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yourwitchmama · 4 years ago

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Major Arcana Tarot Meanings

The Fool – 0

Upright: Innocence, freedom, originality, adventure, travel, foolishness, carelessness, idealism, youth, spontaneity, lack of commitment, new beginnings Reversed: Recklessness, carelessness, negligence, stupidity, distraction, apathy, irrationality, lack of fun, hope or faith

The Magician – I

Upright: Power, influence, willpower, resourcefulness, skill, ability, logic, intellect, concentration and psychic powers Reversed: Manipulation, greed, unused ability, untrustworthiness, trickery, conniving, cunning, lack of mental clarity

The High Priestess – II

Upright: Desirability, unattainability, mystery, sensuality, spirituality, thirst for knowledge, mystery, subconscious, higher power, creativity, fertility Reversed: Repression of intuition, blocked psychic powers, unwanted attention, uncontrolled outbursts and sexual tension, lack of self-belief, fertility issues

The Empress – III

Upright: Pregnancy, fertility, motherhood, sensuality, nurturing, creativity, beauty, femininity, nature, harmony, art Reversed: Insecurity, infertility, lack of confidence, lack of growth, overbearing tendencies, disharmony, negligence

The Emperor – IV

Upright: Older man, stability, dependability, fatherhood, father-figure, structure, protectiveness, authority, logical, practical Reversed: Abuse of power, excessively controlling, rigidity, stubbornness, lack of discipline, lack of control, absentee father, paternity issues

The Hierophant – V

Upright: Traditional institutions, traditional values, conventional, conformity, marriage, commitment, religion, beliefs, knowledge sharing Reversed: Challenging tradition, unconventional lifestyles, unconventional relationships, reversed roles, non-conformity

The Lovers – VI

Upright: Love, soulmates, kindred spirits, perfect unions, partnerships, relationships, major choices, romance, desire, sexual connections, shared values Reversed: Disharmony, trust issues, imbalance, conflict, disconnection, lack of accountability, disunion, detachment

The Chariot – VII

Upright: Victory, overcoming obstacles, success, ambition, determination, willpower, control, self-discipline, hard work and focus Reversed: Forcefulness, lack of direction, lack of self-control, powerlessness, aggression, coercion, being blocked by obstacles

Strength – VIII

Upright: Inner strength, courage, bravery, confidence, compassion, taming, control, overcoming self-doubt Reversed: Vulnerability, self-doubt, weakness, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, feeling inadequate

The Hermit – IX

Upright: Spiritual enlightenment, soul searching, self-reflection, introspection, contemplation, inner guidance, solitude Reversed: Loneliness, paranoia, isolation, reclusiveness, withdrawal, anti-social, restrictive, paralyzed by fear.

The Wheel of Fortune – X

Upright: Good luck, destiny, change, karma, soulmates, decisive moments, cycles of life, fate, fortune, upheaval, chance Reversed: Bad luck, upheaval, disorder, external forces, lack of control, disruption, unwelcome change, delays, set backs, karma

Justice – XI

Upright: Justice, karmic justice, consequences, legal disputes, law, truth, honesty, integrity, cause and effect, life lessons Reversed: Injustice, karmic retribution, dishonesty, corruption, lack of accountability, dishonesty, unfairness, karmic avoidance

The Hanged Man – XII

Upright: Feeling trapped, confined, self-limiting, uncertainty, lack of direction, needing release, letting go Reversed: Discontentment, apathy, disinterest, stagnation, impulsiveness, negative patterns, detachment

Death – XIII

Upright: Spiritual transformation, new beginnings, letting go, endings, change, transition, sudden or unexpected upheaval Reversed: Inability to move forward, fear of beginnings, repeating negative patterns, resisting change, dependency

Temperance – XIV

Upright: Balance, peace, patience, moderation, inner calm, perspective, tranquillity, harmonious relationships, soulmates Reversed: Imbalance, self-indulgence, excess, clashing, lack of perspective, discord, antagonism, recklessness, hastiness

The Devil – XV

Upright: Addiction, depression, mental health issues, secrecy, obsession, cheating, dependency, bondage, materialism, sexuality, powerlessness, hopelessness, abuse, violence, assault Reversed: Detachment, independence, overcoming addiction, freedom, revelation, reclaiming power, reasserting control

The Tower – XVI

Upright: Chaos, destruction, sudden upheaval, trauma, unexpected change, disaster, loss, tragedy, revelations, confusion, pain, divorce, abuse, violence, bankruptcy, natural disasters, inevitable endings Reversed: Resisting change, averting disaster, avoiding tragedy, delaying the inevitable, avoiding loss, lack of insight, codependence

The Star – XVII

Upright: Hope, inspiration, creativity, calm, contentment, renewal, serenity, spirituality, healing, positivity Reversed: Hopelessness, despair, focusing on the negative, lack of faith, lack of inspiration, lack of creativity, boredom, monotony

The Moon – XVIII

Upright: Intuition, illusion, dreams, vagueness, instability, deception, anxiety, fear, misconception, subconscious, insecurity, clouded Reversed: Releasing fear, unveiling secrets, subsiding anxiety, truth, regaining composure, self-deception, blocked intuition

The Sun – XIX

Upright: Positivity, freedom, fun, success, optimism, vitality, joy, confidence, self-expression, good luck, enthusiasm, happiness, truth, openness, pregnancy Reversed: Lack of enthusiasm, excessive enthusiasm, sadness, pessimism, unrealistic expectations, ego, conceitedness, oppression, infertility

Judgement – XX

Upright: Judgement, self-evaluation, awakening, renewal, composure, decisiveness, homesickness, snap judgements, apportioning blame, forgiveness, judgemental Reversed: Indecisiveness, self-doubt, malicious gossip, lack of self-awareness, unwillingness to learn karmic lessons, unfair blame, false accusations

The World – XXI

Upright: Success, achievement, accomplishment, travel, completion, fulfillment, sense of belonging, wholeness Reversed: Lack of success, stagnation, lack of achievement, disappointment, burden, lack of completion

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father-time-and-baby-new-year · 4 years ago

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M-more armin vs eren drabbles please

WC: 3.2k

Title: Melted Candles

Warnings: possessive behavior, cheating, armin x reader x eren, obsession, unhealthy relationships. manipulator armin & toxic eren.

You’re fidgeting with the hem of your short dress that your loving boyfriend bought you, nursing a drink, and half-heartedly scrolling through your phone.

Sitting on the olive couch alone as the musings of a party transpire, you eye the big and colorful banner sporting the words “Happy 20th Birthday Eren!”.

“It’s like Eren to be late to his own birthday party huh?”

A smooth, gentle voice breaks you out of your trance. You turn sideways to face Armin Arlert, a pretty boy with short-cropped blond hair and wide oceanic eyes. He’s all dressed up in a deep grey turtleneck, navy dress pants, and an expensive Omega watch on his wrist.

You must have looked frightened because he chuckles as he takes a seat next to you, a respectful distance away, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you. Are you having fun?”

“Uh well it’s a surprise party, it’s not like Eren knows he’s supposed to be here.” You have an immediate desire to slap a hand over your mouth after the words spillover. You wince, not entirely in love with the fact that it was your first instinct to defend Eren.

If you had been more observant, you would have noticed the corners of his lips flick upwards in amusement. But Armin is observant enough for the both of you. He notes the color of embarrassment in your cheeks and continues the subject with ease.

“Ah, yeah. That’s right. Eren hates celebrating his birthday, but they're always a good excuse to get everyone together" He pauses before grinning so wide it doesn't look genuine, "-maybe this is more for us than him.”.

There’s an underlying tension in his words you can’t make heads and tails off. It reminds you of how truly little you knew of Eren's very own best friend.

You smile brightly, channeling all the optimism you could into changing the topic: “Everyone’s trying their best today! Sasha did all the catering and managed to leave the cake perfectly alone even though it’s her favorite flavor. She has the patience of a saint today.”

As if on cue, there’s a commotion in the background. Jean yells at Sasha, “Don’t finish all the lemon-pepper wings Potato Girl!”

Armin laughs and it's a pretty sound, a sound that reminds you of a bell chime. Unconsciously, he shifts closer to you, knees knocking into yours.

“Yeah, you’re right. Connie's even hosting it, and he let us decorate his man cave."

You look at the streamers and balloons, and Armin follows your eyes.

“You did a great job decorating.”

You blush, “It was honestly a team effort. Mikasa did way more, I promise.”

“So humble”, he teased. As he smooths his slacks, your eyes can’t help but fall on the shine of the silver band on his slender finger, an engagement ring.

“Annie couldn’t make it today?” There’s a flash of a grimace on his face but he schools his features right away.

“She doesn’t really like parties,” he laughs softly, “She’s like Eren in that way.”

“Oh,” you paused. He was clearly hiding something but it wasn’t in your place to pry. You didn’t know much about Annie. In fact, you were a little intimidated by her icy demeanor and arctic eyes. It amused you at first when you learned she was Armin’s partner.

Opposites must attract, because where Annie was the cold seeping into your bones, Armin was a furnace radiating warmth.

There wasn’t much more to say with the conversation heading to a peaceful silence, until his arms lightly touch yours, “I’m really glad you came.”

His fingertips graze the sleeve of your dress.

You flush, “Well, I wouldn’t be a very good girlfriend if I didn't come to his birthday party.”

The pretty blond clicks his tongue, “I suppose.” He inhales, thumbs swiping the rim of his glass, “You’re too good for him. Do you know that?”

To say you were surprised would be an understatement. You don’t have a response ready but Armin continues, “I love Eren of course. Been friends with him since we were children but-” Deep sigh, “I feel like I barely know him anymore. No one knows him anymore.”

In a small voice, you squeak “I do.” But the unsureness of your tone made your words seem like it was a question.

Armin smiles, one that’s filled with mirth.

Boldly, he squeezes your thigh, the flesh right below where your dress ends, “You deserve better.” His oceanic eyes seem darker under the dim lighting.

Why weren’t you moving away? Were you letting his hand itch closer to roaming the softness underneath silky fabric?

You swivel your head around, praying no one is seeing anything. Thankfully everyone was too swept up in their own conversations. As if to soothe you, his hands draw circles on the soft pliant skin, “Don’t worry, no one can see us.”

The ring glints harshly. Admittedly, Eren’s soft-spoken best friend is just a little attractive. You didn’t always think to see him this way, but Armin changed, and all the general anxiety he possessed matured into a quiet confidence.

He reminds you of Eren in that way. But still, you're at crossroads here. Is Armin making a move on you? Is he warning you? Should you even be here right n-

Your internal monologue is interrupted by Mikasa clapping her hands, and then putting a finger on her lips, “We’re going to turn off the lights, ok? They’ll be here in a few minutes. When Eren starts coming in, yell surprise.” Armin hand’s leave your legs, the warmth gone.

“Oy, oy, oy. Don’t we need a signal?” Connie asks, confusion apparent on his face.

“Jesus Connie, if you can’t even figure this out, what are we going to do with you?” quips Jean.

Mikasa shakes her head.

Sasha lightly punches her best friend, “It’s okay Coomer, just follow my lead.”

“How will that work since you’re stupider than me?” The hazel eyed boy asks, voice dripping in concern. “Eh?” Sasha replies with an equally concerned tone.

Mikasa pinches the bridge of her nose, “I’m going to turn the light off now.”

Eren would be here soon. You barely register Armin putting his arm around the couch, not around you per se, but the proximity was close enough to send your heart racing.

In the switch of a light, the room was engulfed in darkness and excited giggles that Mikasa promptly hushed. And then was just the sound of breathing. You could hear yours and you could hear Armin’s.

Softly, the blond uttered, “I’m going to do something I’ve always wanted to do.” You could feel featherlight fingers tilting your jaw, and capturing your pillowy lips.

The doorknob rattled. Soon after, light from the hallway trickled in. A still moment. As soon as the kiss started, it ended. A flash of light exploded before your eyes and a cacophony of people yelling Surprise! rang out.

At the center of attention was Eren Yeager, who...did not look surprised at all. His eyes were not even adjusting to the light the way yours was. A tall redhead accompanied him, someone who you vaguely recognize as Floch.

The birthday boy was clad in a white button-up, sleeves rolled to his elbows and the top button was unfastened. His dress pants were slim-fitting and black.

The green-eyed boy’s face was devoid of expression. In comparison to his stoic nature, you thought your heart was going to explode.

Wryly Armin says, “Oh look, your boyfriend has arrived.” As if on cue, Eren’s eyes locked with yours.

At that moment, there were too many things to process.

Luckily, Eren was surrounded by a small crowd of his closest friends. You could hear Jean cackle, “Come on! You’re not even surprised.”

You turned your head to face the boy who took advantage of the darkness, a scarlet blush staining your face, “Why did you-?!”

He gazed at you with shining eyes like he had found clarity, not even bothering to feign guilt. With agility only he had, he took your palm in his, “I know you used to like me.”

Blood rushing in your ears, you tear your hands “What are you doing? Eren’s right there. Don’t touch me.” You hissed, scooting away for good measure.

“You didn’t deny what I said.” The blond pointed out calmly, “Yeager is no good for you. He keeps you in the dark about his life and he’s certainly not loyal..”

“I-I can’t deal with this. I never expected this from you Armin.” You shot up from the couch, trepidation filling your nerves, “Now if you excuse me, I’m going to greet my boyfriend.” You uttered the last word with as much hostility you could muster.

Mikasa had her arms wrapped around Eren. Which was fine. They’re best friends. They’ve known each other far longer than you knew him. He thinks of her as a sister.

He thinks of her as a sister.

You walked over, looming behind them. Most of the crowd had dispersed, with only Eren and the Ackerman girl lost in their own world.

What is wrong with you? You scold yourself. You didn’t usually think like this.

“[Y/N]”

Eren noticed you right away, and Mikasa turned around to face you.

“Sorry [y/n], didn’t mean to take so much of his time from you.” The dark-haired girl smiled apologetically.

You could feel guilt gnaw at you, how could you ever suspect her? She waved to Eren, and warmly thanked you, “You did so much of the planning. Thank you.” And before you could reply, she left.

That left you alone with the man himself. “Hi.” You said shyly. He smirked, “Hi babe. Long time no see huh.”

His viridian eyes slowly roamed your appearance, head to toe. You blushed under his stare as they paused longer than necessary on the dip of your neckline, and the expanse of legs not covered by the silk dress.

“So you did all this?” He teased, vaguely gesturing to the string lights, and hanging paper flowers.

He steps closer to you until he’s just a breath away. “Hardly. Just helped out wherever I could.” You whisper.

He hugs you, his tall frame enveloping yours. You feel so safe, pressed against his chest, as his arms compass the slight of your back.

His cologne is your favorite. Subtle, and intoxicating with thick notes of spice. You sniff something else, something overpoweringly distinct.

Still enclosed in his arms, you look up to him, “Did you drink?”

He takes a step back, still wrapping an arm to your waist, “I met up with Zeke. He offered me a drink.”

“Zeke?” You questioned, “You visited your brother?”

Eren was privy to sharing details about his life and you knew virtually next to nothing about Zeke, his half-brother he came recently in contact with.

He kisses the top of your head, and you can feel the loose strands that escaped his bun tickle your face, “It’s nothing to worry your pretty little head about.”

He keeps you in the dark about his life.

“You were cozying up with Armin on that couch, weren’t you?” His tone is light, containing a thinly veiled accusation.

You laugh it off, hoping he wouldn’t notice how tense you suddenly got, “No, no. We were just talking. I was sure I was going to kill myself out of boredom just waiting for you.”

Snuggling closer to him, you stand on your tippy-toes to kiss his jawline, trying to distract him from wavering thoughts.

“Oh?” He asked, “Armin wasn’t entertaining you well enough? Well, he does have a tendency to babble about nothing.”

As he talked, you had a feeling he wasn’t really looking at you, but rather peering straight behind you.

An uneasy feeling fills your lungs, “Um Eren, let’s head to the kitchen. I can fix you a plate. Niccolo did the catering so you know it’ll be really good-”

The tall boy waved your suggestion away, “Not hungry. In fact, why don’t we head over to my best friend? I haven’t talked to him in a while.” You didn't appreciate the mocking lilt in his tone.

Before you could dissuade him, he was already pulling your wrist so you could turn, hand placed on the small of your back, leading you somewhere you definitely did not want to go.

The charming blond was still situated on the couch but this time joined by a woman who was talking rather animatedly. You vaguely recognized her by her chin-length wavy ash-colored locks. Hitch.

“-Annie is so lucky! Jesus, I can’t believe you guys are engaged! And Marlowe still hasn’t worked up the nerve to-”

Eren coughed, asserting his presence. Two pairs of eyes flitted upwards. Hitch sighed dramatically, “Well if it isn’t the birthday boy. The big 2-0. You’re not a teen anymore Yeager. Think you’re ready for the adult world?”

Your boyfriend, who was never one for false pretenses and small talk, ignored her question entirely, “Hello Hitch. If you don’t mind, I would like to catch up with Armin here.”

The woman rolled her eyes, “Guess that’s my cue to leave.” As she stood up, she looked back and forth between the boys, noting the animosity that seemed to permeate the air as they burned holes into each other.

“Why are the vibes so tense? The energies you two are radiating...is reminiscent of a pissing contest”

Without really intending to, you let out a chuckle, attracting the attention of the three people around you.

Hitch’s eyes softened, “[Y/n], I haven’t seen you in a minute. Let’s go do shots with Mina and Hanna.”

Eren’s grip on you tightened, “She’s staying right here Hitch. Enjoy yourself though”

“Funny, I don’t recall asking you. Your girlfriend can’t speak for herself?”

“Uhm, thanks for the offer Hitch but no thank you, I’m not really in the mood to drink right now.” You chuckle nervously, flashing a big enough smile that will ascertain that everything is okay.

Hitch shrugs, “Suit yourself”, and proceeds to walk away.

“Well, I suppose I have to thank you for driving her away. She’s quite...talkative.” Armin breaks the silence. He addresses you both but his eyes are trained on you, “Back already [y/n]?” An easy smile spreads across his face.

You don't look at Eren’s face to gauge his reaction, but you notice how the hand around your waist squeezes almost painfully. The boys stand up to shake hands. Armin gestures for the two of you to sit but the dark-haired boy waves it away, “We prefer to stand.”

The blond gazes between the two of you questioningly but seemingly accept Eren’s response, “Okay then. Guess I’ll stand too.”

“Where’s Annie? Trouble brewing in paradise?”

Armin’s smile hardens, “Don’t know how you’d assume that. She’s just not here.”

Unease pinpricks at you. You could feel trepidation in the air.

“What a shame. Doesn’t Annie like me?” Eren taunts before delivering a line you didn’t expect, “I recall a time where she liked me much more than you actually.”

Surprise is an understatement for how you feel. You didn’t even want to register the implication of his statement. Did Eren and Annie have a past? You lightly touch Eren’s arm in a hint of a warning, “Eren-”

The blond shakes his head, “You’re really something else, you know? Talking about another woman so brazenly in front of your girlfriend? Are you projecting your insecurity onto me since you know” he tilts his head in your direction, “[y/n] liked me first?”

You fluster immediately, jaw-dropping slightly. It was true. You did have a rather big crush on the intelligent blond boy who sat next to you in a class that bored you to sleep. But there was nothing between you two beyond a handful of platonic study dates from when you were freshmen!

Too many moving variables. He was dating Annie and not being the homewrecker type, tried to squash the interest you had. Besides, you were planning to drop that class anyways, and in a twist of fate, it was Armin who had inadvertently introduced you to Eren.

Also, how did that damn Arlert know and why was he bringing it up today of all days?!

Your boyfriend sneers, “Does that really matter when she’s with me? When she’s dating me. And. Not. You.” He punctures the last words out.

“Uhm, I’m right here-” You finally find your voice, “And I’m not really comfortable with being discussed like this.”

Armin’s eyes find yours, “Of course. Sorry [Y/n]. It’s super disrespectful of me-”

Eren cuts in with words heavier than bullets, “Shut the fuck up. Always desperate to play the white knight in shining armor aren’t you? Your duplicity makes me sick.”

As if sensing an oncoming attack, Eren pivots away from you, creating some distance.

Armin closes the gap between himself and the dark-haired boy and bunches Eren’s collar in his fist, “You don’t know how to treat people, you know that? So full of yourself that you think basic decency has an ulterior motive.”

Eren’s eyes dance with mirth, “There’s always an ulterior motive with you, isn’t there though?”. He forcefully shoves his friend, sending Armin stumbling a few steps backward, “You really like pretending you’re one of the good guys when your hands are blood-stained like the rest of us.

You can hear the blood rushing in your ear and you attempt to get in the middle of the impending conflict but Eren grabs your arm with a painful force. He growls,“Step back”. You obey.

“Don’t touch her touch like that.” Armin snarls.

“She’s my fucking girlfriend. I’ll touch her however I want. By the way, just because your little fiance is giving you a hard time doesn’t give you the right to leer at what’s mine.”

At this point you realize you come to your senses, and you leave the area quickly to get help. You scan the area around looking for Mikasa. She’s reliable and always knows what to do. You try to calm your panicked heart.

Gaining speed, you nearly fall by running into someone in the long hallway. Thankfully, the good samaritan is able to catch you in time, holding your shoulders in a firm but comforting grip.

You look up, eager to thank the man who caught you. Mullet. Tall. Slight scruff at the chin. You recognize him right away.

“Woah y/n, what are you running for?” He asks in amusement but one look at your teary eyes has him instantly concerned, “Hey, hey. Are you okay?”

“I-uh,” You’re blubbering, “Armin and Eren are acting kinda strange--I think Mikasa should calm them down.”

Jean’s eyebrows are furrowed, “Strange how? She stepped out so she’s not here right now.” You bite your lips, wondering how you were going to explain the situation.

Jean grabs your shoulder, “Hey, don’t worry. I’ll settle this. Can you take me to them?”

You nod, supremely grateful to have Jean in your corner. As you guys take a turn to the living room, you hear the excruciating sound of glass breaking. “Shit!” Jean curses.

In the middle of the living room stood Eren and Armin like centerpieces, beating the ever-living shit out of each other. You couldn’t see much beyond the fact Armin was throwing punches left and right, landing some but Eren was able to dodge most.

As you move to run forward, Jean grabs you, “No. Stop. There’s glass everywhere. You’re going to get hurt.”

You’re incredulous, “I can’t just let them hurt each other!”

Jean merely looks at you with a look of pity,

#armin arlert fanfic #armin arlet x you #eren yeager x reader #eren yeager x you #eren jeager x reader #armin and eren fight over you #attack on titan headcanons #attack on titan fanfiction #tw manipulation #tw gaslighting #tw fighting #manipulator armin

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mochaquokka · 4 years ago

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Monsta X

⊱ Shownu

◈ sapphire

━ brings spiritual enlightenment, inner peace, wisdom, insight, and discernment to choose what’s right

⊱ Wonho

I know he’s not in mx but shhh

◈ aquamarine

━ promotes calmness, spirituality, & mental clarity

⊱ Minhyuk

◈ emerald

━ symbolizes vitality, honesty, and fidelity

⊱ Kihyun

◈ alexandrite and onyx

━ promotes emotional balance, creativity, & imagination | enhances confidence and authority and guards from romantic obsession (beware of kihyun)

⊱ Hyungwon

◈ morganite

I feel like there’s more for him tho

━ reduces stress, stimulates calm, brings wisdom, and gives purpose

⊱ Joohoney

◈ mexican fire opal and bloodstone

━ stone of optimism, luck, abundance, creativity, and passion | believed to earn the wearer consideration and respect and to impart health and protection from deception in business dealings

⊱ Changkyun

◈ moonstone and amethyst (plus more maybe)

━ the moonlight refractions were once believed to be benevolent spirits | symbolizes royalty, passion, daring, and dreaminess. helps psychic thoughts and intuitions, heals headaches or insomnia, and gives the wearer a sense of calm

#ok this layout is better #this will make sense at some point #monsta x #shownu #wonho #minhyuk #kihyun #hyungwon #jooheon #joohoney #changkyun #synesthesia

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eskalations · 4 years ago

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With her distorted vision, she was able to make out the form of Master Hawkeye standing from his chair. The creak of the floorboards beneath him signaled that he was getting closer. Even as tired as she was, she could feel her heart rate pick up at his proximity.

This was not good.

This was not good.A set of Genderbend AU Royai One Shots

Read from the beginning (x)

A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update everyone. I'm Marketing Director for a company that has two separate locations and the coronavirus has been testing us recently. I'm about to start writing more oneshots that take place within the fma canon - however, there were some aspects of the story I want to build up first.

Please let me know what you think and if you're still reading! It's always nice to see how many of you are actually enjoying this fanfic!

Augenblick, East Area – Fall of 1903

As the leaves and fields turned golden, Raina settled into country life alongside her teacher and his son. The life she led in Augenblick was far different from the one she led in Central – however, her natural determination and hunger for knowledge was enough to have her adapting to the ways that had once seemed somewhat beneath her.

Master Hawkeye ran a tight operation on his "estate" – despite the fact, that it only housed three occupants.

Breakfast was had at six sharp and anyone who did not show up to the table within the given timeframe would end up having to go hungry until lunch. Raina's lessons would start at seven with Master Hawkeye typically giving her literature to read over while he prattled on with his own work. The two rarely spoke in the early hours of the morning.

From the little snippets, she had gotten from him in regards to his research, she knew he was attempting to create a new subset of alchemy. According to him, this alchemy would be used to help a great number of people and would be the most powerful alchemy of all. Beyond that, he would tell her nothing. Sometimes she wondered if he was truthfully creating anything at all. He seemed much too detached from reality to be able to focus on something for so long and so hard.

He had his moments of clarity, though.

Raina would be reading the literature she had been provided with, when suddenly the man would turn in his chair and fix her with his beady stare. His stringy, blonde hair paired with his beaklike nose bore a striking resemblance to his namesake. Once his eyes were fixed on her, she knew what time it was.

His quizzing was often brutal. He asked her the most obscure questions that could be drawn from the text. Until she produced the exact answer he desired, he would force her to reread the paragraphs again, refusing to let her lessons continue any further until he was satisfied. Most days, Raina found herself staring at two pages for the majority of her waking hours, trying her hardest to memorize what was written to produce the most optimal answer. It was exhausting.

Even when lunch would roll around, Master Hawkeye would not allow her to break. His son would bring their meals to the study – Master's usually going relatively untouched as he continued on with his own tasks – and force her to eat and study while remaining in his presence. By this point, the young girl's dark eyes would be starting to droop – however, she refused to fold. She was going to show him that she was a worthy apprentice for him to pass on his research to.

The afternoon was spent in a style much like the morning. While Master Hawkeye would work on his own, only pausing to quiz her, Raina would continue her own independent reading. The only difference in the afternoons was that she was finally allowed to start working with transmutation circles. This was her favorite time of the day since she got to apply the knowledge she was studying to actual, physical alchemy. While Master Hawkeye never smiled and hardly ever gave her a word of encouragement, she could tell that he was relatively impressed by the ease in which she applied the knowledge.

The only strange break in her day that seemed to occur like clockwork was around three in the afternoon. Master Hawkeye would turn in his chair and give her a look, one that clearly asked her to remove herself from his presence. At this time, she would pick up her books and vacate the room completely, taking her notes with her.

Much like his father, Raina discovered that Ray Hawkeye operated on a similar schedule every day as well. What he did while she was in his father's study, she could never be sure – however, she had a feeling he tended to the gardens that lay in the back of the property if his sweaty appearance was any indication of what he had been doing. Raina found this action strange, since the front gardens looked so abysmal, but once when she had gotten the courage to ask why the back gardens had been so well maintained, the man had frozen up and hadn't spoken to her for the rest of the night afterwards.

Such a response wasn't completely unusual, though. Raina had found that it was difficult to hold much of a conversation with the very stoic, very guarded young Mr. Hawkeye. She had tried to be his friend, but it was becoming more and more clear that he was not too interested in striking up a friendship with a slip of a fourteen-year-old girl.

The only time he bothered to pay any attention to her, beyond mealtime, was when he allowed her to accompany him on his hunting trips. They very rarely spoke – however, he didn't act like her presence was much of a nuisance and she truly enjoyed the opportunity to escape the house, even if it was just for a moment.

Master Hawkeye's dismissal would only last for about two hours, before he would be calling her back in again. Usually, upon her entrance, he would immediately produce a piece of paper and ask for her to regurgitate word-for-word a certain paragraph from the book, just to be sure she had actually done the reading he had asked her to do during her "break". Much like when she was verbally quizzed, she would be asked to study further if her answers didn't match what the text said.

She would continue this way until dinnertime, when she would finally be excused for good from the room and would go to join the younger Hawkeye in the kitchen. Her mentor would never follow her, preferring to take his meal in his study where he could continue his work.

After a quiet dinner with her teacher's son, she would typically go to her room to study the passages Master Hawkeye had given her for overnight work. She tried to ignore the unsettling feeling that would nestle its way in her belly as she watched Ray enter his father's study with a plate in hand, the steely look in his eyes evidence of both fear and resignation. Even when she stayed up half the night, she could hardly ever remember the door closing to signal him exiting the study. What went on in there after she had retired for the night, she would probably never know, and in the end, it wasn't really her business anyway.

That didn't keep her heart from racing though every time she watched it happen.

Tonight, however, seemed to be playing out a bit differently.

She had finished her dinner when Master Hawkeye had called her back into his study, something that only happened on a rare occasion. Usually it was to assign her more work or to change the topic of the next day's lesson – but he surprised her by gesturing for her to close the door and sit on the couch behind him.

She was hesitant, but chose to listen to her teacher.

Once she was seated, the man allowed the silence to fill the room for an uncomfortable set of minutes. The only sound produced between the two was that of the fire crackling in the small study's hearth. Raina busied herself by straightening out her simple brown skirt, the nervous sweat that had broken out across her hands, sinking gratefully into the fabric.

This was unusual behavior even for the very eccentric Master Hawkeye.

"Would you like a drink, Miss Mustang?"

Those words were amongst the last she thought she would hear when she had been brought into his office. It was enough to make her pause for a moment, shock written across her features.

She knew that Master Hawkeye was a terrible drunk. Even throughout the day, he would sit at his desk and nurse a glass of whiskey. There were some days when he wouldn't even bother with a glass at all, preferring to drink straight from the bottle. The man seemed to have an endless supply of alcohol stocked up.

Growing up in a bar, this wasn't unusual behavior for her to behold. Raina had seen more than her fair share of drunken men in her time with Madam Christmas. The only thing that concerned her about Master Hawkeye's obsession with drink was the possibility of hidden violent tendencies. She had seen the bruises on her housemate and it wasn't terribly hard to figure out where they had come from.

These thoughts were enough to keep her hesitant in partaking in her own mentor's seemingly favorite pastime. Master Hawkeye though, did not seem ready to take no for an answer.

"Well?" The man asked, his hand shaking as he held up a half full glass towards her as an offering. His expression was hard to read – much like it always was – but she could see the curiosity buried beneath his nonchalant façade. He was testing her.

Raina was not one to back down from a challenge – ever. When she was sent to study under the older Hawkeye, she had promised herself that by the time she had finished her studies, the man would see her as a lady and a worthy successor. There was no worse insult that you could give her than to refer to her as a "child." It seemed her teacher had picked up on that.

Careful to keep her expression blank, Raina reached out for the glass. Somehow, she was able to keep her hand from shaking as she accepted it. Master Hawkeye did not seem surprised by her actions – almost as though he had known she would take the bait. It was moments like these when she remembered just how intelligent the seemingly detached older man was.

The two sat in silence as they sipped the fiery liquid. Raina fought to keep a choke back as the warm alcohol coated her throat and burned her esophagus. Certainly, she had snuck some sips here and there when in the company of her sisters, but nothing they gave her was quite as strong as the drink Master Hawkeye seemed to favor.

The man finished his glass before slamming it back on his desk, causing his inkwell and pen to jump. It took every ounce of strength she had in her for Raina to keep from jumping herself.

"So…." Master Hawkeye began in that low, gravelly tone of his. Dark, beady eyes watched her carefully as he phrased his next question. "How have you enjoyed your studies?"

Raina was surprised by his casual demeanor. He never spoke to her so conversationally. In fact, she was pretty sure that beyond her initial introduction to the man, she hadn't spoken more than ten words to him about anything other than the things she was learning.

In her shock, she gulped her drink down hurriedly, trying to put off answering his rather out-of-the-blue question. She had been studying under him for near 4 months now, so why was he asking her this all of a sudden?

Noticing her drink was empty, Master Hawkeye gestured for her to hold her drink out so he could refill it. With a slight buzz already coursing through her veins, the girl accepted.

She took a careful sip before finally answering his question.

"I came here to learn, sir." She formed the words slowly, trying to keep the man from sensing any hesitancy in her statement. She cleared her throat before continuing "I have learned quite a bit so far and feel like I have made some progress in my alchemical studies."

Master Hawkeye raised a blonde brow at her words. "So, you have been satisfied with my teaching?"

"Yes, sir." Raina answered, thoroughly confused by his inquiry. She tried to think back to what she could have done earlier that day that would have led to such a conversation, but her mind was drawing a blank. She took another sip of whiskey, allowing the liquid to burn her throat. "I hope I have given you no indication of being dissatisfied with it, Master Hawkeye."

The man sat back in his chair, taking a long drag from his own glass.

"No, not at all." He answered truthfully, his eyes moving from her to follow the movements of the contents that lay in the glass in his hand. He twirled the cup around and watched as the golden liquid sloshed against its sides. His gaze was pensive, narrowed as he took in the sight. "I was just curious."

Raina took another drink from her own glass, fighting back the urge to ask what had brought on such a wave of curiosity. Master Hawkeye was certainly eccentric in his own way and she had learned early on that it was better not to question his actions – especially if the bruises on his son's body were any indication.

Another wave of silence settled over the room as the fire crackled on. From beyond the lone glass window of the study, Raina could hear the call of an owl deep in the forest as the moon rose higher in the sky. She was usually finishing up her studying by now and readying herself for bed. At this rate, she wasn't going to be able to wake up in time to start her studies in the morning.

However, she knew not to rush her teacher. If he wanted her presence there, she was going to stay. She also wanted to figure out what his look earlier had meant – the one that was so full of a challenge as though he were trying to size her up. Surely, there had to be something more to that.

Just like the good competitor she was – Raina continued to drink, matching her mentor's own intake. Rather than cautioning her and reminding her of her age, Master Hawkeye continued to fill her glass, watching as she tossed the contents back.

It wasn't until she was halfway through her fourth glass that he finally asked the question she was assuming he had been wanting to ask.

"How did your aunt find out about me?"

Raina paused at the question, setting her glass down on the small table that lay near the hearth. By this time, her buzz had turned into a full-on drunken stupor and she could tell her mind was running a bit slower than usual. That didn't stop her from answering his question, though.

"I read your work." Even to her own ears, she could tell the words were slurred. By this time, it was a struggle to even keep her eyes focused on the man that sat in front of her, especially in the swaying light coming from the flames that danced in the fireplace. "My aunt had a contact who suggested you to her."

"What kind of contact?" He pried further, taking a sip of his drink.

"A military man."

Through the haze of the alcohol, she could see her teacher's features darken with those words. She should have known that would anger him. He hated the military.

"What was his name?"

"I have no idea." Even with a slur, her words were honest. By now, she was slumped somewhat lazily on the arm of the couch – a position she would have never allowed her teacher to see her in had she been in her right mind. She couldn't help it though; her limbs were so heavy and even the act of talking was becoming exhausting. "She didn't tell me."

Though her teacher could see she wasn't lying, it didn't stop displeasure from leaking into his tone.

"Military men are good for nothing slobs. All they have the desire to do is climb the ranks until they can't anymore – and for what reason? To bed a few more girls and conquer a couple more quadrants? It's disgusting." The man took one last drink from his glass before slamming it down on the table in his frustration. This time, Raina did jump.

If she had been sober, the young girl would have probably found herself offended at an older man speaking of such vulgar things in front of her, but as it was, she was too far gone to care. However, his words did spark her own curiosity.

"But State Alchemists – "

" – are also good for nothings who sold their souls to the State." The man's tone brook no room for argument. His hands shook with anger as he gripped the arms of his chair. "The only difference between them and soldiers is that they have the ability to kill more and faster when used in war."

"That's not all they – " Raina tried to reason, but Master Hawkeye's dark eyes had her clamping her mouth shut. She was in no state to argue anyways.

"They are dogs of the military, Miss Mustang." Master Hawkeye's tone was lethal. Just the sound of it had the hairs on the young girl's arms standing on end. "That's all they will ever be and all that they will ever be good for."

She would have responded, but she found that she couldn't. In the past few minutes, the spinning of the room had grown to an unbearable point. She was having trouble even holding her head up.

In fact, she was pretty sure her cheek was pressing firmly against the arm of the couch now. She couldn't remember ever slouching down far enough to end up in a half laid out position. At least her feet were still planted on the ground, keeping her skirt from lifting up to her knees.

Or at least she thought they were? She was having a bit of trouble figuring out which of her limbs were doing what since they felt so damn heavy.

While her vision had simply been haze-y before, it was now blurred to an uncomfortable level. Even the dim light in the room coming from the fireplace and single lamp were causing her discomfort. Everything was too bright.

She should have known better than to drink so much. How much had she had? Three? Maybe four drinks? Or was it five?

She truly couldn't remember.

This was not good.

Before he could make it to the couch where she sat, Raina heard through the whooshing in her ears, the sound of the door being swung open with unimaginable force. If she hadn't been so tired, she might have even jumped at the sudden noise.

"That's enough, father."

Raina recognized the voice of young . While the roaring in her ears was loud, she could tell even with the alcohol coursing through her veins that his words were said in a tone that was trembling with anger.

She had never seen him act so stern with his father before. Most of the time he acted rather fearful of the man. He must have been pretty mad to speak to him in such a way, especially in front of her.

With blurred vision, she watched as the younger man entered the room, stepping between the couch and his father. From her position resting on the arm, Raina got a view of the young man's back, his broad shoulders stretching out much farther than his father's own bone-y ones. It really was surprising that such a fit young man could ever be fearful of such a frail old man.

But she knew that if the bruises he usually tried to hide were any indication, then Master Hawkeye was not the weakling he seemed to be. There must be some kind of rage built up within him that gave him the ability to pack punches that could hit that hard.

Though drunk, Raina was scared that the two men in front of her might start throwing punches while she lay out of commission. She wasn't sure she would be able to find the strength to push herself off the couch if the opportunity arose, so she stuck with having a coughing fit in an attempt to remind her houseguests that she was still there.

The sound seemed to break the tension between the two men.

"Consider it a lesson." Master Hawkeye spoke lowly, anger bubbling just beneath the surface at the audacity of his son to speak to him in such a way. With his hands planted firmly on his hips, the man leaned in closer to the younger one, making sure that he heard every word. "She needs to learn not to overindulge."

"You know that's not what you were trying to do." Surprisingly, even in the face of his father's threatening demeanor, Ray would not back down. He stood – unmoving – in front of the young girl on the couch, forming a human shield to keep her away from the old alchemist. "I would suggest you stop before you do something you'll come to regret."

The two men stared menacingly at each other. The only thing that broke their gaze was another coughing fit coming from the third body in the room. This time, Raina didn't even need to force the cough forward. She was beginning to feel nauseous and felt as though the room was spinning. All she wanted to do was sleep.

Noticing her pallor, Ray turned to face her and crouched beside her head, ignoring his father who still stood behind him.

"Miss Mustang?" He called out, but Raina felt as though her lips had been sewn shut. The heaviness she had been feeling in her limbs had now travelled to every part of her body. Even the effort of forming words at this point was too much. She tried to make eye contact with him, but even her eyelids felt like they were being weighed down. "Can you stand?"

The girl heard what he was asking, but it took her a moment to make sense of the words. Even after she had put everything together, her lips wouldn't move to answer his question.

Ray waited a moment before acting. Even with blurred vision, Raina registered the feeling of a strong pair of arms lifting her from the couch. She fought back the urge to vomit as she was held tightly against her housemate's broad chest. If the situation had been any different, she would have been flushed from being in such close proximity to the young man. However, as it was, she was flushed for a completely different reason.

Ignoring his father's deadly look, Ray carefully carried the young girl out of the room.

It took every ounce of strength in Raina's body to keep herself from puking all over the man as he walked up the staircase at a snail's pace. She appreciated his effort to be gentle with her, but even the gentle sway of his steps was sending her head into a tailspin. All she could do was breathe deeply and count down the seconds until they made it to her room.

Before she knew it, she heard a door being creaked open. Just a few more steps and she was being placed down on the soft woolen blanket of her bed. Grateful for the return to a solid surface, the girl curled up on her side and brought her knees to her stomach, willing the world to stop spinning long enough for her to draw the strength to give her housemate a word of thanks.

However, her lips still felt too heavy to move.

She could feel sleep claiming her as she continued to struggle against the seemingly never-ending spinning that plagued her head. Before falling unconscious, she heard a soft thud and sigh coming from the other side of the room.

With sleep claiming her, the last thought she had was that she had never heard her housemate leave the room.

A few hours later, Raina awoke to the world still spinning. Though her vision was clear and she could just make out the moon shining through the lone window of her room, it did nothing to help the visual distortions that remained from the alcohol.

Oh, she was going to hurl.

Without warning, she bolted up into a sitting position, the urge too hard to fight. Right before she opened her mouth – resolute on expelling the toxins from her body and dealing with the embarrassment of the situation later – a bucket was placed under her chin. Too nauseous to care where it had come from, Raina allowed nature to take over.

The alcohol tasted even worse on its second trip up her throat. A slight burning in her nose signaled that some of it had probably come out that way, too. It could have been minutes or it could have been hours, that she sat there with her head in the bucket. The ill feeling that currently plagued her seemed like it was never going to end.

Even after she had rid herself of the contents of her stomach, she couldn't bring herself to stop dry heaving. In the distance, she could hear someone releasing choked sobs, it took her a moment to realize that those were coming from her.

It also took her a moment to realize that she soft pressure that lay on her back was a hand.

She wanted to recoil from the touch, her skin slick with sweat and dampening the fabric of both her button down and skirt – however, a face in her peripheral caused her to pause. It wasn't Master Hawkeye like she had thought. Even through the tears that had gathered in her eyes, she could just make out the face of Ray Hawkeye.

His blonde hair was just as it had been earlier and he still wore his usual cotton shirt and slacks, signaling that he had never turned in for the night. If she looked behind him, she would have noticed a blanket sitting by the door, telltale evidence that he had remained by her side after putting her to bed.

He had even thought to grab a bucket, knowing exactly where the night was going to lead.

After several minutes of dry heaving, Raina finally felt as though she had regained her composure. She was somewhat worried about her hair, knowing that when she leaned forward, it usually got in her way – but Ray's other rough hand had gathered it behind her back and was holding it away from the bucket. She was so grateful for his actions that she almost cried.

She hated crying, though and willed herself to keep from weeping any longer. She was already embarrassed by the tears she had allowed to escape during her moment of weakness.

Seeing that she was feeling a bit better after getting rid of the contents of her stomach, Ray set the bucket down wordlessly beside the bed. His warm hands left her body and reached for the side table. Though the room continued to spin for her, Raina could make out the glint of a glass in the moonlight.

He was passing her a cup of water.

She was still nauseous, but the dry skin of her lips begged for some sort of liquid to dampen the surface. Ray held the glass to her mouth and she took a careful sip at first to see how her stomach would react. After a few more small sips, she found herself grabbing the glass herself and greedily throwing the water back.

Ray watched as she finished the drink, not leaving a single drop behind.

"Careful," He warned, taking the glass from her grip. He set it down on the table, next to a large pitcher of water. Noticing her longing gaze, he gave her a look of reproach. "You don't want to irritate your stomach."

His voice was gravelly from exhaustion and even in the dim light of the room, she could tell his amber eyes were bloodshot. It was much past his bedtime.

"What time is it?" She heard herself ask, though it sounded more like a whisper than anything. Though she could make out the moon shining through her window, it was too low in the sky for it to still be considered night. It must have been getting closer to dawn. Ray soon proved her theory correct.

"It's four," He remarked, handing her a cloth to wipe her mouth with. She accepted it gratefully. "In two hours, it will be time for breakfast."

Raina groaned at the thought of food, her stomach uneasy just at the mention. At her adverse reaction, Ray fixed her with a warning glare.

"None of that." His hand reached out to retrieve the cloth after she was done, laying it flat on the table beside the now empty glass. "You're going to have to eat something. I have some frozen bacon I'm going to fix since greasy foods are supposed to help with hangovers."

Raina groaned again, this time in embarrassment. "I can't believe I drank enough to get a hangover."

"I can't either." Ray agreed, disapproval littering his tone. At such reproach, Raina could feel herself shrinking back into the pillows of her bed, trying to avoid his gaze. "Hopefully, you've learned your lesson."

Raina wanted to fight against the words of censure. She hated being scolded like a child – however, there was a glint of something in his eyes that gave her pause.

He had been worried.

"Don't drink like that with my father, ever again." It wasn't a suggestion; it was a command. "I'm only telling you this for your own good."

Remembering the look of morbid curiosity in Master Hawkeye's eyes and his movements towards her during her inebriation, Raina could feel herself nodding in agreement.

"Okay."

Ray's shoulders relaxed at her words, having expected a fight from the girl.

"Good." He filled her glass with water once more, before crouching back down and presenting it to her. "Drink a little bit more. Stay awake until I come back."

While she was confused by his words, she did as he said. Grabbing the bucket beside the bed, Ray walked from the room to dump its contents. By the time he got back, she had already finished her second glass of water and was lying back against her pillows, her strength having returned enough for her to situate herself underneath the covers.

Ray placed the bucket beside the bed once more, something she was grateful for.

"Thank you." Her voice was hoarse, but she hoped he could tell her thanks was genuine. Though her memory was fuzzy, she had a feeling that her housemate had saved her from a potentially dangerous situation.

Ray seemed surprised, but nodded nonetheless. "You're welcome."

Raina snuggled into her pillows, trying hard not to turn her head too suddenly. She felt better after vomiting – however, she knew she couldn't get too comfortable. One wrong move and the room would be spinning once more.

After settling, she noticed that Ray had gone to sit by the door, a blanket spread out over his lap.

"Are you going to stay?" The words sprung forth before she could think better of them. Truth be known, she hoped that he would. She felt much safer with him in the room.

"Yes."

The look on his face made it obvious that even if she had wanted to argue, it wouldn't have changed his mind. She could see from the determined look in his eye that he had chosen to be her guard dog for the rest of the night.

Raina turned her back to the young man, desperate to hide the blush that flooded her cheeks.

"Good night, Mr. Mustang."

"Good night, Miss Mustang."

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