and the collar digging into his throat. He wanted to reach up and pull it loose but was worried he’d take most of the buttons along with it. He determined to remain, uncomfortable.

His back ached from the hours he spent on that damn ladder. But the look in your eyes when you walked in and saw them, the way your face glowed with disbelief and then with joy. Worth every groaning vertebra in his body.

He cleared his throat, watching as Ellie showed you the banner. When the night was done, he was going to take it back to the schoolhouse, string it up over your little blackboard, so every morning you walked in there you were shrouded in their love. You deserved that and so much more than that, but right now it was all that he could do.

He watched, even from here, the tears gather on your cheeks, and it took all his strength not to stride over to you, steal you from the moment, wipe them down with his fingertips and then his lips. He pushed something warm and bulbous down into his gut. When you glanced over at him, Ellie with her eyebrows raised at him as if this was finally, finally his chance, he faltered, his stomach doing little flips. When you turned back to her, he took the moment to slink out the door, shame turning the tops of his ears red and hot as he did it.

He so desperately wanted to tell you everythin’, wanted to push it all out of his throat once and for all. But still, even after all that had happened, there was the fear. That you wouldn’t want him, that it wouldn’t be enough. All the hurt he’d put you through, he had no right to expect you to speak to him ever again.

He raised his eyes to the stars. But he had made his promise, that night he saw off Shauna. To them and to himself. He would walk the road back to you, as long as you would have him.

‘Hey, stranger,’ you said, and he turned, fast enough to swirl away some of the snow gathering around his shoulders.

‘Hey…’ he said, gruff over a heavy throat.

‘Tommy says you have something to do with all that…’ you said, nodding over your shoulder back to the mess hall.

‘It was all Ellie’s idea,’ he said, and you smiled, the warmth radiating off you enough that he felt if he stepped forward you would turn the end of his nose pink.

‘I have absolutely no doubt,’ you agreed.

‘You two goin’ OK?’ he asked.

You nodded. ‘It’s goin’ great, love having her around. It’ll be sad when she moves back to you.’

Joel blinked at this, his mind taking a moment to catch on to the words.

‘She’s comin’ back?’ he asked, feeling tingles on the back of his neck.

‘Course she is. She always was. Not sure when, yet, but give it time,’ you said. You took a step forward, coming to stand beside him, your arms resting on the rail. He turned to peer out over the town with you, the gentle flurries of snow catching the streetlights.

‘Weird to be back here again,’ you said, simply. ‘After everything.’

He nodded, his throat suddenly raw. He knew this was his moment. He steadied himself, spread his weight evenly on his feet.

‘Teach, I…’ he started, taking a second to gather himself. ‘I felt you changin’ me,’ he said, and you froze, too scared to turn your head to him in case he lost his nerve. ‘I felt you changin’ me, and it scared me, and I did everythin’ I could to try and change back.’

‘It scared you?’ you asked.

‘So much, and I hate that it did.’ He thought for a second, of all the things he had done for Ellie out of love for her, of all the ways he had hurt and been hurt. He swallowed. Love made monsters out of men like him, he knew.

But this was different, though, felt different somehow and he had to trust that it was. ‘I’d never felt that…’cept for you. I’d never felt that for anyone.’

You swallowed, the tears threatening again, biting them back out of sheer will. You couldn’t help noticing the past tense, and you braced yourself. You had promised, back on your front step after Shauna had destroyed your cake, that you would be friends. Maybe this was where it was headed for you two. Maybe that would be enough.

No, you screamed in your head. You knew that it wouldn’t be. Don’t close yourself off now, you heard a voice say, not Rose’s this time, but your own.

‘I knew that, Joel, I knew that you were scared…’ you said, and you wanted to go on, but he was shuffling, suddenly, suddenly unable to stand still on his feet.

‘I ain’t scared anymore,’ he said, gritting it out like it hurt him.

You turned to him, finally, as he continued. ‘I know you might not want me now, and by rights, baby, you shouldn’t. I know I hurt ya, and I think about it every damn day. But I ain’t gonna walk around this place pretendin’ I ain’t feelin’ it. Not anymore. I love you, baby, have for a damn long time, and it wouldn’t right if I let you go around thinkin’ I don’t.’

He was breathless, his eyes scanning your face for any sign of revulsion, for any sign of fury. He watched, horrified, as the tears spilled over your cheeks.

‘Ah, fuck,’ he said, reaching up to brush them away. ‘I hurt you again.’

‘No, no,’ you said, gripping his hand to yours and pulling his fingers down to his lips where you kissed the tears from them. He stilled, watching you as you struggled to find the right words.

You sucked in a breath, every atom of your being thrumming, pounding along with your racing heart.

‘Not scared either,’ you said, your whole body shivering.

‘Baby…’ he trailed off, something like hope threatening to grip him by the gut and destroy him.

‘But we gotta talk more,’ you pronounced, nodding at him as he mirrored you, agreeing with all he had. ‘We gotta talk a lot more about…everything,’ you emphasised.

‘There’s so much I’ve been wanting to tell ya,’ he agreed, little tears appearing in the corner of his eyes, where they crinkled as he let himself smile.

‘You pull any of that shit again…’ you started, and he nodded.

‘Ellie already told me, she’d make sure I never walked without a limp again.’

You paused, making a mental note to add some non-aggressive conflict resolution in to your curriculum.

‘We’ll talk,’ Joel went on. ‘I wanna talk, baby, I meant what I said. Wanna give you that, and all the love ya deserve’

‘But not right now…the talking,’ you said, shaking your head as he mirrored you again.

‘No, not right now,’ he agreed.

‘Just say that one thing, that one bit, just that one bit again,’ you rambled, managing a quiet little gasp when he stepped forward, taking your jaw in his hand.

‘M’sorry, baby,’ he said, and you blinked owlishly up at him. ‘Ain’t no excuse, and it ain’t enough, and I’ll spend the rest of my days findin’ new ways to make it up to ya. But I love you, baby. I think I always have.’

You grinned at him, turned your scorching heat to him, bathed him in it, irradiated the fear right out of his bones. Illuminated him, like the sun dawning over a night that once had been freezing, over a night that had once been full of terrors, over a night that had seemed so threatening, until the moment the light shone.

Tag (and thank you AGAIN list)

@harriedandharassed

@vickie5446

@kaseyconnour

@orcasoul

@missladym1981

@spacesoutdaydreamer

@tangled-tumbler-blog-blog

@fancyyoouu

@anoverwhelmingdin

@millersamour

@delicatetrashtree

@wand-erer5

@somedayheaven

@maryrhodalouandted

@casssiopeia

@atorturedpoetatmidnight

#joel miller #joel miller x reader #pedro pascal fanfiction #joel miller x you #pedro pascal #joel miller fanfic #joel miller smut #pedro pascal characters fanfiction #the last of us fanfiction #pedro pascal fic

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stevesbipanic · 9 months ago

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@steddielovemonth Day 22: Love is liking the version of yourself you are with them the best @tinytalkingtina

"King Steve!"

Steve peeked up hearing the voice.

"King Steve!"

Steve poked his head out the small window and peered down to the ground below. A head of dark curls and a gummy grin greeting him.

"Friend or foe?" He giggled looking down at the boy.

"Friend of course, it is I, Sir Eddie, back from my quest!" Eddie hoisted the basket in his hands above his head, showing it off for Steve.

"Did you Uncle, I mean the dragon, put extra peanut butter on mine?"

"Extra peanut butter and the crusts cut off!"

"Hmmm well I guess, dear knight, you can have entry into the kingdom," Steve said tossing down the ladder.

Eddie climbed up quickly, joining Steve in the tree house. He plopped down beside Steve, crushing his cardboard sword slightly. "Oh, I found this shiny rock too I think we could glue it to your crown," Eddie said passing the sandwich over and gesturing to the crudely made crown on Steve's head.

The boys spent the afternoon looking for more rocks for the crown and pretending to slay mighty beasts, but soon enough Steve's nanny had come to collect him.

"The kingdom will be lost without you, King Steve," Eddie said pouting.

"I'll be back tomorrow Eds, don't let the dragon eat you while I'm gone," Steve replied giving his friend a quick hug before running to the car.

"King Steve!"

Steve scowled at the nickname. Tommy only called him that when he'd done something stupid, like the keg stand last night or knocking into some poor kid only because Steve rarely looked where he was going.

"Don't call me that."

"You're King of the school Steve, live a little."

"Dumb kingdom anyway." He said walking away, what did Tommy know anyway.

"Steve?"

Steve was terrified but that voice sounded just as small as it did a decade ago.

"It's me, Eds, why don't you tell us what happened?"

"Steve?"

"Eds! You're awake!"

"The dragon got me pretty good I think."

"I should've been there."

"Hey, now, I'm the knight, had to protect the pretty King didn't I."

"King Steve!"

"Sir Eddie!"

"Let me up, baby, Wayne made us sandwiches!"

#king steve #childhood friends #stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #steddielovemonth #ficlet

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muzsmocsing · 3 months ago

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I just finished book 2 of TGCF, here is a short wishlist for the series going forward

1️⃣ Baby mama drama. I need someone to goof up real bad and end up a single father. Some funny candidates would be:

Pei Ming. He has probably created more demi-gods than Zeus at this point (not to slander general Ming Guang here, he asks for consent first), I want it to backfire on him. I want him to run into a former hook up in the mortal realm who just puts a 3 month old in his hands, says "good luck bitch" and leaves.

Feng "women are terrifying" Xin. Self explanatory. Extra points if it's a daughter.

Qi Rong. Something about him SCREAMS for a sidekick, and I think a feral 7 year old could improve his chances of becoming a supreme. He continues boiling people like usual but a background noise of a child practicing the recorder would add that extra callousness needed to climb the ladder.

2️⃣ Get those cursed shackles off as soon as possible. I want Xie Lian to obliterate people at full capacity. Domain Expansion: Heart in Paradise these hoes.

3️⃣ Ling Wen getting either an extended vacation OR an opportunity to let loose in other ways. Renting out an entire high end brothel. Getting to trash whichever god's palace who's causing the most paperwork. A medium size murder spree. Whatever the gal needs to realign the chakras.

4️⃣ Qi Rong needs to be beaten with a mallet until he's properly tenderized. I think it would do him some good. In a previous post @cherryberrybops has already informed me that this will in fact happen so I'm very excited about that.

5️⃣ Shi Qingxuan happy and thriving. I've heard whispers of the contrary but I choose to believe y'all are mistaken and/or lying. Why would anyone be mad at him? Is his hair too flawless? Then what, his boobs are too big?? Ridiculous.

#no spoilers please #i need to rewatch legally blonde it's so shi qingxuan coded to me #heaven official's blessing #tian guan ci fu #tgcf #pei ming #feng xin #qi rong #xie lian #ling wen #shi qingxuan

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mistystepmoonbeam · 6 months ago

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Reborn in BG3: Chapter 13

You're reborn into BG3 with only the memory of your past life. Now you're Tav's companion on his journey, and must learn about yourself as much as your new reality.

Chapter 13: You enter the Underdark with your companions.

Word count: 2.4K

A/N: HELLO it has been so long I'm sorry :( Real life was interfering, and this chapter is not as proofed as I like but you're getting it anyways. It may be another couple weeks before I can get the next part out, as I'm feeling very indecisive about it.

“That is…that is so far down.” You peer over the edge and beyond the shoddy ladder that leads into the Underdark. It only hit you then that you’d have to actually climb down yourself. There’s a particularly sickening twist in your stomach at the thought.

Now would be a nice time to pass out and just magically wake up down there, carried by one of your faithful and kind companions. You’re careful not to get too close to peer down into the darkness—pitch black darkness not illuminated with fancy mushrooms and crystals like you thought it would be.

“And there’s no other way down? An elevator perhaps?” You know very well there’s one in the Zhekarim hideout, but you can’t exactly come out and say that. Wyll, Lae’zel, and Shadowheart had learned of the duke’s kidnapping, but the hideout went unmentioned. Looking down at the expanse of nothing is making you reconsider telling them the whole truth.

“You can ride on my back if you want,” Tav suggests.

While you don’t doubt his strength, you doubt your own. You’d have to wrap around him with arms and legs, and chances were you might squeeze the life out of him doing so.

“No, I can…I can climb down,” you say. Karlach had fashioned together a holster for your staff with some of the scraps of armour from the goblins. It now sat comfortably on your back, the strap coming over your shoulder and under the opposite arm. Your hands were completely free to hold the ladder.

“I have a scroll of Feather Fall, so that if we should slip, we’ll be fine.” Gale pulled a scroll from beneath his robes and read it aloud. With a couple motions of one hand a blue light lit up the area then faded. You feel the static of Weave around you, but you weren’t about to test it.

Most went down before you: Karlach, who jumped almost as soon as Gale completed the spell, followed by, of all people, Lae’zel who also jumped with Scratch in her arms. He howls the whole way down; happy or terrified you can’t tell. Gale, Astarion, and Wyll choose to take the ladder, then Shadowheart, Halsin, and only you and Tav are left.

“After you,” he says, holding an arm towards the ladder. If it could hold Halsin then you would be fine, but you still swallowed thickly at the thought of falling. You were slow to move forward, wishing you could be as fearless as Karlach and Lae’zel.

The wood is rough against your fingers but nothing shakes as you put your full weight on the rungs. After a few feet Tav joins you, and you learn why he was last to go. Because knowing him, he would have jumped even before Gale cast Feather Fall.

Tav wraps his tail around your upper right arm. You hesitate and look up at him, just above you and he gives you a smile. The grip of his tail is tight enough to give you some reassurance for your trip downward. Something about the protective gesture makes your chest twinge, a lump forming in your throat. You gulp it down as best you can, telling yourself it’s the fear of the fall.

Your pace is much slower than the others, but Tav keeps pace with you the entire time, his tail occasionally readjusting around your arm.

About halfway down you begin to see the purple, blue, and green glow of the Underdark. You’re careful to keep your attention on the ladder. Only when Tav releases your arm do you find yourself a step away from the ground.

You let out a heavy sigh once your feet are firmly planted on the old, cracked stones of the temple. Tav jumps down beside you. “Not so bad, right?”

“No. But thanks.”

“I don’t care what people say about the Underdark,” Shadowheart says, “this place is beautiful.”

Even without the braziers lit, the glow of the moonstone on the statue of Selune as well as the mushrooms and crystals is enough to see by. Shadowheart is right, the world here is just as beautiful, if not more so, as in the game. You never wondered what it might smell like in the Underdark, but it’s somewhat…fresh. Not fresh like on the surface, the air is a little heavier, but there is thankfully no musty stench or stagnant water like at the druids grove.

As the group begins to explore the area, Gale and Karlach light up a few of the braziers. Shadowheart suggests setting up camp in the old temple due to the limited entry points. Should anyone come looking for trouble it would be easy to defend.

A few things happen as you expect—the minotaur attacking the gate, the group finding an alternate route out on the left side, camp being set up stupidly fast. Nothing much has happened but after the long walk to the goblin camp and then down the ladder, you were wiped. As much as some members wanted to get moving, Tav said it would be best to rest for the night, if it was night, and start fresh in the morning. Whenever that may be.

You spent much of your time with Scratch, who was more than happy to retrieve a ball as many times as you threw it. You sit on your bedroll within your tent, the flaps held open so you can continue to play. Eventually you spot Tav watching you from around a corner, eyes pleading.

“You know,” Astarion says, appearing in your view. You flinch at his sudden appearance but he just continues, “It may be time to forgive him.”

You throw the ball again, watching Scratch bound away with a little less energy than earlier.

“Do you forgive him?” you ask. Astarion steps into your tent and takes a seat next to you, stretching one leg out and wrapping his arms around the other.

“Bigger fish to fry, my dear,” he replies. You press your lips into a line, your anger already faded. Auntie Ethel had really taken the wind out of your furious sails. Astarion adds, “I must say I’m flattered you’re so upset on my behalf.”

“It was a shitty thing to do.” You pull your knees to your chest, watching as Scratch gets distracted on his way back by whatever Gale is preparing for dinner.

“I’m not disagreeing, but he seems thoroughly punished. You did throw a redcap at him.” The vampire smiles fondly at the memory before catching himself, hardening his features.

You peek at the tiefling, noting he’s moved from behind a wall to behind a barrel a few feet closer.

You try not to laugh but the smile is creeping stronger across your face. “He’s not stealthy, is he?”

“He’s a barbarian,” Astarion says. “But let’s tease him, shall we?”

You don’t get a chance to question what he means when you feel long fingers stroke along your neck, cupping the back of your head as Astarion pulls you closer. Your heart skips a beat before it starts to hammer, his fangs dragging along your neck but away from the pulse point. If he was going to bite you, which you doubted, he didn’t get the chance when a blur of brown and gray tackles him to the floor of your tent.

“I said no biting!” Tav yells. He’s sitting on top of Astarion, pulling the collar of the vampire's clothes up with both fists. His usual silly demeanour is gone, replaced with a lip-curling snarl.

The suddenness of his tackle knocks you back, and you’re forced to catch yourself before you fall completely. Your palms are flat on the ground, mind trying to keep up with what’s happening.

Astarion raises his hands in surrender, a sly grin showing his fangs. “Whatever do you mean?”

“If you need blood, you get it from me. That’s the deal.” Tav shoves Astarion down, standing and glaring down at him. You blink, eyes darting between the two.

Astarion stands as well, brushing off imaginary dirt from his clothes before straightening his collar. “I wasn’t going to bite. Not hard enough to break skin, anyway.”

Tav crosses his arms, glare faltering to show an emotion you can’t identify. Confusion, or hurt, maybe? You stand. The rest of the camp has eyes on you now, too.

It’s weird to see Tav angry. Sad and pouting, laughing and fighting, those suited him better. But maybe, just maybe, angry and protective was an equally good look on him. Even if it was foreign.

But you also have no idea how to step between the two and deescalate the situation. Whatever this situation is.

“I said he could feed on me if he needed it,” you finally say. The men look at you. “Though I did specify from the wrist.”

Astarion shrugs, hands held up as the total picture of innocence.

“And I told him he needs to feed off me,” Tav argues. When he faces you his features soften. He takes a step forward, arms unfolding and reaching towards you before letting them fall to his sides. “You don’t owe him anything.”

Your brow furrows. “I know. Why would I owe him?”

“I’ve heard you two talking about you owing him,” Tav says.

It takes you a moment to remember what he’s talking about. “Oh! For getting my gold back. That’s not why I did it. The first feeding I mean.”

Now Tav looks as confused as you feel, and so does Astarion for that matter. The vampire asks quietly, “Then why…?”

“Because you needed blood?” Your eyes bounce between them, unable to gauge their thoughts. It wasn’t that weird you let him feed off you, right? After all, Tav was ready to do the same.

Astarion huffs, something between incredulous and genuine humour. “And you just offered yourself up out of the goodness of your heart.”

It wasn’t a question, but you reply, “Yeah.”

Astarion frowns, red eyes roaming your features as if trying to find any indication you’re lying. Tav is doing the same. You can’t help but squirm beneath their scrutiny, a pit of guilt forming in your stomach.

“Some people are good.” Karlach stands just outside your tent, smiling like the cat that caught the canary. “It’s easy to forget that there are people out there that do nice things just because.”

You scratch the back of your head, letting her argue on your behalf. Astarion needed blood, so you gave him blood. Gale needed something with magic, so you gave him the braces and offered your boots. It wasn’t that weird to offer basic kindness.

Well…you think of all the things in the game and remind yourself where you are. Kindness, to this group at least, usually involved give and take.

Wyll steps up next to Karlach. Before he can offer his two cents you start to side-step out of the tent. “I’m just gonna…go wait elsewhere until dinner is ready. You guys…just don’t kill each other.”

Before anyone can argue you mouth a quick “thank you” to Karlach for the distraction and hurry off. You climb the stone steps towards the front of the base, find the ladder, and scurry up. Once at the top you feel like you can breathe a little easier, alone at last. Though it would be nice if Scratch were with you…he’s still busy guarding the cook pot.

“Your companions care for you deeply.”

You startle at the voice. Halsin, despite his size, had escaped your vision as he sat leaning against a crate, chunk of wood and knife in hand.

“Would you care to join me?” he asks. He only glances away from his task to ask the question.

You do, sitting next to him and resting your head against the crate with your legs outstretched. The bruises on your back ache, reminding you of just how long the healing process is even with magic and potions.

You’re both facing into the base rather than into the Underdark. Halsin sets down his tools to give you his full attention. “I haven’t gotten to properly thank you for what you did at the goblin camp.”

“Oh, you don’t have to,” you begin, trying to wave him off. Honestly you’ve had enough of people telling you how good and kind you were when you were lying to all of them.

“I want to,” Halsin says, predictably. “You could have easily turned a blind eye but you came to my aid. My defence.”

Caving, you say, “You’re welcome. But I don’t want anything in return—plus you did heal me after. We’re even.”

There’s a lull in the conversation as Halsin concedes to your wishes. But you can’t stop yourself from asking, “Am I totally insane? For what I’ve done?”

“You mean helping your friends,” the druid clarifies. “Karlach told me of what you’ve done for Astarion, and I saw what you did for Gale, as well as myself.”

You nod. “It’s normal to help people.”

Halsin gives you a smile that makes you feel like a child. You were, compared to his hundreds of years of life, but it makes you feel small, too.

“I wish it were so simple,” he says, “and that more think as you do. But it’s rare to find someone that gives without asking for anything in return. Especially with what you’ve given.”

You furrow your brow, a frown forming as you face forward. As you adjust yourself you find a splinter of wood from the crate poking into the centre of one of your bruises and you shift again. You quickly give up leaning on the crate and sit up, legs crossed.

“Halsin,” you begin, but you can’t find the words. You aren’t sure what you were going to ask, but Gandrel’s bloodied face is all you can see in your mind's eye. If you’re capable of that you’re definitely not worthy of all this praise. “Nevermind.”

“You’re still hurt.” It’s not a question.

“Just some bruises,” you reply. You rub a hand over your back, pinpointing the exact spots the goblins had jabbed you hard. “You and Shadowheart have healed me enough. You should save your strength for when Tav leaps into serious danger.”

Considering what was only a few hundred feet to the left of the base, and everything else in the Underdark, he will need it.

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#reborn into baldur's gate 3 with no memory and plenty of money #reborn into bg3 #tav x reader #astarion x reader #gale x reader #reader insert #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 fanfic #baldurs gate 3 fanfic #lae'zel loves scratch and that's final #I keep forgetting where the staff is I'm sorry

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