#but at least I've stopped waiting and hoping for fantasy to become reality
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caffeinated-bibliophile ¡ 17 days ago
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asha-mage ¡ 7 months ago
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Tagged by: @gunkreads (thanky!)
1) Last book I read:
The Scottish Boy by Alex de Campi. I really really love me some historical fiction that digs into the actual political complexities and realities of the feudal system. Defiantly one of the spicier books I've read recently, which made it fun to listen to when I was doing mundane activities like shopping. The audio book narrator is absolutely stellar though, and I would recommend to anyone who likes feudal politics.
2) A book I recommend:
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune has become my Swiss army recommendation: a light contemporary fantasy, full of warm vibes and a sweet story at it's heart. It's still got teeth for tackling social issues- beneath the sweetness it is primarily a criticism of our Foster/education systems and how they fail the most vulnerable. I seem to recall that one of the praise quotes floated on this one a lot is 'feels like being wrapped up in a big fluffy gay blanket' and concur.
3) A book that I couldn’t put down:
In Other Lands by Sarah Reese Brenan. A Narina pastiche about a annoying know it all who gets taken too a fantasy other world. It's incredibly funny and compelling and weird, and I couldn't stop reading it. Brenan is a master at making her characters both three dimensional and frustrating and so easy to love, and while I wish I knew more of the exact details of her world- she engages with the ideas and conflicts she sets up in a such multifaceted way that I don't really think I mind the lack of a map, or timeline, or political flowchart.
4) A book I’ve read twice (or more)
Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. I've lost count of how many times I've read it exactly- more then thirty and at least once every few years since I first read it. This one is a core memory for me, or maybe a load baring pillar of my personality.
5) A book on my TBR
Oh man. A lot. Like. A lot a lot. But I really am hoping to get to Ocean's Echo by Evrina Maxwell this year. I adored Winter's Orbit so much, but Ocean's Echo has just been sitting on my nightstand, waiting.
6) A book I’ve put down
I really tried with Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat. I just couldn't get into and I don't know why. I may swing back to it when I find the time. It feels like I would like it a lot if I could get far enough in.
7) A book on my wish list
Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle. It seems very up my alley.
8) A favourite book from childhood
I've always had as soft spot for the Artemis Fowl books. I fell off them in a way I didn't with the likes of Percy Jackson and I wonder if I would feel the same way if I circled back around to them now- probably not but they'll always have a special place for being the books to introduce me to the heist genre and predispose me to liking things like Ocean's 8 and Leverage.
9) A book you would give a friend
As a gift? It would depend on the friend. A Psalm for the Wildbuilt by Becky Chambers probably- since it's short sweet and pretty impossible to hate imo. I have problems with Becky Chambers's brand of....warm cynicism? Their is an undercurrent to a lot of her works that boils down to 'humanity is screwed already short of some kind extra-human intervention', especially her Wayfareres series. I feel like Wildbuilt is one of her books that engages with that idea in a more thoughtful and interesting manner. It has some of the most thoughtful and interesting conversations about humanity and nature that I've run across in a long time, and it's short which is always a plus for a gift book.
10) The most books you own by a single author
Robert Jordan baby, at a cool 11 (or 14 depending on how you count the last three). I adore Jordan's Wheel of Time series more then I can put into adequate words. Core memory. Load bearing pillar. Canon event. Etc etc.
11) A nonfiction book you own
Not many. I'm not a big nonfiction reader to be honest. I think I have a copy of the Sawbones book, by Dr McElroy hanging around somewhere.
12) what are you currently reading
I'm currently revisiting the Percy Jackson series. I intend to probably take a tour through the whole thing- the original five, HOO, Magnus Chase, Trials of Apollo, etc etc. Partly it's a desire to watch the show but also a desire too reexamine my relationship to these works. I read them while I was in their target audience, and while not as foundation for me as WoT, I would say their still pretty important.
13) what are you planning on reading next?
I think I want to try and give Heaven's Official Blessing another go. It's the only MXTX work I've bounced off of, which is weird since I'm pretty sure consensus is that it's her best work. I've been meaning to get back to it for a while. If still bounce off it, I'll try something off TBR- either Ocean's Echo or Lava Red Feather Blue.
Tagging: @highladyluck @veliseraptor @ace-and-ranty
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everyhowlmarksthedead ¡ 4 years ago
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CHOOSE
Alexander “Tig” Trager x Reader
Word Count: 2k
Thanks to my lovely beta reader @chibsytelford 💘
Author comments: First part of Choose. I hope you all enjoy. Gif isn't mine, credits to the author.
Tag list: @starrynite7114 ​ @chibsytelford ​ @dazzledamazon ​ @mara-mpou ​ @sammskellington ​ @gemini0410 ​ @1-800-imagines ​ @briana-mishell24 ​@sassymox @whyisgmora @aquamento @sadeyesgf @viviansafizada @samcrobae @jade770 @witchy-wish @rebel-without-cause-x ✨ (if you wanna be tagged, send me a message!)
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“So, what about (Y/N) and you?” Bobby asks sipping from his beer.
“What about what?”
“Ar'ya alrede' ‘official’”? Chibs adds while Jax, Juice and Happy leans above the table with a naughty smile drawn on their lips, palming the picnic table and making some noise.
“She's just a groupie, man”.
You can't hear Tig chuckling, because of the sound your heart does by breaking itself is louder.
“A groupie?” Jax's voice sounds confused, raising a blonde eyebrow as the palms stops.
“Yeah, you know. She's not one of those bitches that come here to eat us. But she's not my girl either. We just have fun”.
“You just have fun?” Juice asks incredulous, shaking his head just for a moment.
“Yeah, man! I must say I have eaten a lot of pussies, but, shit! Hers is a fucking delight. And she doesn' have any contagious disease, that's an important plus too”.
“If she was my mom, I would pull out your eyes”. The scratchy voice of Happy appears from nowhere, somewhat disappointed. “And I would eat them”.
“What the fuck?”
“Brother, that girl really lose her shit for you”. Bobby says, because it's something pretty obvious. “And you can say whatever you wan', but you're strained to the bone for that sassy girl”.
Tig's laughs flood the main yard, before drinking his beer.
“Man, you call her when we're ridin'. And her house it's the first stop when you come back”. Juice assures placing his forearms over the table.
“Yea', and you also have clothes in her house, and she in yours”. Jax hit the wood with his knuckles, watching the look on his face trying to hide how right they are.
“Oh! And remember that time (Y/N) told us that Tig brought breakfast at bed”. Ratboy palms Happy chest breaking into laughter, joying the talk, sitting by his side.
“We didn't even know you cook, brother”.
“C'mon, shut up!”
“And tha time ya brought ha' flowers”. Chibs points at Tig with pursed lips joking on him.
“Yeah, that was pretty romantic”. Jax continues with the jokes, making him feel angrier.
“I said she's just a fuckin' groupie. We fuck when I want. That's all”. Trager finishes the conversation, upset of their brothers teasing him about you.
Sitting on the sofa under the closest open window to them, you rest an empty beer on your lap. With your eyes on it and an incessant pain growing in your chest, lash after lash, you don't even know who the fuck are you. Then, the last year has been a lie. All those times he said he loved you, they were a lie. All those times he said he missed you, they were a lie. All those times he said you he didn't want a life without you, they were a lie. Like many others. Yes, he never asked you to be his girlfriend, but you didn't know he had to do it to make it ‘official’. You thought it was implicit in the fact that you really look like a couple. Not like Tara and Jax, but somewhat like. And it's confusing look back and seeing all the shit he did for you and all the shit you did for him, only to hear that your a clean pussy to put his cock in whenever he needs it. No feelings. No compromise. No nothing. Just sex.
You take off the black high-heels, holding them by the strips, leaving away the beer. Getting up and putting on well the dress you bought for him, feeling stupid on one of these garments, you walk barefoot towards the exit door at the end of the hallway' dorms. Your car is parked there. Safe from the Sons' of other subsidiaries and their non expected fights just for fun. The only thing you want to do is drive your way back home and hide in your bed of the shame you're feeling, after listening him talking like that about you with his friends.
“Brother, listen”. Jax sits on the nearest stool at the bar. “I lost Tara for fourteen years, don' commit my mistake”.
Tig has another shot, ripping his throat as he cleans his mouth with the back of the left hand.
“I was fuckin' scared of seeing that I was in love with her. We do all this shit that has our families in a continuous danger, but I don' regret about what I feel for my wife”. He defends the point of view he's trying to make him understand. “She's a good girl and you look focused since you met. Think about it”.
The other man doesn't say anything with the blue eyes placed on some bottles in front of him.
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“You ok?” Tara's voice pushes you to reality.
You shake your head somewhat confused, raising your gaze towards her.
“I've been standing there for the last five minutes, without you noticing it”. She chuckles, closing the door behind her back to have a sit at the desk, having a quick look of the medical records on it. “Too much work?”
“I wish… It's been a quiet day and I need to distract myself”.
“It's everything okay? Didn' Tig like the dress?”
By the look on your face, putting away your eyes, Tara knows something isn't going well. You leave a heavy sigh, closing your eyes just to contain a wild tear.
“I'm just a… pussy for him”.
“What the hell…? Don't tell that, (Y/N). Maybe he's not the most romantic man on earth, but he loves you”.
“Yes, that what I thought”. Laughing somewhat bittersweet, you put your arms above the table. “Last night I heard him talking with the guys. Telling them I'm just a groupie to fuck when he needs it”.
The woman snorts resting her back on the chair, rubbing her eyes with both hands.
“The only difference between those... bitches he used to fuck and me, it's that I don't have HIV”.
“Maybe he was dru—”.
“I never heard Jax talk about you, as Tig talked about me, when he's drunk”. You reiterate shrugging your shoulders. “He just… told me all that bullshit about love and a family and a future to suck his cock. And I was so fuckin' stupid that I believed him…”
“I'm sorry, sweetheart”.
“Yeah, I'm too”. You answer getting up and taking off the medical gown to hang it on the coat rack. “I'm done with my meetings. Could you tell Marcia I wasn't feeling okay and I went home?”
“Yes, sure. Don't worry about it”.
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All his stuff is already on a plastic bag. His clothes, his motorbike' things for when he travels… Everything. It was painful collect them all, with his smell flooding your room while you were keeping them. Placing it over the table in the kitchen, you sit there just waiting for him to come. You didn't call him, but even if he lied to you, you know something about him. So, when he didn't find you last night, he probably went first to the hospital by morning. And proving that you're right, the roar of his engine comes closer as he reaches your house. Crossing the back door in front of you, he takes off the helmet putting inside it the leather gloves and the sunglasses.
“Your boss told me you weren' feeling ok, what's up?” He asks truly worried, or at least seems like. Leaning forward he tries to kiss you, but you pull away your face without any words.
Now he's confused as fuck, getting up finding the bag on the table. Opening it with his forefinger to have a quick look twisting the neck just for a second, the blue eyes go straight you.
“What's that?”
“Your things. I want you to leave”.
“The fuck is wrong with you?” He demands making some gesture with both hands, as you get up of the chair.
“I'm not the one who lied every time I said ‘I love you’!” You push him away when he tries to take a step next to you, with all the pain concentrated on it.
“The fuck does it means? I didn' fuckin' lie to you”.
“Yeah, that's what you tell me in the meantime you tell your friends I'm just a clean pussy!”
“Who told you about that…?” He snorts cross-armed, supporting his waist against the counter.
“Nobody! I fuckin' hear you, Trager!” You scream totally mad, throwing him the plastic bag. “I just… fuckin' thought that someday you really would want to have a family... Shit, I'm so fucking stupid I feel so sorry for myself…”
“Sunshine, list—”.
“Go fuck yourself!” You push him away again, as he tries to grab your wrists, stirring under his grip. “You're a fucking dickhead!”
“Calm fuckin' down and listen!” He shouts at you for first time since you know him. Your heart stop, as your body does. Not because you're afraid, but because it's enough for you.
“I don' wanna see you anymore… Leave me alone”. You almost beg to him, shutting up some sobs stuck in your throat and your gaze away from the man.
He just nods in silence knowing that you are not going to come to your senses right now. So he grabs his things with anger, before throwing your house's keys on the table. Only when he disappear from the kitchen is when you break in tears. You had too much contained in your heart and you can't help but cry louder than never. Sometimes you have had fantasies about living together, having some free days and getting lost on the road, with nobody close to bother you. Sometimes you also have had fantasize of a kid running through your house calling him “daddy”. But it was just that. A year full of lies and a bunch of fantasies.
“What's that?” Bobby asks behinds the bar lifting up an eyebrow.
Tig throws the bag to the nearest wall, furious with himself and the way he has fucked up. His heart is beating fast, having a sit on a stool and grabbing a bottle of whisky to drink from it. There's no music in the clubhouse, just silence, so his guilty becomes louder of what he said. All those words dancing around him once and again.
“Clothes?” Juice asks taking the bag to open it confused.
“(Y/N) heard me last night”. He answers with his eyes getting reddened, trying to hold in the tears.
“I would have rip off your chest with a knife wetted on vinegar and salt”. Happy says without losing sight of the tip of the pool stick. After hit the white one, he raises his eyes towards him. “Later I would have pissed on you. Be thankful she kept your things in a bag”.
Jax looks at the ex-nomad not knowing why he's surprised about his threats. Walking close to Tig, with both hands inside the pockets, he supports a forearm against the bar.
“Now, what?” The president asks, lifting his chin in a simple gesture.
“Now nothing. I already lost her for being a fuckin' asshole. That's all”.
“Yeah, brotha, ya said fuckin' mean thengs bout ha'”. Chibs palms his back a little bit harder, making him spit the whisky in his mouth.
“Even if we were jokin'... Fuck man…” Jax shakes his head sighing, having a quick look of the Sons' faces. “Wan'me to talk with her?”
“No. I will… try to fix it”. He coughs by clearing his throat after the hit, having another sip.
“One year enduring your bullshit…” Bobby clicks his tongue, leaning above the bar. “I thinks it's fuckin' obvious what you should do, Tiggy”.
“Yes”. Juice, Chibs and Jax said in unison.
“That's the only way to fix it. And if you don' think so, then leave her alone”. In moments like that, Tig sees how much Jax looks like his father, with all those advices and wise words. “She's not a warm pussy, she's a woman who didn' care you're mentally fucked and who didn' care about what you do with the club”.
“I know…”
“Then, choose”. Palming the wooden bar, Jax finishes the conversation as if it was a table-business to Samcro.
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quinn-tessence ¡ 4 years ago
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Nocturne for a Clown
Part 1
In this frightening, destabilizing global pandemic, we all seek comfort. I found mine in Arthur, and I know many of you did too. This community has given me so much, I cannot express my gratitude enough. So here's something I can give back. A Nocturne for our beloved Clown, who still inspires us to this day, and will probably never stop. 🤡🖤
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Summary: you stumble into an intriguing neighbor, a tragic, beautiful party clown named Carnival with jade eyes and cocoa hair. His meekness around you gets under your skin enough to lead you unconsciously into his path by accident.
Length: 3.5k
Warnings: mentions of mental illness, alcohol use, nudity, playful flirting and light fluff. Pre smut intro, this is going places… 🤭🤡❤
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You should have taken more bags, you could barely hold all these groceries as you opened the door to let yourself inside your block of flats. You greeted granny Mabel picking up her mail but swiftly turned your attention to the closing door of the elevator.
‘Wait, hold the lift, please!’
In your haste to catch the ride, a foot was lodged on the door, sliding it back open to let you in. Careful not to spill all the veggies on the floor, your attention fell onto the man sharing the ride with you only as he asked what floor you were going to.
‘5th please, thank you for holding the door'
‘Sure'
The lift shook in its slow ascent, your heart would have skipped a beat had it not been a part of your daily routine to feel that bump in your bones. His hair is really nice, the length and the curls around the edges. Hm. You couldn't help looking at him, he was all of your visual field after all, so you scrutinized, as you’d often do. He’d politely turned sideways, avoiding to keep his back to you, but you couldn't see his face clearly in the dim yellow light. He wasn't much taller than you, his complexion quite slim and fragile looking, his back slouched as if carrying the heaviest weight on his shoulders. Gotham made that easy, grey and gloomy by day even during good weather, a pile of construction and buildings with no defined identity, enough to fit all from the scourge to the wealthy.
‘This building's awful, isn't it?’ an uncharacteristic curiosity made you try out some small talk in the hopes you'd get a better glimpse.
You knew too few people in this building, and you were far from chatty in elevators with strangers. Usually. He looked so old fashioned wearing that shirt and the linen vest, but the ochre of his jacket heightened the cocoa brown of his hair, yellow light reflecting off the edges delicately. He was cute, in an oddly endearing sort of way. A pair of basil green eyes turned to your as he bit the bait, the sly grin cutting through his cheek a stark contradiction to everything else about him, the scar on his upper lip a peculiarity that only furthered your intrigue. There was a deep well of sadness in his eyes, overbearing, bone chilling. It prickled your skin as you noticed it, but the gaze under his eyelids was piercing. That unnerving feeling the striking contrast brought, you couldn't shake it off.
The joy ride on strings stopped just as your cheeks started to fluster. You bid him good night as you walked out, your awareness over your morning overuse of perfume now as acute as ever.
‘Hey!’ he shouted in a shy, husky voice as you stepped out.
You turned to him one last time to see him mimicking a gun shot to the head as a rather late comical attempt to reply to your earlier remark. Unconventional, yes, but not a sort of humor you didn't enjoy. The fact that you just couldn't make him out drew a puzzled smile on your face as the elevator door closed.
Hm. What was that? you wandered as you had one foot in stirring curiosity, the other guiding you to your door as if by reflex. You'd lived here for months already, yet you hadn't seen him before. He was quite handsome in an outlandish sort of way, you would not have let that go unnoticed had you seen him before.
Months had passed, yet you still had storing boxes around your living room. Your stay should have just been temporary, yet you'd started decorating it with your own sketches and it had suddenly become your home, your sanctuary, your oasis to recharge you after long days at the office close by. You'd stumbled into this place by accident while looking for a cozy place to stay, but you found no reason to leave it behind. Your own art gallery, with bright lights flooding the windows throughout the day that allowed you to paint during weekends without your eyes squinting, your safe space.
Not today though, your feet were sore and your arms hurt from carrying those groceries. All you wanted was a glass of white wine and an excessive bag of popcorn while you watched the Murray show, but you picked up Dostoyevsky to delve again into the question of the perfect murder while you waited. This book you could never grow tired of, and it rattled you to devour chapter after chapter, accompanying a tormented soul on a journey of falling into madness, its universe a silent revolt and escape from the reality of Gotham you'd craved deep down without ever voicing.
‘We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, that begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word has been spoken.' Hm. Go figure.
The deafening silence in the room would soon be filled by your own comments at the starting show, Murray’s humor making you roll your eyes at his lack of self awareness, quite versed he was in ridiculing one person or another. A comedy show, yes, but sometimes he would take it a bit too far even for your inappropriate taste in humor.
A few hours and half a bottle of wine later, the sweet taste of the wine still lingered on your lips, flooding your murky mind to a familiar place of solitary self indulgence. Not long after shutting your eyes, a recent memory took shape at the back of your eyelids, and you felt an irrational urge to trace a sketch of him. You were too tired to start drawing at this hour. Your fingers would be of much better use tracing those lines you were curious to feel off his own fingertips. You hadn't indulged yourself in a while, but the thought of this bewitching man flashing in the most vulgar parts of your mind soon changed that. Maybe you were blatantly objectifying your neighbor… but only a little… You'd been so busy with the new job, the long hours exhausting, the absence of a soul to keep you company a nuisance you'd learned to bury in piles of work. But the urges only amplified the more you'd stifle and ignore them, demanding to be satiated. So you gave into yourself, into him, into the sweet, intoxicating effect of your favorite wine, into the memory of the piercing green eyes that had you whimper in silence.
Something about him was out of place. You’d seen him from afar and he looked defenseless. But as you came closer, you could feel yourself swallow hard as you waited for his gaze to look to your direction. Odd, wasn't it? He hadn't said much, but the tension in the elevator had penetrated your bones to late night reminiscence. Something was not right about him, an 'I should be afraid, instead it turns me on' vibe to him had taken you right to the edge.
The next day you bumped into him after work at the corner store, he was buying cigarettes and a chocolate bar. With that level of nutrition, no wonder he was so feeble, yet there was something about him that had kept you up at night. You'd already developed a weakness for him, but that stifled your reaction instead of filling you with courage. He smiled shyly and walked out the door, his eyes counting his slouched steps. Shit. Next time.
One particular evening you noticed two blue diamonds peering meticulously through the store shelves, the greasepaint on the man's face rendering him almost unrecognizable lest for his unmistakable skinny complexion and beautiful cocoa hair. Your freight of clowns had shaped your life since childhood, yet that terror had somehow melted instantly at the sight of his jade eyes underneath the white blue makeup. He'd shied away as you noticed him, stealing a smile that got your feet walking into an opposite reaction, trying to hide your pleasant surprise at his creepy, endearing stares. You wondered if that was his job, it would be absurd to just walk around in a clown costume, stalking women. Not to mention, horrifying and nightmare inducing, as even you would have felt until a moment ago if it hadn't been him wearing the clown costume.
Fumbling around the store, shying behind the counters as you paid for your groceries, you couldn't resist glancing at him one more time. You'd missed your chance before and you regretted it. All it took was to reach for one item from the isle he was hiding in, even if you had no use for it. Startling him was the last of your intentions, so you mimicked his behavior peering at him through the shelves, perhaps that would open him up to you. As you both walked in the same direction towards the corridor, he stopped shy in his tracks, eyes now as big as the clown shoes on his feet, scanning the floors, anxiously facing the inevitable.
‘Hi there. I've seen you around, haven't I?'
You'd planned on being more casual in your approach, yet the tone of your voice evoked a warm intimacy built over nights of having him wander purposefully in the depths of your fantasies. The clown costume should have helped alienate that feeling, instead it only burned deeper. The youthful innocence draped across his face contrasted strikingly with the furrows in his forehead betraying his age. He couldn't be younger than 35 at least, yet the spark of his almond shaped eyes took 15 years off his complexion. He cleared his throat before being able to speak.
‘Hi! Yes, we met in the elevator last week. I didn't think you'd recognize me in my work outfit.’
‘I thought that was you. You could frighten ladies if you keep peering at them while wearing a clown costume, you know? Not a lot of good press on them in the past years’
A nervous chuckle escaped his throat, he couldn't have missed that connection himself but he seemed caught red handed.
‘Well I haven't even pulled my gun yet. I was waiting for the store to clear out a bit before I robbed the place and kidnapped you'
There was that dark humor, but damn him for making you smile like a teenager.
‘A clown with a gun and a plan, not at all frightening. You're funny! Pass me that pasta sauce, would you?’
He quickly reached for the item on his counter and reached over it to hand it to you. The gawkiness in his hasty moves was proof enough he wasn't used to being approached by women, you were sure his cheeks were as flaming red under the white makeup as the flower pinned to his colorful checkered blazer. You shook your head and pointed at the end of the counter, your feet moving in the direction where you wanted him. He followed shyly, dragging his oversized clown shoes.
As he handed you the item, you thanked him kindly and immediately put it back up on the shelf. His gaze fell to his feet again, surely flustered by the subtext of your action. Yet within a split of a second, his eyes pierced back at yours and you'd forgotten all words.
‘Why don't I walk you home instead? I'll keep the gun and kidnapping for another occasion. Let me help you with those' he reached for your groceries, his proximity to you feeding the fire. You gladly agreed and walked the couple blocks with him, curious of his day job and adoring the purr of his soothing voice, it tore you up every time you heard it falter. His suit and makeup should have kept you a mile away, yet he seemed to be the most welcome companion to comfort you through your biggest irrational fear. As you reached the apartment complex sooner than you'd wished, he stopped and let out a complicit chuckle.
‘I… seem to have forgotten to do my own groceries, I’ll have to go back now, somehow I got distracted…’
‘And I thought you were there just to kidnap me.’ You just couldn't help continuing his apropos, hoping deep down he'd actually do it. ‘Thank you for walking me home, that was sweet of you'
‘You're very welcome. I'm Arthur, by the way, or Carnival if you prefer the party clown'
‘Nice to meet you, Arthur. I'm Y/N.’
‘Y/N…’ the sound of your name off his lips jolted you shamelessly to the point where you needed to take that step back, and yet you didn't. ‘I'll see you around?’
The smile on his painted face a ray of sunshine in an otherwise wretched day. Carnival, you cheekily thought to yourself, never had you wanted to experience one as badly as you did seeing him light up a cigarette and inhale it wantonly almost halfway through, walking back a few steps, then turning and making his way back to the store.
Days at work had flown by rapidly in your constant distraction with a lingering image of a colorful clown. Not even the new guy everyone was talking about could catch your attention, even if your girlfriends kept mentioning a stunning pair of black eyes and a charming swagger. Had he been a smoker, you'd perhaps get a glimpse of him during your breaks, at least. The Fridays hardly ever felt like the weekend, and this one made you want to smash some bones, your own sorrows bubbling up inside you, like a mint candy in a bottle of Cola. You were more of an indoors cat, but your really couldn't pass on a 3rd invitation for a night out, your buddies would think you were willfully ditching them. Fine I'll go! Just one drink though.
Mixing gin and tequila hadn't been up there among your smartest choices. You should have stopped after the 3rd shot, but you hadn't had so much fun in months. Hah! I feel dizzy. But this feels good, your thoughts pieces of a puzzle you were too drunk to make out. As your feet moved out of the taxi and into the cold early morning air, you were finally back home. You must have remembered to pay the fare otherwise the cabby would have chased you down. You drifted in your scrambled thoughts as your feet walked out of reflex, your mind miles away, preoccupied with a certain pair of turquoise eyes. Perhaps you had a propensity for dark hues, but those had always just been mere dust in front of green shades. I’m not in my own mind anymore… I’m in someone else's... And I’m touching myself, I’m licking my lips, the tip of my tongue grazes over the scar on my upper lip, the heat of my breath comes from within a boiling body, my skin sizzles. I hum and I moan and I... hah, fuck, I think I just broke my heel, I’m so fekkin drunk. You dragged yourself to the elevator, your mind desperately hoping you were managing to keep yourself composed so the sweet old doorman wouldn't judge you as a drunken failure in life.
Why did you do this to yourself? And can you just not redirect all your remaining fluids to where they're not required before you're at least in your bed? Fuck, I can't... you'd been pushing the elevator button for a minute before you growled a tad too loud at the drunken realization you’d have to climb all 5 storeys in this wretched state you'd put yourself into.
Fine, just get your sorry ass up before you make a fool of yourself clowning around. Just one more and you're there. Fumbling for your keys in your bag, you leaned on the door and, to your surprise and annoyance, it opened. What the fuck, was I drunk before I left my apartment? How could I have forgotten to lock the damn door?
You felt sick to your stomach, you couldn't walk to the bed. You hadn't drunk so much for over a year, you’d forgotten how useless you were in this state. The couch would do for tonight. You almost dropped yourself to the floor, the couch not in the same position as you'd left it, but who cared. I'm never drinking again, you thought as you coiled around the pillow, a shoe dropping on the floor while the other hung half way. It smelled of cigarettes, most probably from your clothes.
A familiar enticing aftertaste of alcohol clawed its way out once again, you should have known this was coming. You wished he'd be there so you could release yourself to him, as frail as he was he'd surely handle you gently, and mmm wouldn't that feel sweet. The alcohol had just been a low end substitute to bury your frustrations and aches. Hah, even if he was here, you'd be useless. But that didn't stop you from dozing off to the thought of his gentle fingers strolling down your neck to your breasts, drawing circles on your waist before goin... down lo...
There was too much light in the room, as drunk as you’d been you’d forgotten to draw the curtains. You couldn't open your eyes, the headache was throbbing, so you rubbed your temples and turned your led limbs from the aching position you'd landed on as the most shameful drunk in this city.
Your mind thought you could take opening your eyes, and as you did you felt the alcohol pressuring your Adam's apple, a deep breath a flimsy stronghold to keep everything down. A deep breath that turned swiftly to a high pitched shriek at the sight of this man walking towards you dripping water off his naked body, a towel being rubbed onto his hair with both hands. You shrieked as you fell to the floor, hitting yourself against an unfamiliar coffee table, flagons of pills spilling all over it.
Oh shit, you heard him say as he hid behind the wall, peering at you but quieting his anxiety the more he looked.
'What are you... Y/N, you're in the wrong apartment! Shit, I need to put something on'
Oh god what had you done?? A sous chef could have mistaken you for a lobster and thrown you in a bucket of boiling water, you’d surely been simmering in that since the realization of how much of an idiot you were at walking into his apartment, of all damn places.
‘Oh my god, I am SO SORRY, I had a few too many drinks with my friends and I must have... I surely have climbed too many storeys to my place. I'll be out of your hair, I am so sorry!!!’ He'd been hopping throughout your dreams for the past weeks, you'd seen him naked so many times before, but not once in the flesh. You were flustered at the brazen realization of how far off you'd been as you fantasized about him bare before you. It was nerve wrecking, you wished you could just disintegrate into a million atoms and let the ground swallow you whole.
He chuckled as he returned in a half clothed state, clearly having shortened the process just to catch you before you shut the door behind you.
‘Yeah, the elevator was out of order yesterday. Hey, it's ok. You just really scared me, I wasn't expecting to find you on my couch, you know? You're... welcome to... stay a bit longer if you want. You look like you've had a rough night, I could whip out some breakfast and get you back on your feet. If you wish…’
He'd whipped out more than you'd thought he would a couple minutes ago, thank you very much for the extra sleepless nights.
‘Oh my god, no, I couldn't take advantage of you like that, I just slept on your couch uninvited, I am so horrible. Please excuse me, and thank you for not calling the cops on me.’
He'd smiled at you in the elevator before your heels had started flaming for him a few weeks back, but this was different. His whole face had lit up, his eyes sparkling as if emerald and jade had caught a reflection of the sun, his crooked tooth a tantalizing new discovery, especially as the scar on his lip etched itself deeper into your psyche. You were in his house, after all, where else would he feel most comfortable if not in his private, intimate home, one that you'd shamefully invaded and found him completely naked and wet.
‘They're on their way actually, I’m just stalling before they show up to escort you from my property.’
You chuckled as you held your temple, you must have been a disgusting mess, your makeup all smudged, on your face a decrepit layer of last nights overindulgence, and yet he made you laugh.
‘You're funny, Arthur... I'll take care of that myself, tell them it was a false alarm...’
As you opened the door to remove yourself from this torrent of shame, his voice stopped you in the doorstep.
‘Hey, you wanna… grab a coffee later tonight? It might help with that hangover’
‘You really want to go out after all this?’
‘Yeah!’ his eyebrow twitched in reflex, startling you at its sudden air of impertinence. You couldn't tell if your limbs had mellowed from alcohol, or his facial expressivity had been the melting catalyst. ‘Pajama night, I'll take you to the best Donut diner in town. 9 PM?’
You really wished you could process everything clearly, but he wasn't making it easier at all. ‘Alright then, pajama night it is!’
‘Great! Are you sure I can't help you to your place?’
‘Sorry to ask, what floor is this?’
‘6th.’
‘Oh, I’m right downstairs, maybe going down a flight of stairs will shake off this horrid hangover. Thanks again for... hosting me I guess, nice to see you again, Arthur. I'll see you later!’
You waved at him more in a futile attempt to cover your face as you stepped back out of that bubble of shame, feeling soaked to the bone. The droplets on his skin, he'd just gotten out of the shower, that routine gesture to slick back his hair, that wide morning gaze were mere special mentions as you went down the stairs, one other morning factor keeping your mind fully flustered as you unlocked your own front door this time.
-------------------------
Thank you for reading this far! 🤡🖤
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codevassie ¡ 5 years ago
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i've got a request! prinxiety fantasy au. roman became a prince after making a deal with a magical creature (that can be a side but also can remain unnamed, whatever works for you). the deal was: roman would become prince but in exchange, the creature would take his true love when roman would meet them. so roman was always careful not to fall in love with anyone. that worked until he met virgil. aaand i leave the rest up to you! i hope this makes sense lol
CV: Sorry it’s so long and also not long enough and also really late. Thank you so much for your patience! My mind would not stop coming up with ideas for this fic but I wrangled it in enough to get this out. Hope you like it, An!
CW: Weapons, Trauma, Injury [Edit: Angst, Unhappy Ending]
On Ao3 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Prince Roman was kind and fair to all who knew him. It was uncanny to his citizens how Disney their prince was. He glowed in all ways–always smiling, exceedingly handsome, eyes gleaming with pride. 
He was also a bachelor, sworn to it almost like a monk. He loved to flirt and would dance with many a handsome man; Roman was no stranger to romance and collected kisses like precious stones. He was not one for staying with one person, sweetly turning down those who came back, wanted more. There was guilt in his eyes, but the prince never wavered.
He was determined to rule on his own, with only advisors to lean on and citizens to give his love. This was something that had never happened before, but their kingdom had also never had a prince like Roman before.
Since the day their prince had been crowned heir to the throne by the childless king and queen, things had been very different in their kingdom. Royalty did not have to be blood, and a king did not need a queen, or any spouse at all. 
Roman did not want to marry. And no one would have batted an eye at this–but the prince did not seem to want anything at all. Full of love, he had no one to give it. Friendly, but lacked friends. It was a constant source of gossip around the castle–why their beloved prince insisted on being alone.
But the prince knew what he was doing. Roman knew well the dangers of growing close to others.
He didn’t regret the decision he made. As prince, he could make a difference; he had somewhere he belonged. A mother and father who cared. Citizens he adored, and adored him in turn. People to care for, to fight for. Roman now had more than he ever hoped in his once hopeless life.
Most importantly, Roman had his brother back. That was worth more than anything Roman could have gained or given. Worth more than his very life.
So, no. He didn’t regret it. If he had the choice, he’d always go back and face those wild eyes, those scales and wicked lies for the chance to have this.
Whoever he’d meant to love one day would have to find someone else.
-/-
“How are you today, Remus?“ 
Remus hummed. Roman knew that translated to ‘not very well.’
“Okay,” he said calmly. He moved over into the brightly lit room to where his brother sat at the window. Roman sat across from Remus and said nothing else. Today wasn’t a talking day.
So Roman sat and let his nerves calm, his mind wander like his brother’s must have been. He couldn’t imagine what sort of things Remus saw–flashbacks from the hills and the caves and the fear. Roman grew restless, and he couldn’t imagine how Remus did it for days on end, jolted into another reality that existed in his head, in the past.
He passed a lot of his days like this, sitting quietly by his brother’s side. Probably not enough though. Never enough to help. But it was hard to balance his time now that he was prince, always something more to do, something he could do to help, to plan, to sign, to consider. It was a lot.
But at least they weren’t terrified every day would be their last.
At least Remus was with him again, safe. 
“I miss Dee,” Remus surprised Roman by speaking up. Roman looked over, but his brother hadn’t moved. His gaze was towards the hills.
There was nothing Roman could say to that. He stood reluctantly, taking a glance towards the horizon himself, before stepping back. “Sorry I can’t stay very long today.” It had only been twenty minutes Roman noted by the clock on the mantle, but Remus didn’t seem phased. “I’ll come eat dinner with you tonight, though,” Roman offered. Still, nothing. “Alright. Bye, Remus.”
Roman stepped out, careful to not make any loud noises as he shut the door. Days like this were the reason Remus’ room was far away from the hustle and bustle of the castle. The noise was too much for him. There were still plenty of people around to attend to him though, to make sure he didn’t get up to too much trouble during the times he was lucid.
That didn’t stop Roman from stepping away and quietly knocking his head on the opposite wall. Forehead supporting him, Roman sighed, trying to piece himself back together. Once he had built himself up, able to give a winning smile and a confident gait, Roman picked himself up and squared his shoulders.
A prince had very little time to spare already, and he had used what he had to visit with his brother.
Winding through the halls, Roman made his way back to the front study, where his advisor and a handful of guards waited. When he opened the doors, he shot them all his winning smile. “Are we all ready?”
It took them no time at all to get to town, then just a little further to the square, which was under construction. It was a smaller project, but one that Roman loved: a park, with room for community gardening, a playground with outdoor instruments, a couple pieces of exercise equipment, and a small stage for community theater. 
It was important to him, but it was something he rarely had the time to see into fruition. There was more pressing matters in the kingdom that Roman had to oversee.: discussions to meditate, economic policies to study, corruption to dig into. When Roman became a prince, he’d known it would be a tough job, but he had never expected what seemed like such a nice kingdom on the outside to have so much else on the inside.
It was exhausting, but this park was where Roman hoped to make a positive influence. He barely had the time for it, but he made the time for it. It was usually what kept him awake at night in his office, going over budgets and blueprints.
He hadn’t been to the site for a month.
When the carriage pulled up, Roman jumped out, guards already on his tail. He didn’t wait for them, though, striding straight towards the ring of architects and construction crew at one side. A quick glance around told Roman they were making decent headway on the tiny amphitheater. 
Looking back, he took stock in what he would be dealing with. The kind architect was there, so he’d have to do his best to steer clear. Roman was a sucker for nice guys. The smart one was there too. Damn it; double the threat. 
“Hello, Shelby, Logan, David, Patton, Christie,” he greeted the ones he knew by name. “How is everything going?”
Shelby, the team leader, stepped forward, giving a kind smile. “Moving forward at a considerable pace, my prince,” she said, and, from there, they dived in. The architects pointed to blueprints and talked about estimated times for finishing different aspects, as well as possible obstacles and needed materials. They talked for half an hour before they were talking in circles again, and Roman knew he needed to draw a line and make a retreat.
“It sounds like you all are doing splendidly and have things well under control. I would say continue forward with how you’re doing. I trust you to make the right calls.” His smile was wide, and he was beginning to feel the line of business and friendly failing. 
All Roman wanted to do was share jokes with Patton. Listen to Logan tell him about the book he was reading. Even hear about Shelby’s family–though she was hardly a threat to the curse inside Roman. Still, Roman felt wrong for staying around, for getting near anyone with the danger he posed.
Roman needed to get somewhere safe. He needed just a breath of fresh air–somewhere without pretense, where he wasn’t constantly tottling between unnecessary rudeness and letting his traitorous heart do what it does and fall far too quickly.
He had always fallen fast and hard, always one for all or nothing. Never at a mere glance, no. He may be a romantic, but love at first sight simply wasn’t real. Deep longing at first sight was something Roman was prone to, though.
But Roman was careful. Never would he let an innocent soul pay for his deeds. If the price he had to pay was his love, then he would simply never fall in love. 
And, since love at first sight wasn’t a thing, Roman could simply stay away from anyone he might have liked. If Logan’s smart words made him blush, if Patton’s puns made him giggle-
Off Roman went. If he didn’t stay around them, he couldn’t fall in love with them. Easy enough.
That may have been a reason Roman rarely made his way to the park construction or spent too much time at any of his projects. He cycled through advisors. He exchanged polite greetings with guards and nothing else. He was an amiable prince, who reached out to his citizens, but he couldn’t afford to be too friendly, to get attached.
He knew he could be better. Without this fear, he could be so much better. He’d be friends with everyone he knew, not acquaintances. He’d be a personal ruler, not a distant one. 
He couldn’t risk the lives of his citizens though.
So, at the nearest chance, Roman ducked away. The others invited him to coffee, but he declined. 
Instead, he went somewhere he’d normally never go. He marched into the library, waltzed straight up to the most infuriating person he knew.
Not even Roman was hopeless enough to fall for Virgil.
“My prince,” the librarian greeted lazily, not even standing from his slumped position across the desk. “What can I do for you today?“ 
He picked up a pen and scrawled across a paper, deigning to not even look Roman in the eye. Whatever pleasantness Roman had felt upon seeing a familiar, unexpectant face, soured at the blatant rudeness.
This callousness was what had sealed the deal for Roman in the first place though. The absolute zero percent chance that Roman could like, much less love, this man. Roman never thought he could hate one of his own citizens, but this guy… He was the worst. 
Roman could have never fallen in love with someone so… Virgil. So condescending and sarcastic and pessimistic. Virgil brought with him a stormy cloud of hatred everywhere he went. The mere thought of being around him was deplorable.
Which made him perfect.
“I just came to see your lovely face, my chemical woe-mance,” Roman said breezily. He had taken to maliciously flirting with the library assistant. It satisfied both his need to flirt with someone and his abhorrence of the man’s face.
And tone.
And personality.
And the way he pointed out every security detail his guards had missed by walking in there. 
And how he always pointed out the measures Roman was slow to take with his policies, and ones that he missed, redirecting Roman’s attention to needed areas. 
And when his hair fell in his eyes because, damn it, Roman wasn’t blind.
And when he laughed at something because he wasn’t horrible all the time and those were the times Roman panicked the most because shit did he mess up by letting himself talk to Virgil so much-
And his fashion sense was also horrible, so there.
But, of course, Roman was above such things. If the gloomy broody wanted to stoop, Roman would not-
“Forget how to say your own name again?” Virgil asked, and Roman stopped in his tracks, shooting him a confused look. “Hate to break it to you, but Roman doesn’t have a W.”
Roman’s face lit up red and he straightened faster than a cat struck by lightning. 
“I am your prince,” Roman said, hands curling into fists. The guards behind him didn’t react, however. By this point, they were all used to Roman and Virgil’s arguing. 
They thought it was ‘banter.’ Roman often reminded them it was a verbal battle of wits. They asked why he kept coming back.
He never answered that.
“I don’t need reminding every time you’re here, my prince,” Virgil rolled his eyes. It was ironic how the honorific fit in his mouth, like a bad taste. 
“Don’t call me that,” Roman snapped. Virgil raised a brow.
“What do you expect me to call you then?” he asked. “Your excellency? Your highness? General pain in my ass?”
“You make all of those sound like ‘general pain in my ass.’” Roman shot back with fire. 
“Then what?” Virgil crossed his arms.
Roman spoke without thinking. “My name.”
One of the guards coughed behind him. Virgil looked stunned.
“You want me to call you…” he said, and all anger had dissipated. If Roman had known this was all it would take to knock Virgil off his high horse, he would have done it so much sooner.
“Yes,” Roman said, feeling awfully proud of himself. “Call me Roman.”
Another cough behind him. What was it with the guards today? He hoped no one was coming down with anything.
“Roman?” Virgil asked, and it was said quickly, like he was still shocked at everything going on. This, however, is where Roman realized his mistake.
His name on Virgil’s tongue did not, in fact, sound like ‘general pain in my ass.‘ 
His name sounded….
Softer.
Sweeter.
Like a melody he’d never heard,
And one he’d kill to hear again.
Roman was suddenly hit with a sadness so unmistakable it was as if it had always lived in him. Something that felt lonely, something that felt like… goodbye.
Goodbye to this. Goodbye to the only person he had left that saw him as something that wasn’t a prince, or a stranger.
Oh gods, not Virgil too.
Roman straightened up, clearing his throat suddenly. “Um, yes?” he said, voice coming out squeaky. He cleared it again. “I mean, yes. Yes. Of course. If you’re going to insist on butchering everything else…”
“Might as well butcher the real thing?” Virgil asked, and he finally broke out of his shock to snicker. Roman’s heart thumped.
Fuck.
“Yeah, well. I actually have to go now, but it was nice seeing you and-”
“Nice seeing me?” Virgil asked, thrown off guard by Roman’s sudden departure. Roman hadn’t been there five minutes, but he had to get out of there.
“As ever. Terrible to see you as always, hot topic, and, if you’d just excuse me-” Roman was backing away, making his way to the door. He assumed the guards would follow.
“Hot topic…” Virgil seemed to be asking, but Roman didn’t give an answer.
“See ya!” were his final words before he ducked out.
Roman paid no mind to the knowing glances his guards shared behind him as he rushed off to the carriage.
He could only think of the heart in his chest.
And the noose it could lasso around Virgil.
-/-
“It’s not Virgil, right?” Roman asked pacing around his brother’s room. “Anyone but Virgil, surely.”
Remus continued to look out the window, mind probably elsewhere.
“It wouldn’t be. Virgil is… Virgil.” Roman shook his head. “He’s Virgil.”
“Virgil?” Remus spoke up, but he didn’t look at Roman. Maybe he was present, just a bit.
Roman nodded, pacing again to the other side of the room. “I can’t see him again. That’s it. It’s too dangerous. Even if there’s absolutely no way I’d fall for that guy, I can’t risk it.”
Remus turned Roman’s way, eyes looking troubled. Roman’s mind was spinning out of control.
“But it couldn’t be Virgil. I wouldn’t fall for him. I can still talk to him. It’ll be fine, right?”
Roman paused, thinking through his words before groaning.
“Oh my gods, I want to talk to him!” he lamented, then sat down heavily on his brother’s bed. Remus continued to watch him, looking for all the world like there was a puzzle in front of him, very close to being solved. 
“Remus, what am I going to do?” Roman asked, covering his face. “I like Virgil.”
“Virgil,” Remus mumbled.
“I can’t ever see him again. This is the end. We were never even friends! He was the asshole in the library. That’s it. That’s all he’ll ever be. And, somehow, I like him. What the fuck, heart? What the actual fuck?”
“Virgil,” Remus repeated, brows furrowing. Something was there, but Roman was too distracted to consider it.
“Gosh, but I can see it now. He’s got the warmest brown eyes to go with his shit personality. He’s so sarcastic. He actually makes me laugh. How dare he?! How dare he make me like him and all his assholeness?”
Roman stood from the bed. One look Remus’ way and he immediately regretted everything. 
“Rem? What’s wrong?” he rushed to his brother, who had the most distressed look on his face, fingers sparking green. Roman folded his hands over them, not minding the slight sting. It was better than someone walking in and seeing the magic. “Remus?” Roman asked again, kneeling before his brother. 
Remus blinked. Looked down at his hands and frowned. “Sorry, Ro,” he said, then looked back at the window. Whatever he’d been thinking, it was gone. Roman couldn’t help the sigh that escaped him.
One second of lucidity and Roman was glad it was gone. What kind of brother was he? Watching Remus look out the window again, lost to everything but the hills past the kingdom, Roman felt a deep sinking loss in his chest.
But, with that look that’d been on Remus’ face… how could he not be relieved? 
He sighed again. Roman did that a lot in this room. He wished he could help it, for Remus’ sake.
But Remus probably didn’t hear it anyway.
“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for,” he breathed, words lost to his brother. “I’m the one who should be sorry.”
Roman retracted his hands, absently noting the singe marks across his palms. He’d wear some gloves to cover them.
“Sorry,” he repeated. The word rang in his head, begging to be said again and again, until his sins were carried off with them, somewhere far away in the wind of those words. “Sorry.”
-/-
The next time Roman visited the park, he didn’t go to the library. However, it seemed he didn’t have to.
“Thank you so much, kiddo!” Roman absently heard from Patton as he scanned over some of the construction plans. “I can’t believe I forgot this.”
Roman heard one of his guards cough, stifling what sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Funny, they usually only did that when-
“No problem, Pat,” a deep, vaguely uncomfortable sounding voice replied, and Roman shot straight up. There was another noise that was definitely a laugh this time, but he didn’t pay mind to it. His eyes shot to the interaction happening not five feet from him.
Virgil.
He was standing a bit slouched, hands stuffed into his pockets and nodding along to Patton’s excited gibbering. It was sort of adorable, how patient Virgil was, the way he hid his smile when Patton punned, how out of place he seemed to feel, but comfortable around his friend.
Roman hadn’t known Virgil and Patton were friends. That was adorable.
Okay, Roman should really stop thinking of Virgil as adorable. Soon. Now.
But his eyeshadow was slightly smudged–probably from wiping it on accident–and that was adorable too.
No. Stopping now.
Roman dipped his head back down, boring his eyes into the blueprints. He absorbed none of it, but he acted the part like a champ. Looking busy sure came handy when a prince wanted to avoid people. You couldn’t argue that a prince wasn’t doing important work.
Well, perhaps a lesser prince. But everyone knew how seriously Roman took his job (whether he lived up to expectation or not. Virgil saw past that. Virgil pointed out exactly where Roman lacked…. but he also commented on the good things too. He’d said how much safer it was to walk home lately–how the children were excited about the park–how some patrons of the library complained about the tax increases, but Virgil argued with them about the necessities of the kingdom; all the community works, roads paved, safety measures).
“Ro?” Patton asked, and, even if it weren’t for his voice and bubbly nature, Roman would have known it was him. Patton was the only one on the construction crew that had taken him up on his offer to not use ‘my prince’ every time they referred to him.
“Hm?” Roman asked, pretending to be busy. He saw Patton from the corner of his eye, dragging another person by his side–no doubt Virgil. Roman swallowed harshly.
“This is my friend Virgil. Sorry to interrupt work and all, but I try to introduce him to everyone around here. He doesn’t get around too often and-”
“Pat!” Virgil hissed beside him, and Roman couldn’t help it. He looked up.
And they locked eyes.
Virgil’s cheeks were a dull pink, furiously trying to escape the bounds of the pale foundation he’d applied. For a moment, they were suspended there, Virgil and Roman just looking at each other.
Then, Virgil looked away. “Patton, you can’t just drag me around everywhere.”
Patton, the dear, had the good grace to look sheepish. “I just thought you’d want to meet the prince is all.”
“We’ve already met,” Roman said, against the wishes of his panicked nerves. It felt like something he wanted to keep for himself, something he could hold secret and close to his chest. He forced the words out though. Surely there was no valid reason to keep it secret.
Virgil flinched as Patton whipped around to face him. “Really?!”
He shifted a bit on his feet, and Roman noticed how considerably less confident he was outside the library. Maybe it was the new space, or the unknown gazes, but it worried Roman how much smaller Virgil appeared outside his familiar walls.
While Patton excitedly talked to Virgil about this new development, Roman was able to take a second to himself. It was Roman’s first time around him knowing how he felt about Virgil–without the panic of last time, mind spinning with Do I like him? Do I like him? Do I like him? Roman could examine those feelings up close here, scrutinizing them for what they were. He definitely liked Virgil, that much was definite by then, but how much? Roman fell quickly, but, as long as he was even still a bit afloat, it was fine. Virgil was safe.
And Roman understood with relief that this was indeed the case. He wasn’t in love with Virgil. It was still frightening how easily he’d fallen in deep like with the man, but Roman could remedy the situation. It just… took a bit of… severing of their relationship. Just a dash of distancing, a pinch of avoidance and rigid politeness. 
It was less than a minute that Roman had to think on this, Patton and Virgil’s conversation ending abruptly when Virgil started to get visibly overwhelmed. That worried Roman too, but it only seemed to embarrass Virgil.
“Virge? Buddy?” Patton asked, but Virgil’s red face shook back and forth.
“It’s fine, Pat. Let’s just moveonrightnow,” Virgil spoke without a lot of breath, words coming out quick. He was different outside the library, like he was constantly afraid of… something. He was jumpy, and Roman was sure that if someone were to sneak up on him right now, purposefully or not, they would be socked in the jaw.
“Yes,” Roman spoke up, seeing his opportunity. “I’m afraid I’ve actually ran out of time here, but we got a lot done here today. Great job, all of you.”
“You’re leaving?” Patton asked, looking disappointed. 
And Roman realized what he’d tried to avoid for so long. Patton was cute. He was funny and kind and made Roman feel like the world had light. But Roman really had nothing to be scared of. He looked at Logan too, clever and full of passion for his work and interests, and thought the same. He’d been avoiding all the wrong people–people who could’ve been his friends.
So to Patton Roman gave a sad smile of his own. He gave his excuses–the many duties of a prince, how busy things have been lately, that he really should let them get back to work instead of hovering over their shoulders so often–he was just a prince, after all.
It all paled to the real reason, nestled deep in his chest where he hoped no one would look, see his obvious lie.
Roman couldn’t be near Virgil.
Too risky.
-/-
The thing with falling for someone–it doesn’t stop when you don’t see them.
What was the saying? Distance makes the heart grow fonder?
That saying existed because days without those you’re infatuated with just make you think about them more. And Roman, the chronic dreamer he was, could not stop thinking about Virgil. He dreamed in his sleep about pushing the hair from Virgil’s face, curling it around his ears and leaning down for a gentle kiss. He day-dreamed about Virgil in his library, slouched over his desk, waiting for patrons and passing the day in boredom.
Roman thought of his snarky quips, eyerolls, insistent gestures when he was trying to tell Roman something. Those milliseconds of a softer look that Roman would ignore, trying to convince himself he loathed Virgil, so he wouldn’t have to go away.
He realized now how too late it was.
Virgil’s laugh was stuck in his ears–Virgil’s nervous voice outside the library–Virgil’s stories of friends he’d never see again, growing up in a distant place. 
And Roman hadn’t realized how much of himself he’d given as well. Virgil had been an ear to Roman’s rants, a backboard to spring off horrible ideas. Virgil could be ruthless, and Roman could be idyllic, but, somewhere in there, it actually worked. He’d told Virgil about spreading himself thin, about the demands of a prince he hadn’t expected when the king and queen had adopted him. He told him about how much he cared, cared so much, about the people of this kingdom, even while he’d only been there for three years himself. 
There was so much, now that Roman considered it. And still so much he wanted to share. He’d never told Virgil about his brother–no one knew about Remus. He wasn’t fit to be in the public eye. That much scrutiny and pressure, after everything he’d been through, would destroy him.
But he found himself wanting to tell Virgil. Found that he trusted him with the information.
And he wanted to tell Virgil about where he and his brother grew up, about the night he woke up and Remus wasn’t by his side, and it took two years of searching and loneliness to find him and save him. Roman wanted to tell Virgil his favorite color was red, that his favorite stories as a kid were about knights, not princes, that he spent his free time–or what freetime he used to have–writing poetry, and he had a secret love for theater that he’d never had the opportunity to explore. 
Roman felt his heart pulling pulling pulling. It wouldn’t rest, wouldn’t relinquish the hold it had over him, would not forget him- him- 
Virgil. 
His heart was a selfish thing. It stuck like glue to those who didn’t want it. It kept its love in a cage, never to let go.
But Roman had to stop thinking of him. It would only lead to heartbreak. It would only lead to Virgil’s doom.
That should make it easier on his heart–knowing the person it longed for was at risk for its choice–but nothing did sway it. It was up to Roman to wrangle it in, suppress, push it down down down.
A sound at the door of his office snapped Roman out of his thoughts–spiralling, an hourly occurrence at this rate, sending him straight to a world far away, spinning in purple irises. The door creaked open, and there stood an odd sight.
“Remus?” Roman asked, concerned. He was already standing, walking around the desk and across the room. “Is everything alright? Why are you on this side of the castle?”
Remus was very far from his room, and the castle was pretty confusing. It was a surprise his brother had found him at all.
“Virgil,” was all Remus said, like it held all the answers he’d ever been looking for. Roman paused, eyebrows furrowing.
“What about him?”
“It’s him.”
“What?” Roman asked, and Remus reached out, grabbed his hand. Before he knew it, Roman was being pulled along. Remus was leading them down the corridor, looking more sure of himself than Roman had seen since they were kids. “Remus, what are you doing? Where are we going?”
Remus didn’t answer him. In fact, Roman was thrown into even more confusion when he was steered into a random room at the end of the corridor, his brother huffing as he shut the door behind them. “Walking takes too long,” he seemed to be realizing. His hand was glowing and, when he reached out for Roman again, it was a blink of an eye before they were standing somewhere completely new.
“Remus, what the hell?” Roman asked, retracting his hand. “You shouldn’t use your magic like that! Anyone could see you.”
But Remus wasn’t listening. Was he ever? Instead, he was looking around. “Not where I would have picked.” He was sounding… like himself. Roman stared, wide-eyed. If he wasn’t so confused, he’d be elated. He’d long since thought getting his brother back to any normalcy–or whatever was normalcy for Remus–was impossible. 
“Who’s there?” a voice interrupted his thoughts, carrying across the library stacks. Roman recognized it and cursed internally. Why had Remus taken them there?
Slowly, Roman put up his hands and crept out of the small alcove Remus had taken them to, ready to come up with an explanation for their sudden appearance on the fly. “Do not be afraid,” Roman said, as any prince would. He stood in the open and found Virgil’s gaze. All Virgil had to protect him were his own fists–not the best tactic, Roman thought. Then again, it was only the other day that Roman had been afraid Virgil would sock the nearest person.
Still, just his fists didn’t seem like a great defense against swords or knives or any number of weapons a burglar could have. There was a pang in Roman’s heart as he thought of what might have happened if it wasn’t just him and Remus in there. Virgil would have been defenseless.
As realization dawned on Virgil’s face, they stood at a stand still, both almost afraid to move. When Virgil’s eyes drifted to his raised fists–loose, not really fists at all, who had taught Virgil to fight?–he dropped them like hot coals, stuffing them in his pockets. 
“Fuck, Roman, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” Virgil said, and Roman knew he shouldn’t be focusing on this–but Virgil had said his name again, and his heart was singing.
“My dearest apologies,” Roman bowed, and, going by the weirded out look on Virgil’s face, that was not of norm between them. He supposed they had never been quite civil with each other–even at the beginning. “I wanted to show my brother the library and you weren’t at the front desk, so we just came in.”
“I’ve been at the front desk this whole time,” Virgil said, not defensive, but confused. Well, at least Virgil wasn’t in a bad mood.
“Funny. We didn’t see you.”
“Wait wait wait,” Virgil said, backing up a second. “You said brother?”
Shit.
Looked like Roman would have to explain that sooner than he’d thought. Or, really, at all. Wanting to tell Virgil and telling him had been on two separate lists entirely. Roman wasn’t actually supposed to be talking to Virgil at all. 
“Okay, so-” Roman went to start, but he was caught off by a twin set of gasps, one shortly after the other. The first had come from behind him, so that’s where he looked.
“It is you,” Remus said. Roman’s eyes widened, finally catching on to what his brother had been trying to tell him.
“Wait, do you know each other?”
“Remus?” Virgil’s reply answered that question well enough. Roman turned back to him, eyes darting between the two. Virgil sputtered, “What- How-”
“It’s too late,” Remus mumbled. It sounded a bit more like he had over the past year–less like himself, but his eyes were present; he looked to be considering something–something he didn’t seem to favor. “It was a trap.”
“A trap?” Roman asked. “What do you mean? A trap for who? Who’s trapping?”
“Remus, what the fuck? How are you here? How did you get away?” Virgil asked, walking closer, but not too close, like there was still a part of him that couldn’t believe what was in front of him. 
“Get away?” Roman said, pieces further slipping into place. He didn’t like where this was going.
“What about Dee?”
“Dee…” Roman mumbled, the name familiar in his ears. I miss Dee, Remus had said. I miss Dee I miss Dee I miss Dee…
“It’s too late,” Remus repeated. “Of course it was you.”
Then, the room erupted into chaos.
-/-
Books flew, shelves rocked, windows clattered. From the corners of his eyes, Roman could see flashes of purple and green. Past the wind in his ears, he heard vague shouts from Virgil and a round of fuckfuckfuckfuckfucks from Remus. He couldn’t recall if he was saying anything himself, but he knew what he was feeling. Scared.
Roman had no idea what was happening, but, from the flashes of light, he deduced it must have been magic. This made him turn toward his brother, suddenly scared that all of this had gotten to him. Being outside the castle, some place unfamiliar, not to mention Remus had always been kind of a loose cannon with his magic–it could have caused Remus to panic.
But one look at him and Roman knew his brother wasn’t the one doing it. He turned to Virgil, remembering what he’d been saying, how he’d known Remus, how he’d raised his hands in a stance that made no sense in traditional fighting–but, with magic?
Purple sparks flew across Virgil’s skin, like they were doing on Remus too, but his eyes weren’t aglow. He wasn’t doing it either.
What was happening?
Then, abruptly, it stopped.
Shelves balanced back to their places and books dropped to the floor, lifeless. It was all they could do to just stand there before movement caught Roman’s eye at the top of one of the shelves.
Someone sat there, legs folded elegantly over one another where they balanced precariously. Roman recognized the one glowing eye peering down at them, the scaly hands, the knowing smirk.
“What a lovely reunion,” she purred. Roman was stricken, fear clenching his gut. Instinctively, however, he stepped forward in front of Remus and Virgil. He watched as her eyes traveled over each of them, finally landing behind Roman’s left shoulder, lips curling further into her face. “I was hoping it would be you.”
“How- How did you-” Virgil stuttered, but his voice died out. Roman narrowed his eyes, something protective overpowering his fear.
“You should not be here,” Roman stated. 
“But, my prince,” she said, “We made a deal.”
“A deal that hasn’t come to fruition,” he said. 
“I see someone’s still in denial,” the woman leered. “A witch’s curse knows all, though. You can’t scam the Dragon Witch of her hoard, my prince.” The way she said ‘my prince’ infuriated him, but nothing like Virgil’s had. The Dragon Witch said it like it was nothing, like it was delectable and sweet and hers to keep. 
“What is she talking about?” Virgil asked, and Roman turned. Instead of scared, he now looked confused. He was watching the two of them, apprehensive, but ready to fight. His hands were up again in those loose fists, purple sparking off of them. Magic. Virgil had magic. “You made a deal with the witch?”
“Not that he had much choice.” The witch shrugged. It seemed casual, despite the manic glee in her eyes. “I was going to kill him and keep Remus. But he wanted his brother, and he got to be prince of a kingdom! Fair trade, if you ask me.”
“It’s not fair,” Remus said, and the witch seemed to remember he was there. “You can’t take him-”
“Shut up, Remus,” she said offhandedly and Remus flinched. Rage filled Roman, and he stomped further toward the witch.
“Don’t you dare-”
“Don’t I dare what, sweetie?” she asked, folding her legs up onto the bookshelf with her, where Roman couldn’t reach. He was ready to topple the whole shelf when her words caught him. “I’m only here for what I’m due. I was hoping you’d choose Virgil.”
“What?” he asked, and his voice echoed. He turned around and saw Virgil’s ghostly face, mouth open, having spoken at the same time.
“There’s so many possibilities, you know,” she said and sighed like she was bored. “There’s some realities where you fall for the architects, but there were quite a few where we’d end up here and that was certainly a risk I was willing to take. So glad it paid off.”
“But I’m not-” Roman protested, and when he was cut off again he felt ready to pull his sword. It would do nothing against her magic–something he knew well–but she was really getting to him.
“Not in love? Please,” the Dragon Witch scoffed. “It’s not my problem you haven’t realized it yet.”
“Wait!” a voice suddenly tore through their conversation, and Roman looked back at Virgil, something tightening his gut. Virgil looked simultaneously angry and afraid and lost. “Hold on for a second. What the fuck is going on?”
With a grace that shouldn’t have belonged to someone so wicked, the witch floated down from the bookshelf, jumping right over Roman and landing in front of Virgil. Virgil seemed to have masked everything in those few seconds, standing defiant and tall before the woman. It mystified Roman. It was nothing he had ever seen before–nothing like Virgil’s comfortable confidence in the library. Virgil lowered his hands, appearing defenseless and unafraid under her manic gaze. 
“Long story,” she said, tossing her head side to side. “But I’ll tell you the ending if you want. My little happily ever after… minus dear Remus over there. I’d rather have all three of you but Remus turned weak. This. This was the outcome I was betting on.”
She leaned in, centimeters from Virgil’s face and anyone else might have missed the minute flinch in the man’s body, but Roman saw–tuned into it. Virgil’s eyes were hard. He said nothing.
Even as he was sentenced to his doom–to a doom brought to him because of Roman–because of a heart he couldn’t control–because Roman had signed away another’s life–a life that wasn’t Roman’s to give–a life Roman hadn’t yet met–that he was destined to love and hate and damn forever.
And it’d been a trap.
“Virgil, my long lost terror, you belong to me again. The End.”
243 notes ¡ View notes
getitinbusan ¡ 5 years ago
Text
Eat • Sleep • Game
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A little angst, a little fluff, a lot of smut if you reblog for a part two.
Dedicated to everyone missing the Toronto Show today, see you soon ☹️💜
It had been exactly 1 year and 45 days since you'd fallen head over heels in love with Jungkook. You know this because it was your second day of work at the game store when he came rushing through its door. 
He had broken his game controller and needed one ASAP before his Overwatch team kicked him off. It was a brief first meeting but he'd come in at least once a week since then.
Inviting you to join his team, your friend circle expanded and his roommate Jimin had become your closest confidant. Unlike Jungkook, it had only taken Jimin a few weeks to realize how hard you were crushing on his friend.
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Jimin was rummaging through the fridge while balancing his phone between his ear and shoulder. Nodding in Jungkook's direction he kept talking.
"You should definitely wear something really sexy…. I'll ask. JK, Y/N wants to know if you're coming out tonight?" 
Setting his Banana Milk down a smile crept up to his eyes. He'd been crushing on you forever and had finally decided maybe he should make a move.
You'd be there, wearing something sexy AND you were asking about him?
"Yeah, I'll come," he tried to sound casual about it. 
Jimin didn't have to relay the message, you were listening eagerly to hear his answer from the other end.
"He's really coming?
You sighed, "That just means I'm going to walk around pining for him all night. God I love him Jimin"
He laughed at your desperation, "It's going to happen sooner or later, believe me it is mutual." 
Jungkook had gone back to his game but intentionally left the headset off one ear. Listening in, he was trying to piece together your side of the conversation. What? What was mutual?
"I thought that a year ago, how does he not know Jimin? How can I make it any easier? Do I need to just outright say it to him?"  
He put on a seductive voice, "I've wanted to fuck you for the past year and if you make me wait a second longer I'm going to die." 
Jungkook listened on, was Jimin really hitting on you like that? He never discussed his feelings for you with him but he thought it was obvious. His cheeks grew red and heated as the thought of you and Jimin together boiled in his blood. 
"Alright I'll see you soon, come up and we'll have drinks before we go." 
Hanging up he turned to Jungkook, "I'm grabbing a shower, I have a feeling tonight's going to get crazy."
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Knocking on the apartment door you let out a huge breath, "here goes nothing."
You'd spent the day talking yourself into finally telling him how you felt.
Jimin opened the door, "Shit Y/N, look at you!" he playfully copped a feel of your ass. 
"Hey Guk!"
Now or never, you walked behind him and put your hand on his shoulder. "How's the game?"
He was distracted, your breasts were right behind his head as you leaned in to watch him play. Your fingers dug in massaging his muscles. His cock was getting hard thinking about how good your grip would feel around it. 
"Watch behind you!"
Brought back to reality you'd snapped him out of his fantasy.
"It's a shame you're going to have to quit, we should leave soon." 
Jimin came out of the kitchen and handed you a beer, "I'm getting you so drunk tonight."
He set one down in front of Jungkook, "Pre game my friend."
"About that...I think I'll just stay home..I'm kind of on a winning streak." 
You pulled your hand away from him in disappointment, all hope lost. Jimin could see you were visibly upset.
"Let's go to my room Y/N, we wouldn't want to distract Jungkook from his game. 
"What the fuck is his problem all of the sudden?"
He pouted at you and kissed your forehead, "His loss sweetheart." 
The Uber showed up about four drinks in. Jimin was already out the door when you turned to look at Jungkook. His gaze was fixed on you but he quickly turned back to the screen as not to be caught.
"Are you sure you don't want to come...I was kind of looking forward to hanging out with you?" 
He stuck his tongue into the side of his cheek, "I'm sure Jimin will show you a good time." 
Pulling the door tight behind you Jimin grabbed your hand, "Fuck him, let's go." 
The club was packed. It was too loud, too hot and Jimin had abandoned you long ago to find a conquest.
The drink in your hand was empty but the lineup to get another was three deep. Your will to have fun had been left back at the apartment so here you stood, miserable. 
Declaring the night a total waste you walked around looking for Jimin. 
You tapped his shoulder until he stopped his makeout session, "I think I'm just going to leave Jimin." 
"Why aren't you in the corner getting fingered by some hot guy?" 
"It must be because I'm so pathetic that nobodies even attempted to talk to me tonight."
You tried to hold back your tears, no crying in the club right?
"Go," you motioned to the dance floor. "Have fun, she's waiting for you."
"I'm not letting you go home, not like this."
He hugged you tightly, "Take my key and go over there and tell him how you feel."
"Jimin, I'm tired of putting myself out there for rejection." 
"Baby, this crush has been going on far too long, you need to find out for sure. You are way too amazing to not have a boyfriend."
You kissed his cheek, "okay I'm going to do it."
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His imagination was going wild. He couldn't concentrate on his game and his teammates just kept yelling at him.
He was sure you'd be grinding all over each other, Jimin's stupid puffy lips getting to kiss you.
All the girls went for Jimin, he was just so confident. He decided a couple of loops around the city on his bike and a Ramen stop would help. 
Unlocking the door you expected to see him gaming in the living room but the apartment was quiet. 
Moving up the hall you knocked lightly at his door, "Kookie, can I talk to you?" 
Opening the door a crack you peeked in, empty. Of course he went out, you'd finally mustered your courage to tell him and he was probably eating Ramen somewhere. 
Fuck it, it was happening tonight. He'd have to come home sooner or later and you'd be here waiting in his bed when he did.
It was late, he didn't feel any better.
Putting on a movie he shut off all the lights and sprawled out on the couch. He wasn't going to be able to sleep until he knew if you were coming home with his roommate. 
He must have dozed, the sound of muffled giggles waking him up.
"Shhh, we need to keep it down," kissing, loud kissing more giggles.
"Let's go to my room."
He looked at the clock, 4am. Fuck there was no way he could sleep now. He lit up his monitor and grabbed his headphones. 
You stretched out on the bed taking a minute to remember where you were. One smell of the pillow and it all came back. Of course he didn't come home, fate was never on your side. 
You opened the door quietly not  wanting to wake Jimin. Tiptoeing through the apartment the light from his screen caught your eye, he'd really just been out here playing?
You walked over to stand beside him, was it too late to tell him? 
"Hey," you startled him, "Don't you even go to bed anymore?" 
He clenched his jaw, "I've been having a really good game." 
Here goes��"Jungkook, there's more to life than video games. Sometimes it's nice to enjoy someone's company…"
He shot you a cold look, "I know I could hear you two enjoying each other all night."
His accusation floored you, "And so what if we did?? What the hell do you care Jungkook?"
He went back to his game and you slammed the door. 
"What the fuck was that?" Jimin came out of his room in his boxers.
Jungkook stood to get a drink. 
"Your loud fucking girlfriend leaving." He pushed him out of the way and Jimin laughed. 
"You're jealous? Fuck you're dumber than I thought."
Steering him up the hallway he pointed to the girl passed out in his room.  Flinging Jungkook's bedroom door open he pointed out the messed up sheets.
"Did you sleep here last night?"
Puzzled, he fell silent.
"She was in here waiting for you..all night. Maybe if you weren't so balls deep in overwatch you'd get laid once in a while."
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The knock was so light you almost missed it. Track pants, t-shirt, messy bun and bare feet you padded across the room to answer it.  
Looking through the peephole Jungkook stood on the other side. 
You opened the door without a word or smile. "Can I come in?"
You opened it wide and walked away. 
Plopping down on your bean bag chair you picked up your game controller and proceeded to ignore him. 
"Can I play?" 
You shrugged and threw the other controller at him. 
He sat on the floor next to you and set himself up. "Can we talk about last night?" 
"Sure what part? The part where you brushed our plans off or the part where you accused me of fucking Jimin?" 
Taking aim you fired…
"Y/N, What the fuck? We're on the same team."
He grunted in frustration, "The part where you slept in my bed." 
You turned and shot him again.
"Sorry, I just needed a place to crash."
You moved on with your mission.
Recouping he found you in his cross hairs and pulled the trigger.
"Can we just stop playing games?" 
You threw your controller down.
"Fine what the fuck do you want me to say? That I like you? That it fucking hurts to know you prefer to interact with me through a god damn screen?" 
He reached over and shut off the console.
"Move over."
"Jungkook, there is hardly room for two."
He pressed his body onto yours laying you back on the pliant chair. Staring into your eyes before pressing his lips to yours he smiled, "I like you too." 
"This is never going to work you know, we're both way too stubborn." He cut you off with another kiss. 
"I don't know, I think we make a pretty good team, at least when you're not shooting me."
You wrapped your legs around him tightly feeling him hard against you.
"Video games are kind of our thing, what else are we going to do for fun?" 
"Hang on tight." He stood with you still wrapped around him.
"We're going to try a new thing. Where's your bedroom?
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newtxtinaforever ¡ 5 years ago
Text
Everything Has Changed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All I knew this morning when I woke
Is I know something now, know something now I didn't before
And all I've seen since eighteen hours ago is green eyes and freckles
And your smile in the back of my mind making me feel like
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tina's POV
What hadn't I encountered in the past forty-eight hours? Upon meeting Mr. Newt Scamander, my already crumbling world was thrown into an even larger pit of chaos. Several people had died, including Credence. I had failed to save him from his adoptive mother and my own co-workers as well, which made me a pretty lousy Auror. After nearly being executed for assisting a criminal, what chance did I have at reclaiming my job?
Thankfully, there was one good thing to come out of all this destruction. Newt and I had become friends through the process of finding his creatures, which turned out to be very different from the kind of connection we shared when we first met. If I've learned anything in the past couple of days, it's that things (people in particular) are not always what they seem. I still found it hard to believe that Graves was Grindelwald in disguise. How long had he pretended to be my former boss? With a horrible feeling in my stomach, I remembered how Graves wiped the mustard off of my lip after I had stormed into the Major Investigative department. It had been Grindelwald all along. I quickly turned my mind to other matters.
All the creatures I had seen recently (not to mention rules I'd broken) made me feel as if I was living someone else's life. Who was this alternate version of myself and where did she come from? Perhaps she had been kept hidden under the surface for so long that she had been forgotten. After all, doing so was necessary in order to perform well at my job. That's why many criminals turned out to be nothing more than normal people who felt as if they had no other choice. They did what they had to do to get the job done.
Then there was Mr. Kowalski. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Newt's carelessness had hopelessly entangled him into the world I worked so hard to protect, the one that was being threatened by the darkest wizard of all time. Even if Newt's creatures hadn't escaped, there was still the destruction caused by the Obscurus (unfortunately Credence) to deal with. Well, it was dealt with, all right. Enough dwelling on the past, Tina, I scolded myself. It was rare for me to do so, but the past few months had been tough and I could feel myself sinking deeper into a place of hopelessness more than ever before.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies the beautiful kind
Making up for lost time, taking flight, making me feel right
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Despite all that had transpired, I could recognize some sort of light in this continuous tunnel of darkness. Besides meeting Newt, I had been reminded of what it felt like to be an Auror. I wasn't exactly on the right side this time, but the rush of adrenaline felt eerily similar. After playing by the rules for so long, I had experienced a taste of what it was like to be on the run. My mind still had a hard time believing that I had been in such a perilous position. It wasn't every day that I got my own wanted poster.
The past forty-eight hours were definitely impulsive, to say the least. I acted on my instincts, which proved to be right in the end. Thank goodness. I don't know what I'd have done if things had turned out worse than they did. It didn't always work, but sometimes refusing to acknowledge the worst possible outcome allowed me to believe in the more average yet more likely outcomes of any given situation. If I had to describe it, I'd say that dwelling on the worst thing that could happen often made me feel trapped. It made me feel like it was the only option and that there was no hope. Whatever I faced, I had to think positively, something I struggled with considering my childhood.
It's hard to 'think happy thoughts' when your parents die young and you're left alone to raise your younger sister. There was no time for wishful thinking or innocent daydreams, not when someone else depended on me. I clearly remember Queenie leaning against me, her head on my shoulder, asking, "When do you think I'll meet my husband?" I smiled weakly, the direct result of a hardened heart. Tired and a tiny bit irritable (but trying my best not to show it), I replied, "I don't know." There wasn't time for me to fantasize about my future husband (did he even exist?), and it showed.
On the flip side, Queenie thoroughly enjoyed pretending to be the damsel in distress. She could defend herself, don't get me wrong, but she also didn't mind donning a pretty pink dress while I came to her rescue. As much as Queenie enjoyed being the princess, I equally enjoyed playing the role of her savior. After all, guys weren't the only ones with the power to save others. Perhaps it was this specific moment in time that sealed my fate. The day our parents died, it seemed like the whole world had fallen on my shoulders. So I did what I had always done best: taking care of others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come back and tell me why
I'm feeling like I've missed you all this time
And meet me there tonight
And let me know that it's not all in my mind
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Come on, Teenie. Please?" my sister whined. "Alright, I'll go" came my reluctant response. Every part of me wanted to stay home and spend some time alone yet I knew how important this Valentine's Day dance was to Queenie. She had been going on about it as soon as she had found out. Not only that, but she insisted I accompany her to fulfill my duties as a sister and wing-woman. I could tell she was still hung up over Jacob, so I ultimately agreed, shaking my head as I slipped on the dress I wore whenever I had to go undercover. Here goes nothing.
I smiled as I watched Queenie enchant yet another lovestruck lad, no magic necessary. Her looks were more than enough to persuade practically any man to dance with her, even those that came with dates. She simply had an unspoken connection with everyone, some sort of invisible quality that allowed her to fit in wherever she went. Despite my best efforts, I was a little bit jealous. I knew she struggled in other areas and found her Legilimency to be a burden sometimes, but I envied how easily people liked her. Queenie was sweet and someone others could relate to. Me? Not so much.
As I watched my sister dance, I couldn't help but think back to the question she asked me during our childhood. I manipulated it slightly so that I would have to answer it on my own behalf. When would I meet my future husband? An even bigger question formulated before I could stop it: what if I had already met him? After all, there was no guaranteed way of knowing who my future husband was until we were married, and I had no idea when that would be. I wasn't exactly against the idea of marriage, but I also didn't see any reason to rush into things. In fact, I thought it made more sense to wait before settling down. Unfortunately, my fellow Americans didn't share this philosphy.
I would never admit it to anyone other than myself (even that was a challenge), but I had truly missed Newt and hoped he would return to America. He had unintentionally caused a large amount of trouble, sure, but there was something about him that made me want to learn more. More about him, more about his creatures, etc. Thankfully, we had been sending letters back and forth since that day on the docks. I thoroughly enjoyed receiving a letter from Newt; it was a Goldstein family ritual. Every time a letter came in, Queenie and I would huddle together and read it silently, my thoughts practically spoken aloud as I read. Sometimes I wished I was the only one who read the letters-they were addressed to me, after all-yet I knew they made Queenie happy to know that I was happy.
My peaceful thoughts continued as I reminisced on recent moments. Reality bled through just a little, flashes of Queenie dancing coming into focus. The two intertwined to form a nice fantasy where Newt was here and the possibilities were endless. I knew daydreaming was childish (not to mention pointless), but pretending Newt was somewhere in the crowd gave me a sense of contentment. I could dance with him, and Queenie would surely make things less awkward between us. My heart fluttered at the thought of it. With a lighthearted smile, I sighed, hoping that Newt felt even the slightest amount of affection that I felt for him.
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fanfic by me, fanvid by @clairelizabeths (mrsmaisels on YouTube)
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areiton ¡ 6 years ago
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(1)Cause you're (rightfully) grumpy about people's purity wank I've got a question that might distract you and which I desperately hope you have an answer to: I mostly read steter fic so far. Now i wanted to get into sterek but ... I seem to be too picky?? I'd like to read sth not totally au (Erica and Boyd being alive is fine for example), with not too much ooc-ness, with Peter NOT being the villain and with Derek's abusive past 'relationships' and Stiles self-destructiveness actually adressed
(2) and I can’t seem to find sth that really … catches me. There are so many amazing steter fics out there (yes, I very definetely talking about your fics too) and I’m sure there are equally amazing sterek fics, but …. yeah. I’m obviously not able to find them. So - help??? Please??
~*~
Oh, friend. You are my favorite. This is the kind of ask Iadooooore. Ok, you ready? Cuz this list is LOOOOONG. (big thanks to@bloody-bee-tee for helping me find fics for this list.) Not everything fitsall your criteria, but all of them fit some.
**Are especially good for dealing with Derek and/or Stiles healing.
~~
Patterns of Intention by drunktuesdays:
Derek looked likethe stuff of his deepest fantasies. His shirt was rumpled where Stiles had hishands in it, and he was breathing hard as well, chest heaving. His eyes—hiseyes were glazed over and he looked stunned, like he’d been—like Stiles had—
“No,” Stiles said,blood draining from his face. The word was croaky and felt like it had to bewrenched out of his chest. “God, no.”
~~
Paper Skin and Glass Bones byhushlittlewolf:
Derek can’t takethis. He can’t take this joking, concerned boy that has the evidence of Derek’sshortcomings carved into his skin.
Or
The one where Dereknever paid attention to how much Stiles got hurt…until he sees Stilesshirtless and notices all the scars.
~~
**Carry You Home byCastielific:
“Derek letshimself fall on his back, breath short, heart beating fast. He can feel theWolf in him, purring in satisfaction and contentment. Asking for more. It wantshim to turn and touch, to never stop touching. Instead, Derek squeezes hishands into fists and closes his eyes, trying to push it back, this need, thisinstinct screaming for his mate. For Stiles.”
Title inspired bythis Firefly quote: “When you can’t run anymore, you crawl, and when you can’tcrawl, when you can’t do that, you find someone to carry you”
~~
Trust Fall byStoney:
Stiles is fairlycertain that a case could be made for every bad thing in his life coming backto Peter Hale. This time it’s pissing off a powerful witch, who retaliated byswapping Stiles and Derek a la Freaky Friday, because sure. Thatmakes sense. Um, there are GPAs on the line, not to mention the whole thingwhere his dad wants to shoot Derek on sight. Except who he sees as Derek isactually Stiles, and Stiles did not sign up for filicide.
Great. Wait…does this mean he’s the Alpha until they figurethis out? Holy. Shit.****
Derek had stood in front of the bathroom mirror for a fewminutes trying to control the panic as he saw himself as Stiles. As the loudmouthed human friend of the pack. He was going to kill Peter. He was going tokill the witch, then he was going to kill Peter. Maybe even resurrect him againjust to kill him all over.
They were going to have to play this cool. They would have tostay calm and focused. Which is of course why the universe threw him into thissituation with someone who physically couldn’t be calm and focused.
Of course.
~~
Stilinski’s Home for WaywardWolves by owlpostagain:
“At least yourpuppies knock first,” Stiles snorts. “Here I thought their alpha raised them tobe well-mannered.” 


“There’s a sign,” Derek responds stiffly. 


Stiles, whose curiosity outweighs even his hardest of grudges,abandons his chilly façade of nonchalance in a heartbeat. He jumps right up andall but pushes Derek out of the way in his effort to get to the window, andsure enough when he leans outside there’s a laminated strip of cardstock ducttaped to the vinyl siding: 


DON’T FORGET TO KNOCK Stiles gets cranky when we scare him
—
Or, in which StilesStilinski moves to Beacon Hills for his junior year of high school andaccidentally adopts a pack of teenage werewolves.
~~
How  Derek Met His Smallest Fan by purleduvet:
Derek is standing inthe fruits and vegetables aisle, trying to decide between two very nice lookingwatermelons, when someone small crashes into his legs.
or
Derek comes back toBeacon Hills after years of being gone and meets Stiles and his kid at thesupermarket.
~~
Make it Feel Like Home by redeyedwrath:
Maybe it would’vebeen different if things had never happened. Maybe it would’ve been different ifhe hadn’t persuaded Scott to go search in the woods. Maybe it would’ve beendifferent if he hadn’t been so stubborn. Maybe it would’ve been different if heand Scott had never met.
Maybe it would’ve been different, would’ve beenbetter, if he hadn’t been born in the first place.
He tightens his fingers on the steering wheel untilthey turn an ugly, bloodless color. The only good thing, in his opinion, that’dcome out of all of this, had been meeting Derek. Derek, who’d been an assholebut turned out to be the most loyal, kindest person Stiles knows.
He resists the urge to drive off the road and screaminto his palms. Beause Derek had left, and now he’s alone.
Or, an AU where Stiles runs away to find himself but finds Derekinstead.
~~
Misfire bymothlights, unpossible: (this one has less than fantastic Peter, buthe isn’t actively bad, and it’s amazing)
“The debt must berepaid,” she says, and it has the weight of a vow. Thewords resonate through him, ringing through his ribcage and the bones of hisjaw, and Stiles loses his breath and maybe his grip on reality because shedraws herself upright and where there had once stood a supermodel-level MILFnow there is Galadriel’s much hotter older sister, a Presence of unmistakablepower in their ordinary, smells-vaguely-of-Thai-takeout hallway.
“Oh shit,” Stilessays.
~~
And You Say You’re Alone by taelynhawker:
Between the kanima, the Argents, and Peter’suntimely return from the dead, everything has fallen apart. Stiles and Derektry to put their lives back together once the crisis has passed. Stiles dealswith the aftermath of being tortured, and the distance growing between he andScott. Derek attempts to become a stronger alpha and keep his pack safe, andthat includes Stiles.
~~
The Art of Dying Well by kinneas:
Yousaid we’re friends.“
"Whoa, way to holdwhat a guy says in the heat of the moment against him,” Stiles repliesautomatically, but… that’s not what he wants to say, not at all, not to thequiet contemplation that is Derek Hale on his living room sofa. So he adds,“I guess, yeah.”
Derek doesn’t speak fora long moment. “Then it’s inevitable.”
“Wow,”Stiles whistles, “you are the biggest downer.”
~~
Gracious in Defeatby yodasyoyo:
Stiles needs to getaway from Beacon Hills after the end of his senior year. Derek offers to lethim stay with him in SĂŁo Paulo, and they finally act on the tension that hasalways simmered between them.
The thing is, whenit’s time to go home- Stiles doesn’t want to leave.
~~
Crash Landers by gyzym:
In which Stiles learns to Stalk That Stalk.(Or, how to accidentally woo your unfriendly neighborhood alpha in roughly fivehundred handwritten steps.)
~~
**Not Quite Lost (Not QuiteFound) by alocalband:
A year after thenogitsune is defeated, Derek is living a quiet life in the mountains above asmall town in Colorado.
Then Stiles showsup.
~~
The Darkness Inside by isthatbloodonhisshirt:
The sheriff watchedhim for a moment, then he sighed and turned slightly. He reached out to open acabinet door beside him, and pulled out a shelf. It was on a track, so itrolled out of the cabinet fairly easily, and held a small CCTV. Derek frownedand inched his chair to the side a little bit so he could get a better angle.
He was looking at a teenager, or someone at least young enoughto be the same age as Scott. He was sitting on a bed in what looked to be alarger room, the area he was in surrounded by four glass walls, with his legscrossed and head tilted.
He was also staring directly into the camera, as if he knewsomeone was watching. A creepy smile slowly slid onto the teen’s face, and heheld up one hand, wiggling his fingers in a slow, eery wave.
Derek felt his mouth run dry. He didn’t know who this kid was,but he didn’t like him.
“Who is that?” he asked quietly.
“That,” said thesheriff, “is my son.”
~~
***Bravery is a Loaded Gun byLiviKate:
“No, I’m notasexual, Stiles,” Derek said shortly.
The teen’s heart sank in his chest, his palms going clammy andhis neck prickling with the familiar feeling of rejection.
“So then it’s,” Stiles swallowed, throat clogging, unable togive voice to the facts he would much rather ignore. The silence grew betweenthem, growing tense the longer it was left. For the first time in years, Stilescouldn’t speak. The weight of inadequacy held down his typical stream ofuseless banter. What does one say in this sort of situation? ‘I’m sorry youdon’t find me attractive?’
In which the boys speak in half sentences and have two totallydifferent conversations. What they can agree on, eventually, is that they loveeach other. And that Derek should jerk off more.
~~
Warm shadows bystilinskisparkles:
“Fine,” Stiles spitsback, “We’ll die together, it’ll be dandy.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Derek snaps, “I’ll get some peaceand quiet for once.”
Stiles grinssuddenly, blindingly. There’s blood on his teeth, and his eyes are dark anddesperate as he looks up at Derek, but he’s never looked more stupidly,infuriatingly beautiful.
~~
Give Me Back My Bones (maybe thenwe’ll talk) by kariye:
Derek meets Stiles on a Wednesday. He comes infor his usual cup of coffee and somehow walks out with hot chocolate, cinnamonon the top, and no idea what just happened there.
~~
Romancing the Sourwolf. (OrStiles Stilinski’s Foolproof Guide to Getting Your Man) by lucyinthesoupwithcrutons:
The 15 year plan for Lydia was clearly thewrong way to go; Stiles won’t be making the same mistake with Derek. He decidesto do his homework this time.
~~
Throw Me to the Wolves by skoosiepants:
He feels thephysical embodiment of devastated, his already too strung-out mindstruggling to wall up all the hurt, the rejection—he takes a deep shudderingbreath and looks down at the shredded skin on his arms, at the sluggish waythey’re weakly healing.
There is nothing, nothing he wants more than tohave Derek sweep in and make everything all better. He should have known,though, that something like that would never happen to him.
OR -
Stiles accidentallygets bitten, and everything goes to hell.
~~
***SharingFood by aussiebee:
“Sharing foodwith another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged inlightly.” ― M.F.K. Fisher
Or
Derek is pretty muchabsorbed into the Stilinski family, one meal at a time.
~~
Derek Hale’s No-Good, Very BadDay by Mackem:
Derek hides from his day.
~~
***Start Small, Like Oak Treesby SmallBirds:
The months following Allison’s death havepassed Stiles by in a haze of monotony. He sleepwalks through days that seem tolose their color, an unwilling passenger in a body he no longer trusts.Eventually, he thinks, he’ll just fade away. He isn’t sure anyone would notice.Then, during a spur of the moment grocery run, he stumbles upon Derek Haleattempting to console a lost child, and for the first time in recent memory theworld doesn’t seem so awful.He’s not sure what he’d been expecting when he eventuallyconvinces Derek to move into the Stilinski’s spare bedroom, but a newfoundpassion for weeding and topsoil certainly isn’t it.
~~
A Quiet Night (Not in theCards) by Delightful_I_Am:
“Derek fucking Hale!”
The shout rang through the bar and for a long moment nobodymoved. It was like something out of a movie. Everything just stopped; the musiccut off; one of the servers had frozen mid-pour. Grady would have laughed if heweren’t holding his breath. The kid straightened his shirt, a glimpse ofstomach showing the curling edges of a tattoo on his hip, and strode towardwhere Hale was sitting in the dark corner. As one, every supe in the placeturned to see Hale’s reaction; the last person to try to confront Hale in herehad left with a broken hand and a whispered threat that the next time Halewould rip their throat out. With his teeth.Unsurprisingly, Hale’s face was set in its usual glower, although it seemed abit softer around the eyes. It took Grady a second to realise Hale knew the kid.
~~
The blood blooms clean in you,ruby by m_leigh:
“You don’tremember, anymore, where exactly you were when you found out that she was dead.You remember almost everything else about her dying, though.”
Stiles Stilinski hasalways been the person who will do what other people don’t want to. It’s hard,though, when your friends keep trying to protect you. Post-S2.
~~
***Tide pullsfrom the moon by paintedrecs:
When Derek leftBeacon Hills, finally ripping the tether free and remembering how to breathe,how to live again, it was Stiles who came after him. Stiles, who showed up athis door with blazing eyes, looking like he wanted to punch him in the face,but wrapping his arms around him instead, making him grunt in surprise at theraw strength of his embrace.
“You asshole,”Stiles said, slapping him heartily on the back as he extricated himself, hisvoice rough under his bright smile. “You couldn’t have made yourself harder tofind, could you?”
~~
Homing Mechanisms by SmallBirds:
Magnetoreception:The sense which allows an organism to detect a magnetic field to perceivedirection, altitude or location. How birds find their way home.
–
Stiles returns toBeacon Hills after four years at Stanford, only to find out that Derek hasmoved back into town. He brings him a housewarming gift. Derek makes food.Things escalate from there.
~~
Parallax by uraneia:
Parallax: noun. Theeffect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ whenviewed from different positions, e.g., through the viewfinder and the lens of acamera.
With the pack (and Stiles) starting college, Derek is bored. Heneeds a hobby–or a job. Which is how he comes to model for Alpha Studios.
He just neverthought Stiles would end up working there too.
~~
Occam’s Razorby MissAnnThropic:
When Stiles goes to sleep, he’s ajunior in high school. He wakes up in a world where he’s twenty-four andmarried to Derek Hale. Stiles just can’t seem to catch a break.
Readalso: Stepping Off the Razor’sEdge which is a lot of healing for both our boys and beautiful.
~~
The Truth Is by BulletBlaze:
“Well, you should get going then-”“You could come around some time-”A pause.“Wait, what?”A blush bloomed across Derek’s cheeks, barely visible overthe top of his beard. He shrugged again.“If you wanted to. You could stop by while I’m fixing it up.Help me with some things. If you wanted to.”“You already said that,” Stiles, the idiot, mumbled indisbelief.Derek’s blush grew a shade darker.
~~
There’s a martyr in my bedtonight but it’s alright by crossroadwrite:
It’s a beautiful afternoon, and Derek is standing at a dusty gasstation, staring helplessly at the destroyed remains of the last thing hissister left him.
(OR: In which Derekexpects nothing from life, but with a little help from the Stilinskis getseverything.)
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