#cottage era i miss you cottage era take me back | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lucky-clover-gazette · 2 years

Text

(5971 words, rated g) in which shadow and vio cover an impressive amount of conversational and emotional ground. we've got some comedy, some angst, some hurt/comfort. we've got references to shadow's cringe blog from the manga side content, a retelling of their villain era through flashbacks (kind of), more stolen furniture, their first "i love you," a panic attack, asexuality, shadow trying to eat a dry erase marker, and so much more. this is nostalgic media for lots of people but i just learned about it last week. this fic is essentially my love letter to the story, ship, and their small but perpetually adoring fandom.

now that it's finished i wanted to post it here in its entirety, but you are also very welcome to check it out on ao3!

or, of course, read it under the cut:

Naturally, they stole the rolling whiteboard.

“You think Zelda will miss this?” Shadow asks as Vio opens their cottage’s front door. The frame is just high enough for Shadow to push it inside.

“Doubt it,” Vio says, craning his neck to see Shadow on the other side of the large item. “Looks like it’s never been used.”

“Why does she even have this? I don’t see her doing a lot of office work.”

“To be fair, we don’t really know the extent of her administrative duties,” Vio shrugs. “If she notices it’s missing, we’ll apologize and bring it back. That is today’s theme, after all.”

Shadow groans. “You’re a nerd. Where are we taking this, the den?”

“Sounds good to me.”

They roll the board together into their shared living room, cozy and small and lined with books. Vio goes to light the fireplace as Shadow rips open a package of dry-erase markers (also looted from Zelda’s office). He flicks the cap off the purple one and inhales deeply.

“That’s bad for you,” Vio says, not even needing to turn his head.

Shadow sticks out his tongue petulantly, then glances down at the marker, and wonders…

“NO,” Vio scolds, relieving him of the potentially delicious item with impressive haste.

It’s been a weird time for Shadow, learning about food. Before his resurrection, he had no need for food or drink, only enjoying it when he saw fit… or when he wanted to impress one specific person. Now, Vio is teaching him about all the different kinds of food in Hyrule, and the special ways they can be nutritious or harmful. Protein is good, Shadow knows, along with fruit and veggies. Fried food tastes good but isn’t an everyday staple. Lactose is a risk, but sometimes one worth taking.

And now he can add dry-erase markers to the list of non-edible things, along with Vio’s fancy shampoo and the paint they used to fix up the cottage’s exterior.

Vio caps the marker, shoves it in his pocket, and stands in front of the whiteboard like it’s an opponent in battle. He looks so stupid with his hands on his hips, expression deeply serious, that Shadow has to laugh. Vio’s head swivels and he looks genuinely flustered. “What? What’s funny?”

“It’s just… you,” Shadow says, smiling wide. “You’re taking this so seriously.”

He hugs around Vio’s waist from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. “Are you picturing the board in your head? Figuring out what to write?”

Vio snorts. “Maybe.”

“I’ve always known you well,” Shadow says, and then his face sours. “With one major exception.”

They’ve talked about it more this past month. Slowly but surely, they’ve been unpacking the time they spent together under Vaati and/or Ganon, including Vio’s betrayal and subsequent attempted execution. Shadow’s comment is made without malice and Vio knows it.

Vio’s been growing his hair out since the four split, and at this point it’s almost down to his shoulders. Shadow loves it. He would like nothing more than to sit around idly playing with it as Vio reads, instead of their actual plans for the day.

Vio shrugs Shadow off—not unkindly, but as a reminder of the task ahead. No such luck.

“I know you don’t want to do this,” Vio says tenderly, rubbing Shadow’s back as they stand side-by-side and face the blank board. “But I also know you want to do the right thing.”

Shadow grimaces. “Yeah. I do.”

Vio kisses the side of his head, minding the mangled black cap Shadow still proudly wears. The thing is sick as hell, what can he say?

“We’re gonna do this together, S,” Vio whispers. “I’m not going to leave you to do it alone.”

“I… thanks, V.”

Vio smiles reassuringly as he retrieves the purple marker. “Here,” he tells Shadow, putting the plastic cap in his pale hands. “You can fidget with this. Helps me when I’m anxious.”

Shadow nods and Vio finally gets to work. The marker squeaks against the board, forming a single phrase in huge letters:

THE SHADOW APOLOGY TOUR

Vio turns to Shadow with an infuriatingly smug grin. “Let’s get planning, shall we?”

━━

Objectives:

Apologize for all the atrocities (dragon arson, kidnapping, identity fraud, destruction of protected wildlife areas, petty and grand theft, vandalism, distribution of illegally acquired substances to hinoxes, disturbing the peace, etc.)

Community service

???

“I think that about sums it up, at least for now,” Vio says, proudly standing back to review their initial brainstorm. Shadow turns the plastic cap over in his hands, still trying to recall every bit of damage he inflicted upon the land of Hyrule.

They’ve talked about this, too. The inhumanity of Shadow’s actions. To a degree, they can be explained by the simple fact that Shadow wasn’t really human at the time. He wasn’t part of the light world, didn’t care to understand its living denizens or natural beauty. That doesn’t rob him of accountability, of course, but it does explain the carelessness with which he destroyed entire regions of Hyrule.

Since being resurrected, Shadow’s been learning a lot about the world—way more than just nutritional science. He’s learned about plants and animals, the history of Hyrule’s many towns and settlements, and the reasons why it rains and the ocean has waves and the sun goes away at night. Vio loves sharing all his knowledge with Shadow, and Shadow loves to listen. It’s a nearly perfect arrangement.

The only downsides of Vio’s teachings are moments like this, forcing Shadow to acknowledge the immense damage he caused. Still, it’s what he has to do. It’s what he wants to do. It’s the least he can do.

“So those are the abstract steps,” Vio says, crossing his arms over his chest. “Now let’s get practical.”

“Must we?” Shadow asks half-heartedly.

“Yes, and to your credit, I can tell you’re really trying here.”

That makes Shadow blush, just a little. Good thing Hyrule’s Biggest Nerd Ever is too busy staring at the whiteboard to notice.

“Do you remember the specific places that were affected?” Vio asks, utilizing passive voice in an act of mercy. Oh Hylia, Shadow knows what ‘passive voice’ means, he really is down bad—

“Uh,” Shadow says, “kinda?” Not only did he destroy entire regions of Hyrule, but he also cared so little that he can’t name which ones.

“That’s okay,” Vio says, doing that dorky chin-on-hand thing in deliberation. “I remember a few. The good news is, we only hit parts of the countryside, mostly uninhabited by humans. I know you were about to steer us towards the humans, but then the sun started coming up, so we had to go back, and then the whole mirror thing happened…”

“Yeah. I was there too.” That part, Shadow definitely remembers.

“So no murder, that’s good!” Vio exclaims, pointing to the list of offenses. “Well, attempted murder of me via execution. And you kind of contracted me to kill Green. And you sentenced a bunch of people to the dark realm, which I’m not sure legally qualifies, but—”

“Why don’t we just tack murder on there and keep it moving,” Shadow says, turning the cap faster in his hands.

“I’m sorry,” Vio says, taking a breath. “I just get really focused sometimes when I’m working on projects. I know this is hard for you.”

Shadow would mind Vio’s hyperfocusing more if it wasn’t so damn adorable.

“It’s fine,” he says with a sigh. “Jot down what you remember, I think I might have an idea. I’ll be right back.”

Vio looks mildly concerned as Shadow leaves the den, but nothing can compare to the dread Shadow feels. He remembered this… thing… last night at dinner, when the two came up with their plan to help him make amends. He didn’t say anything until now, despite knowing it was going to be useful eventually, because it is so incredibly embarrassing. And visceral. But it’ll help him know for sure what he did and where, and he really does want to give this his all.

Shadow ducks into his bedroom, a perpetually disorganized space, and reaches under his rarely-used bed for the item he knows he needs. He tucks it under his arm and returns to the den, where Vio looks very relieved to see him.

“Is that a laptop?” the blonde asks, cocking his head.

Shadow nods, and then sighs. “Vio… I need to tell you about my blog.”

━━

“The Shadow Chateau?” Vio reads off the screen, looking over Shadow’s shoulder from behind the couch. Shadow cringes. “I didn’t even think you used your laptop.”

“I don’t, anymore.” Shadow faces the stupid blog he maintained while serving Vaati and Ganon, complete with a clip art image of the Palace of Winds. This obviously isn’t the same laptop he used then—that one was from the dark world—but the Sheikah gave Zelda a few of their own to distribute amongst people she trusted for testing purposes.

“I’m not proud of what I posted here,” Shadow says slowly. “Honestly, I don’t remember a lot of it, but definitely enough to be embarrassed already.”

“Is it in order of, uh, most recent events?”

“Yep.”

“Oh. Great.”

They exchange a look, and a nod, and then turn back to the screen.

The first post on the blog is not at all what they expected:

V and I took a break to get some rest. Of course I don’t need to sleep, but I know he does. I could have gone for longer—we’re moving on to human-occupied towns next!!—but I want him to enjoy every second of this just as much as I am.

Shadow breathes in sharply. Vio looks confused. “I thought there’d be something from after the mirror.”

“No. I was in a pretty bad headspace then… not that these posts are the paramount of sanity either.”

“That one is sweet,” Vio says, kissing Shadow on the top of his head. “I would never have guessed that you didn’t need sleep. Before I went to the mirror, I stopped in to check on you. I could have sworn you were out.”

Shadow nods. “I didn’t need to sleep, but I was still exhausted. So I just… turned my brain off for a little while. I did it a lot more before you came along. I found it peaceful. It helped the time pass.”

“I can’t believe I almost shattered that mirror. It would have… Hylia, Shadow, I’m so sorry.”

“At least I would have gone out happy. I had no suspicions. I was such an idiot.”

Vio’s grip on Shadow’s shoulder tightens. “Not an idiot. I’m the idiot. I could have thought of an alternate plan, one that saved you.”

“No arguments here.”

Vio takes a deep breath and Shadow lets him. These simply just aren’t wounds they can heal in two or three conversations. It’ll take time. They’re working on it, slowly, together.

Hoping for something less mortifying, Shadow scrolls down to a series of photos. He is sorely disappointed. “I should never have stolen that Sheikah Slate.”

The photos are accompanied by a caption:

DAY WHATEVERTHEFUCK OF TERRORIZING THE COUNTRYSIDE WITH V!!!

“Wait, okay, this is helpful,” Vio says, leaning in closer. “Make the pictures bigger.”

Shadow is already too tired to argue. He expands the first, a selfie taken from the helm of a dragon. There’s a huge manic grin on Shadow’s face, but something is so clearly off about Vio behind him. Seriously, how the hell did he not notice?

“The land beneath us looks yellowish,” says Vio. “Gerudo Desert, I think. Did we hit the Arbiter’s Grounds? They’re abandoned, so no memorable casualties.”

“I think so,” Shadow says, and the next photo confirms it. This one is just of Vio, making a silly ‘shhhh’ face as a re-dead creeps in the corner of the shot. They were definitely inside the Arbiter’s Grounds here. And Vio looks happy… but like, for real this time.

Vio looks happy in the other photos too, for the most part. There they are on Mount Hylia, roasting marshmallows over the smoldering ruins of a lodge. There’s another selfie that appears to have been taken mid-air, Vio holding on tight to Shadow as he hovers above a lake. They laugh in some abandoned temple, pretending to pull a blue sword out of a stone (not Blue’s four sword, totally different vibe). They drink evil root beer, sober but oh-so-clearly intoxicated.

The last photo has no living subjects, but both Vio and Shadow recognize it immediately.

“That’s the view from our tower,” Vio says. “Why did you take this one? No one’s in it.”

Shadow furrows his brow. “I… I was just happy, I think. For once. It didn’t feel real, so I captured the moment. And… it wasn’t.”

Shadow can hear Vio moving, walking around to the front of the couch and sitting down beside him. Other than that, he’s silent.

“Did you enjoy yourself at all?” Shadow asks, hovering the cursor over the scroll bar.

“Yes,” Vio answers immediately. “I did. For real. Not with the death and destruction, but the shenanigans of it all? Very fucking fun. Don’t tell the others I said that, though.”

“Hylia forbid they know you enjoy spending time with me,” Shadow mutters. “Sorry. That’s not fair. I know that’s not what you mean.”

Vio rests his head on Shadow’s shoulder. “Just being around you was exhilarating. You were at peak chaos, like, blissfully unhinged, and it was scary…but also really attractive.”

Shadow did not expect that answer. “Uh, do you mean hot?”

“Well, sure,” Vio says, “but I always think that. It was more like your energy, your passion… it drew me in. The day we met, it drew me in. And the more we kept winning, the more sure of yourself you acted, the stronger it got. It was kind of intoxicating, actually. I wanted so badly to be on your level, but I just couldn’t let myself go all the way. I get that you didn’t know much about this world, so it was easier to take your actions lightly, but I felt the weight of it all. It was… exhausting. And terrifying.”

“And hot?”

“And hot. I liked it. Kind of. I could see it after the mirror, too, but it wasn’t from a place of happiness then. I don’t know why I expected anything different, but still, it was jarring.”

“You were stone-cold,” Shadow says, “after I found out. That didn’t help.”

“I’m not sure I could have said anything to take you out of that place.”

“You’re probably right.”

Vio pushes a sheet of paper onto Shadow’s lap. Seven locations are written down, seven places they can now visit and help heal. “It’s a great start.”

Seven entire areas devastated, and it’s all Shadow’s fault.

He’s awake, of course, but he feels… a little glazed over. When did that happen? Is this some kind of self-preserving mechanism, a side effect of his resurrection? It doesn’t feel good. He feels like he’s not in his body at all. He wants to be in his body, next to Vio, in their tiny cottage full of stolen furniture at the edge of town. But he also knows that if he moves a muscle, or opens his mouth, he’ll start crying and never be able to stop. He feels… like he never wants to feel anything ever again. Like that’s the last line of defense between him and becoming the same monster who made those posts, did those things, felt so much and let it consume him entirely.

“Hey,” Vio says softly. Shadow hears rustling, and then a pause. “Is it okay if I touch you right now?”

Shadow nods. Vio gently slides an arm behind his back, angling Shadow’s rigid body towards his own chest. “You must be feeling a lot.” Vio’s voice is calm, but holds no pity. “You’re very brave for confronting this. You didn’t need to tell me about these posts, or the blog, at all. But you did, because you care about making things right.”

That energy Vio described, it’s dangerous. It’s not a virtue. Shadow has a life now, one he likes—he can’t afford to experience powerful emotion. It makes him foolish, weak, and strong in all the worst ways.

Why did he post those things, or even do them in the first place? For what audience? He never cared what Vaati or Ganon thought of him, and sure, he wanted to impress Vio, but Vio wasn’t even on his side! He was showing clear signs of discomfort! How couldn’t he see how stupid he was being, how wretched, how unloveable and irredeemable and monstrous and proud of it all?

Vio carefully takes the laptop and paper from Shadow, allowing him to curl up completely in his arms. Shadow’s heart is pounding, he can feel the tears at the edges of his eyes, every single muscle in his body is tense and it’s hard to even breathe.

Vio’s heartbeat is steady, though. His body feels relaxed. Shadow can hear his even breaths.

They sit like that for a few minutes, Vio silently rubbing Shadow’s back as he wages war on himself. It’s a losing battle. He’s struggling. Something has to give.

So Shadow starts to laugh. And cry. At the same time.

Vio looks alarmed but relieved, unsure whether to mirror Shadow’s expression or call for a medic.

“I… am a terrible person,” Shadow says, tears running over his grin. “I’m seriously deranged. I can’t even cry right.”

“I don’t think there’s a wrong way to cry, Shadow.”

“If there was, I’d find it.”

Should he be joking right now? Probably not, but it’s his time. This whole stupid day is about him. And right now, Shadow just really needs to laugh… and cry. So he does, and he doesn’t hold back, and soon enough he’s okay. It takes some time to return to his body, to Vi’s arms, but he gets there all the same. He’s safe.

“Hi,” Vio says softly, letting Shadow pull away from the embrace. “I hope I did the right things.” He cups Shadow’s face with one hand and wipes a tear with the other. Shadow finds himself leaning into the touch.

“You have a beautiful smile,” Vio tells him, “truly. A lot of fake smiles, but then there’s your real one, and it’s… just like that, yeah.”

This is a foreign feeling for Shadow, one he’s only experienced in fleeting moments before:

He feels loved.

“You were a sight to behold, then,” Vio says, glancing at the photos on the screen. “But I prefer you like this.”

“Weak?” Shadow’s voice cracks.

“No.” Shadow feels himself pulled into another tight hug.. “Strong. You are the strongest person I know.”

“I’m… really tired.”

“It would be surprising if you weren’t. You’ve been working so hard to make things right. Everyone’s noticed it—Green, Red, Zelda, even Blue. And you’re keeping at it, even when it’s hard. Even when you could avoid it. I don’t think I would be working this hard in your position.”

“I was so unstable,” Shadow mutters into the fabric of Vio’s sweater. “Who’s to say I won’t go back to that, when something inevitably goes wrong? When someone doesn’t accept my apologies, when I’m forced to confront the wreckages that I created? When you do or say something that upsets me? And… if I somehow succeed in fixing everything I ruined, who’s to say I won’t grow arrogant and foolish, the same as before? I can’t imagine living without this guilt crushing me. It’s what keeps me human.”

“You’re assuming a lot of things about yourself.” Vio counters. “I was there, too, you know, before your resurrection. When you weren’t fully human. You did a lot of bad things, and you were wrong about the light, and someone needed to stop you before things got any worse. But I think you’d be surprised… that simply wasn’t the sum of your character. Even then, I knew it. The others knew it too. From what you’ve told me, Zelda figured it out almost immediately, and told you as much. There has always been good in you, Shadow. The only one who doesn’t think that is you… and maybe some random townspeople who don’t know you, but like, screw them. You can’t make everyone happy.”

Shadow looks up and sniffles. “I’m sorry I got tears on your sweater.”

“It’s okay,” Vio responds. “Hey, I want to show you something… would that be okay?”

“Vague, but proceed.”

Vio shifts Shadow’s position slightly so they can both see the laptop screen. Shadow cringes. “I retract my answer. No thank you.”

“I’m not going to force you to look,” Vio says, “but I really think you should. I think you should see the person you were, even then. The things you found important enough to record.”

“What, have you read ahead?”

“No. But I believe in you—who you were, and who you are now.”

Shadow blinks his eyes, relieved to find them dry. “Fine. I believe that this is going to be incredibly embarrassing, and probably just make me feel worse… but I’m no coward. Show me the damn blog.”

“Glad to hear you’re feeling better.”

“Shut up. Let’s just get this over with.”

Shadow scrolls down and the photos disappear. The next post, thank Hylia, is just a body of text:

Finally, it’s all coming together. We’re knocking down obstacles left and right. Soon we’ll douse this defenseless world in darkness, and rule whatever slice of it Ganon grants us. Everything is going completely according to plan.

Shadow turns to Vio. “See? Pure evil.”

“Keep reading.”

But something does bother me. It’s been a week or so since the fight in the volcano, and I do worry about what happened there with V. I don’t know much about these avatars of the Hero, but I do sense some sort of intuitive bond between them. Then again, I wouldn’t place V on the same plane of intelligence as those halfwits. Unlike his colorful counterparts, he feels like a real person, not an echo or singular trait… or, I suppose, a shadow.

The original plan was simply to stroke his ego and watch as it led him into our clutches. But V has demonstrated, time and time again, that he already possessed some innate attraction to the darkness before our first encounter. He is, in his own right, impressively wicked. He humbles me… although I’d never admit it to his face.

But still. He killed Green, because I asked him to, and seemed not to mind at all. I was expecting him to voice some sort of concern, at least, but he was surprisingly resolute. In the past few months he’s only cracked a few times, which is more than I can say for myself. I fully admit that things upset me and I respond accordingly. Vio, meanwhile, is like stone.

I wish I could ask him how he feels. We both know he’s been off since the duel, but I have no idea how to approach such a conversation. I’m honestly beside myself that I even care.

Maybe a joyride on the dragon will help. Some sight-seeing, local cuisine. I bet he’d enjoy the Arbiter’s Grounds ruins, if only so he can over-explain Hyrule’s history as we forge its future.

I hear him at my door now.

Shadow seizes the laptop. “Okay, I’m reading these before you can,” he says, trying and failing to hide his blush. This is preposterous! He sounds pathetic!

The next post is a video, focused on Vio as he takes his first sip of evil root beer. His expression is… layered. That’s the fairest term for it. This must have been taken right after he ‘killed’ Green, receiving much fanfare from Shadow for his efforts. The weight of the day is clear in his expression, but so is something else: pleasure. Comfort. Sadness.

“Bittersweet,” he hears Vio say. Shadow sighs and returns the laptop to its spot between them. No use making Vio crane his stupid neck to see the thing.

Given the timeline they’re piecing together, Shadow scrolls down further and expects the worst. Sure enough, his past self delivers.

Hoooooooooly shit. V totally just murdered Green. Like, sword through the abdomen murdered. And he bantered with me, and we completely blindsided those idiots, seriously, they had no idea.

At this point the world is as good as ours. I can’t believe he did it. I can’t believe WE did it. We are drinking tonight!!1!

Vio chuckles. “The, uh, confetti and party popper emojis are a little over the top.”

Shadow turns his head, dumbfounded. “Seriously, you’re not mad? These are the writings of a madman, Vio!”

“Shadow. You were excited. You had every reason to be excited, especially right after everything went down. You… didn’t have the moral compass you do today, or the appreciation for human life and Hyrule itself. Those things just didn’t matter.”

“Yeah, well, you mattered,” Shadow hears himself say. “Obviously.”

“I was wondering if you were gonna try to deny it.”

“Fine, never mind, you mean nothing to me and I hate you. I wish Green had won.”

“Uh-huh, sure.”

And then it occurs to Shadow—Vio didn’t even kill Green. Like, it never happened. That blood is not on anyone’s hands. It didn’t actually fucking happen.

Shadow has never been more grateful for Vio’s deception than he is now. Emboldened by his sense of relief, he scrolls again.

Had a little talk with V today after all the mindfuckery with the poes. Some weird magic shit was going on with the four sword and for a second he really looked like the Hero of Hyrule. Of course I set him right—or wrong, I guess—and he came to his senses. He’s a creature of darkness now. When I told him we were alike, back in the woods, I had no idea how accurate the sentiment would prove to be.

I do feel guilty being so hard on him, though—me, guilty, it’s crazy! But really, he can’t help where he came from, or *who* he came from.

That still confuses me. We are so far from the same person. It’s nothing like I’d imagine with a brother, or a family member, even with Vaati or Ganon. I guess it helps that we do look relatively different, despite our shared affinity for purple and outfits modeled after the Hero’s. I wonder, years down the line, if we’ll still look the way we do now. I really hope Vaati and/or Ganon give us the go-ahead to dress differently at least, because this shit would not be my style of choice.

Maybe, when the world is engulfed in darkness and the others are long gone, V will be able to claim the singular identity of the Hero. Although at that point I suppose he wouldn’t be much of a hero at all.

V really is something special. One-of-a-kind, despite everything. I so badly want him to know that. The sooner he realizes that this is where he belongs, the better.

“Huh,” Vio says, his expression unreadable.

Shadow flinches. “I feel like I should be apologizing.”

“No, I don’t think so. If I wrote down everything I ever thought about you, it would probably read as a little obsessive as well.”

“Uh, thanks?”

The funny thing is, that absolutely makes Shadow feel better. Vio can be insensitive a lot of the time, but when he knows what to say, he knows exactly what to say.

Further down they find another selfie, Vio and Shadow sharing snacks as they supervise the Poes, followed by a break and another body of text.

Got slapped by Zelda today. She’s the worst. She called me a “faint and twisted echo,” whatever that means. She said that I’d be the one crying by the end of this whole thing. Screw that, screw them all. I’ve got an ace up my sleeve with the purple hero (I’ll call him V). No one will see this coming, not even her.

I should probably try to get to know the guy, though. I want to make sure he’s really on my side.

Vio snorts. “Zelda slapped you?”

“I mean, I probably deserved it.”

“Oh, you definitely deserved it.”

MAJOR UPDATE: I GOT THE PURPLE HERO. It was so easy, I just had to corner him in the woods and tell him how smart he is. And it was SUPER FUN. I enjoy messing with people in general, but with this one it was like a whole different game. And I swear, he looks at me in a way that’s different from the rest—not with fear, but intrigue.

Right now he’s just sulking alone in his room, but I’ll have to start really breaking him down soon. We could do some great things together, if he does what he’s told.

Vio turns to Shadow, amused. “You really thought I was going to take orders?”

“I mean, not for long. It just hadn’t occurred to me that there could be more to our… arrangement… than me simply controlling you. Like, that you’d take initiative.”

“I don’t think I expected myself to take initiative,” Vio admits. “But it was fun. I liked bantering with you and getting my repressed annoyance out on the others. I appreciated your attention, even if it was just some manipulative game at first. In full honesty, if you were trying to corrupt me, you didn’t completely fail.”

Shadow cannot believe he’s smiling. He can’t believe Vio is smiling. He can’t believe any of this… but somehow, Vio did. He believed in Shadow without even needing to read ahead.

“Wait, so this is before the forest now, right?” Vio asks, raising his eyebrow at the remaining posts.

“Well yeah,” Shadow says, “my life didn’t start the day I met you.”

“Rude.”

“Buuuuut it was definitely more boring. I watched what you guys were up to a lot, back when you were traveling as a group. Definitely hit maximum jealous rage levels when you went to the amusement park.”

“Oh shit, I forgot about that.”

“Yeah, well, it pissed me off. I couldn’t go out during the day and you idiots could. That’s why I started the blog in the first place, actually—I was tasked with watching you, but it just made me feel left out. Nothing cool is open at night here.”

“I’m sure we could find some places to hang out,” Vio offers. “Although I guess now the whole daytime thing isn’t a problem.”

Shadow smirks. “Thank darkness for that.”

They look into each other’s eyes, and it’s like they’re meeting each other again for the first time again. That is, until Vio turns back to the screen and his jaw drops.

Today I went to the amusement park with my girlfriend.

Now it’s Vio’s turn to cry-laugh, while Shadow cringes harder than he did when literal war crimes were involved. “Oh, this was a fantastic idea,” Vio says between gasps.

“Well I’m glad you’re having fun, because I’m reconsidering my stance on murder.”

It takes him longer than Shadow would have liked, but Vio calms down. Then, after reading the post a second time, he appears to be confused. “Wait, you like girls?”

Shadow blinks. Have they not talked about this? “Uh, not every single one of them. But sure, in theory, if I wasn’t already… nope, not giving you that much credit. Do you like girls, Vio?”

Vio shakes his head. “Don’t think so. The Hero was different, though—pretty open to all possibilities. So I suppose it makes sense you are too. And I… I guess I got the gay braincell? I mean, gay as in… guys. Only. Is there a word for that, besides gay? You get what I’m trying to say, right?”

Shadow thinks this is adorable. “Yes, Vio, I get what you’re trying to say. It’s funny, I kinda figured you’d be an expert in queer theory, given your expertise in, like, everything else.”

“I mean, I didn’t have a very long time to ponder. I kinda just appeared, from the Hero, and then I met you. And, uh… figured it out pretty quickly from there.”

He’s blushing! Vio’s blushing! Shadow made Vio blush, and everything that sucked about this day is suddenly worthwhile.

(Except for the atrocities. Of course.)

“Well, I’m glad we both agree about boys,” Shadow says, taking Vio’s hands in his own. “Otherwise, the way we conducted ourselves on that throne would have been super confusing.”

Vio smirks. “Let’s be real, everything we’ve ever done in each other’s company would have made exponentially less sense if we weren’t some flavor of queer.”

It feels good to say this kind of stuff out loud, and Shadow can tell Vio feels the same way. The fact that they like each other, that they’re attracted to each other, that they’re together, it’s all just so damn good to say. They’ll never be Hyrule’s golden couple—that title belongs to Green and Zelda, who have performed significantly fewer crimes than Vio and Shadow—but they’re perfectly happy living in quiet domestic bliss.

“Can I kiss you?” Vio asks, trying very hard not to trip over his words.

Shadow nods without hesitation. “Of course, genius.”

And it’s wonderful, as always, just the way they both know they like it. No complaints from Shadow. 10/10.

Physical intimacy, too, has been a slow development for the pair. It was inevitable from the first time they kissed—really, the first time they shared that damn throne—that Shadow would have to bring it up eventually. The fact that, while extremely touchy and very eager to receive affection, he’s just not interested in certain physical relations a lot of other couples enjoy. He was nervous to bring it up at first, worried that he wouldn’t be able to give Vio everything he wanted in a partner. He even started to convince himself it wasn’t going to work between them at all.

And yes, Shadow had to be patient while explaining the whole ‘asexual’ thing to Vio, who would probably place himself somewhere on a spectrum rather than a far end. But it’s okay. It’s not something Vio needs, and there are plenty of other couple’s activities that ignite their passion. Few things build intimacy between Shadow and Vio more effectively than mischief. No wonder their meet-cute was also their villain arc.

This apology tour can be a bonding experience for them, too. There are going to be some genuinely distressing times ahead, if Shadow really means to do things the right way. People are not always going to be kind to him, and by extension Vio. They’ll probably end up pissing each other off at least once in a while. But they’re not their only people—when that happens, Vio can blow off steam with Red, Blue, and Green, and Shadow can text Zelda on the Sheikah Slate. They’re actually friends now, despite the kidnapping and slapping of it all. Actually, if Shadow could mend his interpersonal relationship with Zelda of all people, maybe he does stand a chance in his efforts to heal Hyrule.

“Hey, Vio?” Shadow says, pulling back from a kiss. He keeps his hand in Vio’s hair and looks right into his eyes. Say it, he tells himself. It’s time. You know it’s time.

“Yeah?” Vio asks, eyes sparkling.

“Thank you for caring so much about me. For doing all of this work today. For stealing a whiteboard.”

“Of course. Thank you for trusting me.”

Time freezes, and despite all the history behind them—or perhaps, even because of it—they both know what’s about to happen.

So they say it. Together.

And the future has never looked brighter.

#four swords #four swords manga #vio link #shadow link #vidow #shadow x vio #vidow fanfic #my writing #fs

19 notes · View notes

fizzingwizard · 2 years

Text

watching QI and Stephen Fry just said that PG Wodehouse was friends with Arthur Conan Doyle and based Jeeves and Wooster on the relationship between Holmes and Watson - one smart and one a “blitherer.”

And as I grind my teeth and feel happy to live in the era of reclaiming Watson from accusations of stupidity when compared to a man who can tell what part of London you’ve been in by the mud on your trousers, I turn to Google, which offers me the balm of “a thirty second sound bite from QI does not, in fact, tell the whole story” lol

(On the other hand, given that Fry was Jeeves, maybe he is more just having a laugh at Hugh Laurie? bahahaha)

under a cut for length

Here’s one with this fabulous description:

“Wodehouse’s most famous characters are undoubtedly Jeeves and Wooster — a twentieth century, self-absorbed Holmes and Watson, if they were divided by class and Watson’s bloodline had gone through a few more generations of in-breeding —”

buahahaha. Well, let’s consider that the inbreeding had more to do with the blithering than the Watson influence :)

But the rest of it is a very interesting article about Wodehouse as a German captive, and it’s pretty wow. And I went down a rabbit trail here feeling sympathetic for a guy who does come across as ignorant and bumbling, mainly because politics are boring:

“A news article was released at the same time, exacerbating the situation. Wodehouse stated, ‘I never was interested in politics. I'm quite unable to work up any kind of belligerent feeling. Just as I'm about to feel belligerent about some country I meet a decent sort of chap. We go out together and lose any fighting thoughts or feelings.”

I mean any day of the week I’d be on board with that quote. But not during war, not during times people are “meant” to be angry. And anger very much has its place. It really is a human dilemma: requiring everyone to be angry when there really and truly is something worth being angry about rejects the idea of people whose basic nature is peaceful. I guess you could say they were born in the wrong era, not that we get any sort of choice about it.

“The MI6 officer [in Paris] decided Wodehouse was merely ‘ill-fitted to live in an age of ideological conflict’”

that is so funny. and heart-breaking. not even about Wodehouse - about all the people in the world who are equally ill-fitted for the times, but still the times needs them...

When good people do nothing, we know what happens. But, on the other hand, among those good people is a whole lot of individual people, some of whom simply don’t want the inconvenience, and some of whom are really basically peaceful and developing a warlike mindset would destroy them. As always, humans don’t like humanity. We must fit into boxes - even the people who reject boxes do their best to fit everyone into different boxes. Because of pain - it’s hard to argue with pain.

Anyway back to Holmes and Watson, lol.

My favorite bits in this one begin with a Wodehouse quote:

“Usually we tend to discard the idols of our youth as we grow older, but I have not had this experience with A.C.D. I thought him swell then, and I think him swell now.“

Thanks for validating the idols of our youth for us old fogies who dare to continue to enjoy life past 25!

Oh this is great too:

“As a creator of comedy romances, Wodehouse’s detectives were permitted time off from the study of little known Asiatic poisons to relax at the Senior Bloodstain, and even to fall in love. A hardboiled crime writer could never permit such diversions, as we learn from Wodehouse’s fictional crime writer, James Rodman, in ‘Honeysuckle Cottage’.

‘He held rigid views on the art of the novel, and always maintained that an artist with a true reverence for his craft should not descend to goo-ey love stories, but should stick austerely to revolvers, cries in the night, missing papers, mysterious Chinamen, and dead bodies — with or without gash in throat.’”

take that, you hardboiled detectives you!!

So I found other comparisons of J&W and H&W as well, but nothing that went too deep. I think what I was hoping to find, and which may exist somewhere, is someone considering the role-flopping aspect: Watson is Holmes’s helper, but Holmes equivalent Jeeves is Wooster’s helper. That changes things a lot. If Jeeves were a woman, he might have been perceived by readers as a “nagging wife” sort, for instance. Whereas if Watson were a woman, his stupidity would be forgiven, but he’d definitely need a lot more rescuing from Dastardly Villains, - at least once per story and twice per novel ;)

I like thinking of J&W as Wodehouse going “I really need a Sherlock Holmes in my life to tell me what to do” and poof, Jeeves is born. I would say the same, except I hate to be told what to do :)

#sherlock holmes #pg wodehouse #random

12 notes · View notes

shinycollarboneapologist · 1 year

Note

omg illicit affairs anon here and happy to report how I feel on every taylor song!!! my fav album is evermore so I would die for any song on there and will defend it to my death.

matty is literally who taylor wrote all this songs for wdym?? Harry Styles? never heard of him... style is clearly for Mr. Matthew Timothy Healy and I won't here shit otherwise! I love to live in my delusion and pretend peace is ab me and matty bc he's so famous... no I am not mentally well thanks for asking!!!!

mirrorball? I think it's safe to say I'm a mirrorball stan considering I have a tattoo for it on my ribs... FOLKLORE IS POETRY I LOVE IT (I also rated the whole of folklore and mirrorball is no.3)

my tears ricochet? I CAN GO ANYWHERE I WANT, ANYWHERE I WANT JUST NOT HOME!!! proud owner of an og folklore cardigan here I love my tears ricochet!!!! it's number 6 on my overall folklore rating which sounds low but folklore just has too many bangers you know??

tis the damn season? seeing this on the eras tour set list did send me into cardiac arrest, thank you!!! this is one of those sad bangers that gets me HYPE to feel depressed but slightly jam at the same time. I was prepped to have 0 evermore songs but to have THIS?? I cried watching the live stream at 3am (International swiftie grind)

false god? unlike any other taylor song but it BANGS!!! I want her to play it and john from the 1975 to play all the sax bits ty!! lover is my 3rd favourite album and I haven't been able to listen to it since... the news :(((

I also am a debut stan I am happy to say, people give it wayyyy to much hate!! picture to burn?? should've said no?? I'm only me when I'm with you?? our song?? it's a no skip album and I'll take that to my grave.

overall miss taylor swift deserves every award and I want her and the '75 to stand there and preform their entire discography to me and you in our cottage ty, as payment we will name some cats after them!!

love you bestie <33333

EVERMORE AND SPEAK NOW ARE MY TOP TWO (WITH 1989 and FOLKORE TIED FOR A THIRD). evermore has the worlds best song (champagne problems) and the deluxe tracks???? right where you left me? its time to go? like okay ms. swift...

PLEJDGLDF as a h*rry stan and a 75 stan, my delusional brain goes back and forth through periods of daydreaming about 1989 being the harry album and the matthew Timothy healy love letter. ALSO i am right with you with the whole daydreaming thing. maybe mine is champagne problems being about me and matty and me not being ready for a relationship with him bc i love angst and drama. (i am the drama. also the rumor that went around when it first came out that champagne problems was about justin and selena? that broke me..)

MIRRORBALLLLLLLLLLL SENDS MEEEEEEE FOR A LOOP. its the song i lay in bed to and just stare at the ceiling, literally on my disassociation playlist. (i wish i was joking). and omg.. the tattoo.. its literally on my list of ones i want to get. (besties and twinsies)

me adding u to my rob list bc i longed for a folklore cardigan. ALSO. I GET TTTT IT SO MUCH. folklore is a banging album.

the way i literally threw my phone when she started playing it. i was in SHOCK. its literally top tier from the album. i was so ready for her to disrespect evermore completely, so i was very much satisfied that it was on the setlist.

FALSE GOD IS SO SEXY TO ME. the sax ... the soulfulness. i sway when it comes on bc its just so good?!?!? also ur so right for wanting john to play the sax on it. i think i would keel over and die. (Also just wanted to update you that i listened to lover on the way home from work ln and it .... it wounded me but i was BRAVE)

debut is soooooooooo chef's kiss. i am not a country fan at ALL. but i will get down and dirty to her old music idc. our song <3 im an our song STAN. i loved the music video.

me and you inviting only miss swift and the 1975 (plus their touring band) to our little cottage with our cats. it sounds like heaven to me. (matty is only allowed in when he's performing though, we have to humble him somehow)

love you SO MUCH. i hope ur having a wonderful day <3

#illicit affairs anon.#we still need to rename u #m rambles

2 notes · View notes

prickly-bulbasaur · 2 years

Text

The Price of Hobbies

It had to be next week dammit!!

Katsuki Bakugou was lost for the 5th time at yet again another different mall, frantically searching for a particular store. Surprisingly, all of them only had a small, non-important store or did not have a store at all.

“How the living hell are there no craft stores in all of Japan?? The only things I see is fucking yarn balls, but they are only one color, too thick, or made for cats!!”

Katsuki sat down on the bench in the food court, trying to figure out the next place to go. He had asked the Hag and Pops about the best location to find the elusive store but so far everything just came up empty.

“Dammit, Eve, for someone who loves to crochet, finding the yarns for you is like a torturous manhunt.” The blonde grumbled and looked up to the sky. Eevee loves arts and crafts, it has always made her smile with the creations she makes. She had made a few Heroes with various yet perfect colors and even made him with his Hero Costume. She kept them safe, or gave them away, or in one particular case, burned one at the stake. Katsuki shuddered as he remembered the Eevette cackling like a psychopath. Hot though.

“I have no choice, I have to ask the Serpentine where she gets them. Otherwise I will be hunting them until Christmas!”

Katsuki makes a quick text first to Izuku, asking him if Eevee is still with him at the training facility before calling the fennec’s mother. He did not want her to detect anything is wrong, though he is sure she senses something as this was day two of him missing training together.

“Aight, let's get this over with.” He mumbled before dialing the number, and his throat knotted once she picked up.

“Hello, Katsuki. Everything alright?” Ophelia asked, and he gulped in nervousness. “Why aren’t you at training? Dear Eevee was asking for you? Izuku mentioned you had something to do.”

Katsuki grumbled a bit before stealing his nerves a bit. “Hey, those yarns Eevee has, where did you get them?”

Silence ensued for several moments and Katsuki thought he was losing his mind before…

“Please tell me you didn’t search every single mall for those…” Ophelia deadpanned, and that triggered the blonde teen.

“NO I HAVEN’T BEEN SEARCHING AT FIVE DIFFERENT MALLS, GETTING LOST 5 DIFFERENT TIMES, JUST TO LOOK FOR SOME STUPID YARN!!”

“...That is a yes…” She sighed, before going back to her future son-in-law. “I had them specially ordered, since knitting and crocheting is technically dead in this era not many stores have them now.”

“That explains why so many people I asked looked at me like I was talking out of my ass…Ok, where can I order them? Do you have a number?”

“I actually have a location. Are you near Verdant Lake? There is a cottage along the east side of the lake called Cuddle-Ewe’s Cottage, you will need to speak to Aries.” Ophelia said and she chuckled as she could hear him choking from the overly cutesy name.

“For the love of-Who the hell has a disgustingly cute name like that??” Katsuki scoffed and became silent at the serpentine's next sentence.

“One that can save you months of crying from your Fennec.” She warned and she could mentally see him panicking. “Aries is actually her Hero Name, and her Quirk allows her to create yarn of colors. There is a catch, you will need an item of that color for the desired look, otherwise they will be plain white.”

“What if…in this case there is no item that can match a certain color? Like for example, my hair color?” Katsuki asked, not wanting to give a lot of information. His was a two-part gift, and one of them required certain finesse. “Also, will it also take in the scent of the person?”

“I see what is going on. Yes, you can use your hair. Just let Aries know that this will be a Nesting Gift. She specializes in those.”

Katsuki sighed in massive relief, finally getting somewhere for his girl’s birthday gift. “Thanks, Ophi. This means a lot. This was actually a pain to support her hobbies.”

“I know, Katsuki. Just don’t forget to go to training tomorrow, otherwise Eevee will get suspicious. I already have an excuse that you were with Daredevil for office re-filing. It is about this time he reorganizes them anyways.”

“Heh, you and the Hag are loving this too much.”

“Very much, just make sure you bring condoms when you give her the gifts.” Ophelia teased and she heard him choke again, heat starting to come out of her headset.

“WHAT IS IT WITH YOU AND THE HAG ABOUT OUR SEX LIFE!!”

“I wouldn’t mind having a fiery baby fox as a Grandchild.” “...Ok, I’ll have to admit, that would be cool.”

#my hero acedamia #Katsuki Bakugou #FemOC #Day 4 #flufftober #flufftober2022 #Supporting Each Other's Hobbies

4 notes · View notes

j2zara · 1 month

Note

aughhhh j2porter curled up in bed in the affairs cottage watching j2's favorite show (jeopardy!). porter's holding him so close and so gently and running his fingers through j2's hair. tomorrow they have to pack and go back home but tonight it's just them and theyre happy <3

KFKKDKDKDKD forgive me that the conversation on Boringgirl jace has long since passed by the time i got to this b/c i KNOW this is in reference to me saying j2 is boringgirl jace coded. Which is true. J2 would fuck up a good brunch. Born to drink mimosas at 11 am on a saturday, forced to do weird menials tasks for jaceprime

Anyway. Bluejay’s favorite program is jeopardy I love this old man in a body that was born sexy yesterday. God bluejay is so Boringgirl Jace coded it’s so funny and he doesn’t even have the excuse of having spent his twenties getting it all out of his system he’s legit just boring. It’s real tho it’s so like. And Porter thinks j2 is so funny when they watch jeopardy bc he gets all excited when he actually knows the answer to the questions (it’s me I’m the weirdo who gets excited when I actually know the answer to the questions). But Porter thinks is really really cute and sweet. (And like. Yeah it’s a little bit born sexy yesterday coded what about it). fjfjalw they don't even fool around they literally just hang out. Don’t get me thinking about Porter being sweet with j2 and maybe even having that flicker of like. Could this be it just me and you. Because I WILL cry I love them so much. They're so problematic and so domestic, what are you gonna do abt it <3

J2 does not understand Jace’s crush on Collin Jost tho. In fact he’s kinda in agreement with Porter on that one like. Yeah! You absolutely COULD take that guy. I don't get what jace sees in him! He does have sick and twisted Janelle Brain Disease tho which is that all jokes become like 20% funnier when you inexplicably want to fuck the comedians. He could point out five guys in snl NOW who are better looking than collin jost (could he?? i haven't watched snl in forever). J2 will shamelessly parrot Porter's opinion that "SNL hasn't even been good since the [insert era that was nostalgic to Porter's Childhood here]" tho (he knows nothing abt that era and in fact secretly misses Andy Samburg on SNL but you didn’t hear it from me)

#jan.ask #clone enjoyers anonymous

0 notes

zephyruswrites536 · 1 year

Text

Alright, so

(Back at it again with me ranting about a movie I watched and how marauders era- or tma this one wasn’t- characters fit in!)

Now, if you don’t know this:

Sorry you have to scroll down to see- but the andromeda fan cast I have come to know as the most popular is Keira Knightley’s character Cecilia in Atonement-

The story !spoilers! Is about Briony Tallis, her sister Cecilia and Robbie Turner and the unfortunate events that happen within a few shorts years. Briony is given a note by Robbie to give to Cecilia that is very lewd and she reads it before giving it to her sister- then later the same day she finds them in the library having s//x… then even later Briony finds her cousin being r//ed by a man says it’s Robbie for some godaweful reason because I suspect she’s jealous- and then he gets imprisoned even though he did nothing wrong, he joins the war(the beginning events all happened sometime in 1939 I believe.) because he could do that or rot in prison- then he tries getting back to his love Cecilia but never does- he dies- Cecilia broke from her family who had forsaken her lover and joined the nursing staff for the military, and died in a bomb shelter that was flooded. Briony, after the war starts doesn’t go to Cambridge but instead joins the nursing staff like her sister, she hopes to own up for her mistakes, but never does… she never gets to say sorry for what she did- it’s all very depressing. But it’s the reason the movie is called atonement- the definition for “atonement” is reparation for a wrong(or injury)- if you don’t know what reparation means, it’s basically just making amends.

Now, knowing that this was the fancast for Andy- I’ve been thinking since we finished the movie(my family and I), that it kinda fits her narrative canonically. Take out the umm- sexual part and it makes sense.

Narcissa(Briony) catches Andromeda(Cecilia) and Ted(Robbie) together and tells her family about it in a state of worry for her sister’s happiness and health. Andromeda runs away from her family, angry at Narcissa for exposing her before she herself could properly introduce her love, and leaves with Ted. In the end they are both killed by Deatheaters and Narcissa has to pay for the death of her sister, watching from the sidelines.

(I forgot to mention) In the movie, Briony goes to visit Cecilia and say her apologies and clear the air because she misses her sister quite a lot, she goes it doesn’t really go easy because- what she did was very wrong- but Robbie turns out to be there, and yells at briony, Briony confesses what she really saw(an important plot point of you watch the movie, I don’t care to say it here) and then she leaves saying she’d tell the truth to everyone she had lied to.

It turns out this was all a lie- One Briony(I forgot to mention she’s a writer, she writes plays and novels) falsified to give her sister and Robbie a better outcome: because in real life, Robbie died waiting for transport back to England, and Cecilia died(as I said) in a flooded bomb shelter. In her fictional world of the book she wrote, they live happily ever after in a cottage by the sea.

I like to think Narcissa was a writer when she was younger, she’d use her own stories to escape the hell hole she lived in. And I like to put that in retrospective to this story- her writing Andy and Ted a nice ending because they had such a horrible one.

#i like to talk #well not really #here’s a rant #andromeda tonks #ted tonks #narcissa black #atonement #the movie #anyways hope you liked it #:))))) help

1 note · View note

hotforharrysheart · 2 years

Text

Sensory Escape

You’re cuddled up on the couch, face in his neck, breathing in the scent of his cologne, soap, and everything that is just Harry. You only have a few days before he’s off to conquer the world of music yet again and while part of you is so proud and excited for this new era, the other selfish part of you is already missing him.

“You're gonna be leaving next week...How am I gonna survive without this?”You ask, your bottom lip stuck out in a pout. “Without a kissing session? Without falling asleep with you each night?”

Your hand slides down his stomach to his dick. “Without this dick inside me wherever I want?” You ask, palming him.

“Fuck babe, I've never had to worry about this issue myself and, to be honest, I'm not looking forward to sleeping alone either. Quite accustomed to being buried in you every night.”

You grown. “H…don't go…just stay here with me.” Your eyes go glassy as you look down fiddling with the fringe on your shorts

“Don't look away from me.”

You stand up, facing him.

“You don't understand, I'm really, really anxious about you going when this—You motion between the two of you, “Is so new and different.”

He sighs. It’s always the same conversation and it never gets any easier. “I've left before, you know I come back...”

“I know. I'm just being needy.”

“I hate this.” He says, hands moving to his eyes and massaging them.

“The last thing you need, I'm sure,” you say under your breath.

He looks up at you. “No, baby. I hate having to leave you just as much. Babe, I'm invested in this—“ He motions between you two. “Me and you.”

“I know, H. I'm just worried.”

“And no, you aren't being "the last thing I need" I heard that. Stop biting your nails and talking under your breath. We don't do that - we talk. C'mere...” He pats his lap.

“You're right. I'm sorry.”

“Give me those hands.” He looks over your nails and kisses the cuticles. He holds them up. “These gonna be bloody by the time I get back?"

You shake your head.

“Gonna go get your nails done while I'm gone?”

“Maybe.” You smile.

“I'Il miss the scratches they leave on me.”

“H…” You cover your face, blushing.

"Don't hide from me.” He says, pulling your hands from your face. “I’ll miss matching polish with you.”

You smile and nod and then your face crumples as the tears slide out of your eyes. “I'm sorry, H. I just…this sucks. I don't mean to make you feel bad - I know this is your dream and you know I support you a million percent right? I'm just feeling a bit sorry for the girl that's getting left behind.”

“‘M not leaving her behind. I’m coming back every chance I get and when I can't come back, you'll come to me.”

“You promise?”

A tear falls from his eye. “Swear to God.” He pulls your wrist to his mouth and places a kiss there. “Let's go away again. To our cottage in Cornwall?”

“How could I ever forget Harry?” You shiver and smile. “I think that would be very nice,” you say softly. “What would we do?"

“You just leave that up to me.” He kisses you on the nose. “We need to just get away from all this and be with each other for a bit.” He brushes your hair away from your neck and kisses behind your ear. “Need a chance to be inside you as long as I want, no distractions.”

You sigh. “When do we leave?” You throw you head back as he kisses down your neck passionately. “When do…ahh...when do we leave?”

“Gotta cum first dontcha’ think?” He asks, smirking against your skin.

“Cheeky lil demon.”

“Did ya get...my joke? Gotta cum before we can go?”

"Really Harry your jokes are awful.”

“Heeyyyyy…” Hands wondering up your shorts.

"What’re you doing?”

He smirks. “Oh it's no joke, ya gotta cum, then I'll tell you when we're gonna go.”

***********************************************

You’re in his bedroom trying to pack some things you’d brought over from your place. “Harry, should I take this swimsuit or this one? I like this red two piece...but the black one is from before so…I dunno.”

Wrapping his arms around you he says, “Neither.”

Smiling you say, "Really?"

"I'm not taking trunks.”

You gulp. “You're not?”

“No.”

“Oh, but I like those navy ones with the red stripes!”

“Naked.”

You gulp. “Naked?”

“Naked. All week.”

“All...umm…all week?"

He kisses your ear. “All week. Robes if you get cold.”

“Mmm..”

“What is all this shit, babe? You don't need all this.”

“Where's your bag?"

He holds up a little Gucci duffle and a newer looking smaller duffle.

“That's all you’re taking?” He nods. “What's in that black bag? Maybe there's room for my robe in there.." You reach for it.

"Nope, 's all full,” He says, swinging it away and up high.

You narrow your eyes. “You're up to something Styles.”

He smirks. “Plan on being up all week. I know I will,” he says, winking. He slaps your ass and says, "Now hop to it!"

You yelp. He darts out the door, "Gonna go start the car.”

“I'm right behind,” you say, looking down and fingering the red swimsuit "sans swimsuit…” You mutter to yourself, tossing the suit on the bed. You stop for a couple of bottles of wine and some of your favorite snacks and you can't help but point out the drug store.

“Guess we don't need to stop there this time.”

He smirks and slides his hand up your thigh and says softly, "Nope. We don't now, do we?”

You blush and lean over to snatch a kiss. “God, it's so beautiful here, H,” you tell him as you pull up the drive.

“Know..love this place.” His hand slides to your center. “Love this place too.”

You let out a moan.

“So warm, babe. You excited?"

“Mmmm, yeah, said no to me this morning because you wanted to get on the road. Patience baby.”You huff.

He pulls the car round the drive and turns the key off…you just sit looking at him.

“I love you.”

Putting his hands on your cheeks he brushes his lips over yours. “I love you too.”

"Thank you for doing this.”

"Did it for us, did it for me, did it cause I'm a selfish man and I want as much of you as I can get."

You lean your forehead to his. “Thank you. It means a lot.”

“Let's go inside.”

You nod with glassy eyes. Damn, you're gonna miss him. You’re putting away the groceries. You grab a bottle of wine and hold it up. “You want a glass of red?" With no response, you turn around and he's just standing there looking at you.

"No, I want you to go up to the bedroom, take off your clothes and lay in the center of the bed and wait for me."

“I'm sorry, what?"

“Go upstairs, take off your clothes, lay in the middle of the bed and wait for me.”

“Harry, I need a show-"

He shakes his head no and moves to stand in front of you. “No. You need to do what I asked.”

Swallowing hard you softly say, "Ok.”

He smiles at you, "good girl.”

You almost ask if he needs help with the rest of groceries before you leave but think better of it. As you walk by he slaps your bottom lightly and you flash a saucy smile back. “Don't make me wait long.”

“Baby, you'll wait as long as it takes.”

Your heart starts to pound in your chest and your saucy smile fades and your core clenches. You fold your clothes neatly, pull off the fluffy white duvet, and crawl up in the California King laying flat in your back in the middle of the bed like he told you to. You can't stop thinking about how demanding he was and what he has planned. You can feel your heart beat in your pussy and you know you’re dripping onto the sheets. Your breathing is fast and you have a mind to run your fingers over your nipples. Just as you are about to reach for them you hear, "Don’ even think about it.” Startled, you jerk your hand down and raise your head up.

Shirtless and barefoot, Harry is standing in the doorway with his jeans unbuttoned and that blasted black bag in his hand. Your eyes follow the trail of hair from his belly button to the nest peeking out the top of his undone jeans.

“No underwear..." you mumble.

“And your naked,” he says running his eyes down your body.

Your hand goes to your lips because you can't believe you said that outloud.

He's breathing heavy. “Goddamn, you are so beautiful. Spread your legs, show me my pussy.” He slowly walks to the end of the bed and drops the bag. His eyes never leave your center. “Drippin' all over the bed, baby.”

“I know…can feel it.” Your hips involuntarily roll upwards. “Harry. What's in the bag?"

"D’ya trust me?"

“Completely.”

He smirks showing both of his dimples. “Then stop worrying about the bag.”

You sigh and close your eyes.

“Tonight you are all mine to please.”

You moan out.

“I wanna memorize your face, your body, your sounds…everything about you. I need to make you cum as many times as I can until you are screaming my name and begging me to stop.”

You moan out again.

He walks to the side of the bed trailing his fingers from your toes to your hip. “Need you to understand something.” Your eyes meet his. “Have you ever heard of the traffic light system?"

Shivering, you say, “You mean like green means go, yellow means slow down, and red means stop?"

He smiles and his finger circles your nipple, “Exactly.”

Your chest is heaving.

“Tonight I'm gonna eliminate some of your senses, but I want you to be able to tell me how you're doing when l ask. So when I circle this pretty nipple, what traffic color would you say you are?”

Squirming, you cry out "More!"

“So that's green?"

You nod.

“If it gets to be too much and you wanna slow down or stop, just give me a color. Ok?”

“Ok,” you say breathlessly.

“You remember that tie you bought me on my 25th birthday?”

“The pink and black one?“

He rummages through the bag and he pulls out that very one.

“We weren't even dating then. You still have that?”

“Love this tie.”

“Can't believe you remember that.”

He trails it up your sternum and drags it across your eyes. “May I?" He says, as he holds it close to your face.

You nod.

“Words, love.”

“Yes.”

“What color are you?”

“Green,” you say letting out a breath.

“You ask nicely…”

“You get it.”

“Tha’s right.”

“Lift your head up, love.”

You raise your head and he gently ties the tie over your eyes. You're panting at this point.

“Breathe, love. What color are you?”

“So green.”

He laughs his breathy little laugh.

“I miss seeing your face.”

“I'm here, I've gotcha.”

You grab his hand. “Ok,” you let a breath out. “Ok.”

He leans down to place a soft kiss on your lips and trails his lips down your neck to your collarbone. With his tongue he licks a stripe down to your nipple and suckles the tip between his teeth.

“Ahhh!” You groan out and squeeze his hand tight.

He cups your tit tightly and nibbles lightly with his teeth.

“Ohmygod ohmygod. Ohhh…”

“Your nipples are always sensitive. You respond to me so well.” He reaches over to grasp the other one between his forefinger and thumb, giving a gentle tug and twist you cry out, “More Harry!”

You twine your fingers in his hair.

“Darling, I want you to grab hold of the bars on the headboard.”

“I want to touch you, though.”

“Hands on the headboard.”

You sigh and lift your arms. The movement of your arms causes your tits to pull up. His nostrils flair.“I'm gonna try something. First, let me check..Jesus baby, you’re drenched.” He runs his fingers through your folds. “Is this turning you on?"

“Harry, I've never EVER been so turned on.”

You hear the zip of the black duffle and the swishing of fabric.

“I'm going to tie this hand to the headboard, Ok? What color are you?”

“I'm green, Harry.”

He smiles proudly. “I'm gonna do the other one now. Who knew my old headscarves would come in so handy,” he says, kissing your forehead.

You moan. “I loved you in those. Those curls…. Wanna touch you.”

“What color?"

“Green.”

“Fuck, you're so sweet like this.”

Your knees draw together and you tighten your thighs to get a little relief.

“Do I have to tie your legs too?”

“No, I'll keep them open..."

You hear the thud of his pants hitting the floor. Then the only sound is only the sound of his breathing. It's a deep steady breath. It helps soothe you. “Harry?" Stillness. “Harry?"

“What color are you, love?” He whispers from across the room.

You sigh. “I'm green now, but please don't leave me like this.”

“I won't leave, I just wanna look at you for a minute.”

Your heart rate spikes again.

“‘M so hard for you right now.”

“Want you to fuck me Harry.”

“Can you hold on just another minute for me?"

“Yes. Are you touching yourself?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I'm swollen and hard. I can't squeeze tight enough.”

“Unnnghhh…” You thrust your hips up into nothing.

“Keep your legs open.” You open your legs. “Wider.” He smirks. “You picturing me fucking you baby?”

“I'm so empty…I…I need to touch-"

“No, you can hold on just a little bit longer.”

You whimper.

“Fuck, I can see the wet spot your making on the bed.”

“Harry.." The end of the bed dips and you feel the warm wetness of his pointed tongue circle your sensitive bundle of nerves. You cry out.

“Who's clit is this?"

“Mmmm…Fuck! Yours! Unghhh!” Your hands tighten in your restraints. “Oh. My. God. I'm gonna cum if you do that again!”

“Yeah?” And he does it again.

Your entire body convulses and you draw your knees up to your sides, your hips rolling with the contractions. You feel a fresh drop of cream run down your cunt as the waves crash down.

Laying on his tummy he has a close up view of the entire moment. “Shit baby, I could see your pussy clenching.….most amazing thing I've ever seen.”

“Harry I need more, I'm so empty and I need you inside me, it's not gonna st-stop until you're inside me.”

“Shh shhh, baby.” Hands running down your legs.

“Yellow!” You pull against the ties. “Yellow, Yellow!”

He places his hand on your lower tummy. “I'm here...I'm gonna take care of you.”

You’re sobbing..."I need to see you.”

He scrambles up your body and removes the tie from your eyes. He kisses you all over your face. “You’re ok, love.”

You raise your head to kiss his cheeks, his lips, his neck. “Untie me.”

He sits back on his knees between your legs and quickly releases the scarves and your hands fly to his chest. “Come down here" you say, pulling at his shoulders.

He finally settles his weight down on you, forehead to forehead. “Tha’ was intense, how’re your wrists?” He's searching for them to rub.

You have them deep in his curls before he can even check. “They're fine, they're fine.”

“Are you su-“

“Jesus Harry, Fuck me! Please! Know you're in pain.”

He reaches down and lines himself up at your entrance. “Ready?"

You smirk. “Green.”

He chuckles and thrusts in deep.

You both let out loud filthy groans.

“Oof…here, pull your knees up,” he says, as he slips out of you. He chuckles. “So wet…just slipped right out of you. Wettest you ever been for me baby.” The sound of his cock slapping your pussy as he pounds into you could be the soundtrack to a filthy porno flick.

“Who. Is. Fucking. You?"

“You are, Harry!!"

“Who?"

You groan out, “Harry Styles!”

“Tha’s right, baby, you remember when you start to miss me that I'm always yours. Our bodies, our souls, our spirits belong to each other. You’re never away from me. I am never away from you. Never been like this…it's never been like this. Cum with me...“

“Me either H! I-never felt like this before.”

“Need you to cum.”

“Am I hitting our spot?”

“Yes!"

You’re breathing heavily into each other's face, foreheads pressed together mixing your sweat.

“Fuck…just felt you gush on me.” His breath puffs out of his lips. “I can't stop this, cum, baby girl, cum!”

You let out a high pitched open mouth groan of satisfaction as you both go completely stiff. The pulsing of your pussy and the deep twitch of his cock is almost more than you can handle. You squeeze your eyes shut, stars exploding behind your eyelids, and then blackness. The ringing in your ears goes silent. Suddenly you hear, “Babe, babe…come back to me. Come on…come back.”

Your eyes flutter open.

“Jesus, baby scared the shit outta me.”

“Mmmm,” is all you can mange to say. You’re huffing out your breath. “You're so good to me, H. So, so good. You feel so good inside of me.”

“Breathe love, just breathe.”

You wrap your arms tight around his back, sensing that he might be trying to move. “No don't move. Wanna hold on to you just a little longer.”

He's brushing the hair out of your face. “Ya did so good. Tha’ was so intense.”

“Death by orgasm.”

You both giggle.

"No don't laugh baby, 'm cock is so sensitive.” That just makes you giggle again.

He groans. “Baby…. gonna get me hard again.” He squeezes his eyes shut. “Stop giggling, love.”

“Stop being funny!" You groan. “I don't think I'Il ever move again.”

“Ya gonna hafta move in a minute, need to change the sheets.”

You bury your face in his neck.

He smiles his beautiful smile. “God we have have to order a new bed..." He mutters to himself as he rolls to his side.

You roll over on your side next to him. “My God.." you breathe out. “Come away with me to cottage he says. It'll be fun he says. Let's stop for wine he says.” You glare at him playfully.

He chuckles.

“Fuck me Harry she says,” mimicking your voice.

You slap his chest and snuggle into him. A gentle silence falls over you.

He grabs your hand and placed it over his heart. “God I'm gonna miss you while I'm gone.”

“I'll miss you more.”

#sensory escape #original content #harry smut #harry styles smut

324 notes · View notes

lucky-peoqle · 3 years

Text

reunions and beloveds | c!wilbur soot

requested ? : yes !!

“c!revivedbur finding reader after asking tommy about them and just fluff and happy reunion :]”

pairing : c!revivedbur x reader (gender neutral)

warnings : swearing, fundy is mentioned a lot.

a/n : okay, so in this everyone is like their skins or the fanon hcs. like ranboo is an enderboy n tubbo has lil horns !! finally back to writing !! i’ve been in a weird funk abt writing so sorry about that ! all i gotta say is revivebur my beloved <3

he was alive.

wilbur soot was alive and breathing.

he didn’t know how, but he was.

all he could remember was dream dropping off a version of him, the version of him looked …. discolored and his face burning as tears fell from the corners of his eyes, and wilbur leaving him behind.

he look around his surroundings. ‘what the fuck is this,’ the man thought, looking at the alter type thing in front of him.

“oh fuck…,” he heard from behind him.

he turned, recognizing the voice. the corner of wilbur’s mouth twitched into a smirk.

“oh hello again.”

“awe fuck you,” the blonde boy said.

“really tommy? that’s all i get? come on! i’m alive for crying out loud! tommy, i have a second chance at life,” he somewhat shouted, laughing.

“calm yourself wilbur- here have some blue,” tommy threw it in his direction, hoping he’d catch it.

“don’t give me that shit-,” he said, walking away, looking out at what use to be l’manburg.

“oh shit,” he laughed, “oh fuck! did i do this?”

“yes!” tommy shouted angrily, “this is yours, take it,” he said, handing wilbur the lead to friend.

“no it’s not, who the fuck is that?”

“i- it’s friend?”

he ignored him, obviously not interested in the sheep. tommy sighed defeated, “at least take your sword.”

wilbur took his sword from him gratefully, he looked back down at…. l’manburg, looking at a certain goat boy and…. enderboy?

“tubbo! my man! look at you! aren’t you the president of this place? you don’t look very president-like,” wilbur laughed, walking down to the boy, ruffling his hair, careful not to hit tubbo’s small horns.

“well…. thing’s have certainly changed,” tubbo nervously laughed, fixing his hair.

“and who’s this? ronbow… ronboo?”

“that’s ranboo to you, pal,” tommy said defensively behind him, a scoff escaping him.

“ah okay, ranboo, hello!”

“yeah, um… hi?” ranboo said, somewhat awkwardly.

“wilbur, what did you do to ghostbur,” tommy demanded, “is he still in there or?”

“who? oh, ghostbur. i know him, yes. the discolored guy who looks like me. he’s stuck in my limbo now,” he chuckled.

“what do you mean?”

“my limbo is a train station, tommy. a never ending train station. finally, a train came, you know who was in that train? ghostbur and dream! he dropped off ghostbur and brought me here!”

“….dream?” tommy let out.

“dream! dream my hero!”

“… your- your hero!? that’s bullshit!”

“wait- wait! the memories are coming back! ghostbur lived in the sewer, it’s down here!” wilbur started to move down, but abruptly stopped once he remembered something very important.

how could he forget?

how could he forget his own damn significant other?

he needed to see them. now.

he wondered how they were doing. god, how he missed them.

their touch, their hugs, their kisses, their everything.

he turned to tommy, a look in his eye the blonde couldn’t recognize.

“what now wilbur?”

“where’s y/n?”

tommy let out a chuckle, “i’m not taking you to them, you hurt them enough.”

“tommy, you have to take me to them.”

“i won’t! you don’t deserve to see them after what you made them go through!”

“fine. i’ll just kill you then,” he said, lifting up his sword.

“WHAT? okay! FINE,” tommy said frantically, “just put down your sword!”

“good, you lead the way.”

so, tommy and wilbur said their goodbyes to ranboo and tubbo and set off.

y/n was settled in wilbur and their’s shared home. it was big enough for the both of them, very cozy.

a small cottage for the both of them, one bathroom, a kitchen, a living space to sit by the fire, dining era, two bedrooms, one for the two of you and what use to be fundy’s room.

fundy had been visiting you since wilbur had died, since he had always seen you as a motherly figure, since he grew up around you of course.

wilbur would have to visit fundy after his visit with you, even if fundy didn’t want to see him.

tommy and wilbur were now in front of the cottage he knew all too well. the flowers outside vibrant and colorful.

the lights of the cottage were on, the smell of baked goods coming from the open windows.

“are you ready?” tommy whispered to him.

“of course i am,” wilbur said, walking up to the door and opening it, walking inside.

“tommy? is that you? or is it fundy? i thought you were coming tomorrow? or is it… ghostbur?”

wilbur rolled his eyes at the mention of ghostbur, he walked into the kitchen, tommy following close behind.

“hello darling,” he said.

y/n whipped around, her eyes looking the man in front of her up and down.

“w…. wilbur?”

“did you miss me?”

they nodded, “of course! you just scared me, i thought you were fundy,” they giggled.

god, did he miss that sound.

“you also thought i was tommy and ghostbur apparently,” he smiled.

“oh shut up,” she said, “but um… how are you even…. alive?”

“dream, but i don’t want to explain it right now, i just want to enjoy your company.”

you nodded, walking up to him and holding his face in your hands.

“i like the hair,” they chuckled, running their fingers through his white streak.

he laughed, “really? i thought you would think i look dumb.”

“you know i wouldn’t,” they smiled, they noticed tommy awkwardly standing they.

“tommy help yourself to whatever you want, i just made cookies,” they pointed at the window where the cookies were chilling.

tommy thanked them and went off to the cookies.

they turned their attention back to wilbur, taking a good look at him before tearing up.

“oh darling, don’t cry please,” he said, wrapping them in his arms.

“i just missed you so much, i can’t believe you’re here,” they let out at sob.

wilbur held them for a little bit longer before pulling away and holding their face in his large, calloused hands.

they leaned into his touch as he wiped their tears away.

“i am never leaving you again, okay sweetheart?” wilbur continued, “through fire and ice, i am never leaving you, i promise.”

they nodded, a smile on their face, “i love you so much.”

“i love you more,” wilbur chuckled before pulling them into a long awaited kiss.

#wilbur soot x reader #c!wilbur soot x reader #c!wilbur soot x you #c!wilbur soot imagine #vilbur x reader #vilbur x you #wilbur soot imagine #mcyt imagine #mcyt x y/n #mcyt x reader #dsmp x y/n #dream smp imagine #mcyt x you #wilbur soot #c!wilbur soot #revivebur #revivebur x reader #revivebur imagine

759 notes · View notes

im-poe-dameron · 3 years

Text

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 || 𝐇𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞

a/n: i might not be as active anymore, because things in life are not going well, but i managed to finish this as a pre-halloween fic. yes. it is another series about din djarin set in an au (i have no control over my actions) and hopefully it actually gets more than two parts, buuuut i'm really in love with this fic. so i hope you guys like it and enjoy a lovely ass spooky week! it's kinda shitty writing, but hopefully you find it interesting. thank you to @themarcusmoreno for being amazing and beta-reading for me. i don't do tags anymore and instead have a library blog now @moonlights-library.

this is a kind of prologue/prequel to the overall series but it can be read as a one shot i guess. there's no set time for this one shot to take place, but I'm thinking it's sometime in the medieval era. idk i haven't worked things out timeline wise. the series will be in modern day though.

summary: beware the witch that lives in the woods. a warning that he did not heed for himself.

word count: 7.4k (i guess!?!)

pairing: din djarin x witch!fem!reader

warnings: EXPLICIT so MINORS OFF MY LAWN, cussing, violence, death, p in v sex, rough sex, oral (f receiving), fingering, minor hand job, potion usage (be wise with the herbs y'all), violence although it's not much, mention of death, reader does not DIE IN THE END. just letting you know. let me know if i missed anything.

“𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝑪𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝑰 𝑾𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓”

They say the witch in the woods is the one to fear.

To stay away from, because to go near her was to damn yourself to a life of curses. The witch in the woods. A nickname created by those who feared the being of absolute power; men who couldn’t handle no longer being able to control a woman. It was invigorating to know that they held nothing against you - that even if they wanted to hurt you...they couldn’t.

“The witch of the woods,” you mumbled, your lips curving up at the corners as the memory of their fear came back to the forefront of your mind.

What ridiculous notions these humans came up with, but who were you to disagree with them? For you found yourself using the same name they did. Witch. A being of power and you relished in it. Welcomed the fear and hatred, because it meant they wouldn’t try you, would leave you to live alone in the woods. To you that was more a gift than a curse.

The winds shifted, bringing the aroma of the wildflowers that grew around your small cottage with it. A delicate floral scent that you’d grown to love, but beneath that you could sense something deeper. Darker than the buds, than even the trees that surrounded you. Some part of you recognized it - felt the hair stand up on the back of your neck at the realization that they had found you.

That he had found you.

Standing from where you were gathering herbs, you set the basket handle across your forearm, walking slowly back towards your home. Ignoring it wouldn’t make the issue vanish, but it would give you time to consider your options. If they had in fact found you that meant you wouldn’t have much time to flee. Unlike last time where you were prepared for them, this time they had sent him unannounced.

What confused you was you hadn’t felt him coming - couldn’t see him within the view of your sight.

Had they finally found a way to cloak their hunters?

That fact wouldn’t surprise you. What did however was the knowledge that they had sent him to capture you - either a mistake or a distraction on their part. You felt him seconds before returning towards the front of your cottage. A man in black armor stood near the gate, a sword attached to his back and helmet in his hands. You recognized the crest that was branded across the front of the black metal - knew that whatever was there would also be along his skin somewhere.

A soldier for her.

Funny how fate intertwines two souls together - as if it were making a mockery of the outcomes that would no doubt be inevitable. You would have laughed...if you found the joke even remotely entertaining. Yet this had happened before. More times than you wished it to.

He would find you on behalf of her orders, attempting to bring you to her so she could finally get her way. A woman who wanted nothing more than to kill you and that’s what you laughed at. Not the constant recurring situation, but at the sheer stupidity of it - nothing changed, nothing shifted even for a moment. For what would happen if that happened? Would the fates curse you in some way? Would they bring hell down upon you and the soul that you were forever tied to?

Turning towards you he watched as you headed towards the front steps of your home. Not bothering to even acknowledge his presence, because you knew why he was here if he hadn’t hunted you through the woods. The one thing that continued to happen over and over again until eventually he’d be back in her grasp once more. No longer free to hold onto his own mind and grasp for the memories that were hidden within it.

“A forest,” he said, shutting the door behind him and dropping his helmet onto the table.

Your heart twisted at the sight, another memory breaking to the surface. His helmet stranded on the ground beside your bare feet as he was dragged away from you - his screams ringing through the air. You wanted to save him then; tried to will yourself to go after him and keep her from destroying him once more. Only even you knew. To mess with the balance that nature has enacted is to create chaos and once that happened there would be no taking that back.

So you watched as he was taken from you once more.

A memory you would prefer to forget.

“It has what I need,” you said, dropping the basket on the counter in the small kitchen area. Of course the cauldron that hung above the fireplace was where the herbs would go but you would have to wash them clean in the basin and buckets you acquired while on your trip to this place.

“What is it you need?” he asked.

He was afraid of you.

You could hear it in the way his voice remained level, too strained to show he was relaxed in your presence and he hadn’t sat down yet. Instead he remained by the door, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he watched you move about your house. He knew your movements, had seen them before, but couldn’t exactly place where. All he could recall was the sounds of an ocean outside the windows, sunlight streaming in through windows that you used to leave open.

He knew you - that much was clear to him - but how was a different question yet to be answered.

“I needed to get away,” you replied, tying a piece of string around the bundle of lavender you had found on the outskirts of town.

People wouldn’t like you entering town and so you abided by their rules. Stay within your area of freedom in order to avoid them and the wrath that you knew came from those that feared what they didn’t know. The amount of times you’d been spit on, called demon, temptress, child of the devil - truly the insults were endless - was torture within itself. Only to be killed because of those things was worse.

It was a horrible thing to die from - you would know.

“She’s-”

“Coming for me. I know that,” you muttered, shifting your body and bringing your hand up to bring the fire to light, the bundled herbs you were holding tossed into yet another basket.

You rarely used your magic while on the run, because she could find you that way. Sense your power somehow wherever she was, and so you found yourself leading a practically mundane lifestyle. The only magic you allowed yourself to use was potions, brews, things that didn’t take much out of you. Speaking over the herbs was one thing; conjuring things was another. If you were to go that far you would have been captured by now and yet there he stood.

He found you without the capability of tracking.

“Did she send you?” you asked, dropping another part of your herb collection onto the table.

Shaking his head, he stepped further into the house, watching the fire begin to warm up whatever remnants of your previous potion was still there. “I came because of something else.”

“Does that mean you remember?” You wanted his answer to be yes. He recalled every moment, every memory that you two shared. Yet there was some small piece of you that wanted him to say no - to prove that he was in fact there on orders and not back to the man you knew.

He nodded and your heart sank. “I had a dream,” he began, turning to meet your gaze. “You were calling me a name. One I knew to be my own, but that’s not the only name you knew me by is it?”

Should you tell him?

Would it be worth it in the end?

It never was, but how could you resist when he looked at you like that? When he gazed upon you as if he’d found the other half of his mind, his heart, his soul. In a way he had - he was tied to you as much as you were to him - and yet you wanted to say no you didn't call him by any other name. That you only knew him as enemy rather than friend. Except he had been more than a friend...he’d been your lover.

His brown eyes bore into yours, asking you to respond to his questions.

“I-” you started, mouth opening only to have the words stop at the base of your throat, unwilling to go further.

How could you? When life seemed intent on pulling him away from you.

Turning towards the cauldron you poured water into it in order for the rest of what you used to unstick from the sides, allowing you to dump it somewhere else. There he remained. Standing behind you with his eyes rarely straying from what you were doing; he liked to watch you make your potions. It was something he found fascinating and even you had to admit it felt nice to have him back in your home once more.

You rushed back to the table, grinding up the herbs you needed in your mortar you poured them into a cup. The movements were natural to you - each measurement already detailed within your mind as well as the book that sat open before you. Each time you made this specific combination played on a loop in your mind. Would he remember after this or would you be pushing the oppressed memories even further into the farther reaches of his mind?

“Can I help with anything?” he asked, reaching a hand out to turn the book in his direction only to have your hand slamming it closed.

“Don’t touch that.”

You didn’t want to be terse with him, but you still weren’t completely convinced that he was back to himself. Until he willingly drank what you were making him, would you finally have faith in the man that stood before you. It was hard not to welcome him with open arms. Except you were forced to continue, pouring the hot water into the same cup as the herbs.

Doing this was simply for survival purposes.

Right?

“Drink this,” you said, handing him the cup gently.

He glanced down at the now murky looking water, eyes wary of what exactly you were giving to him. “May I ask what’s in it?”

“Funny,” you mumbled. “You trust your dreams enough to seek me out and yet you won’t trust me?”

“That’s not-” You smiled, cutting off his words.

“I’m not going to poison you. There’s merely a small amount of Jasmine, Yarrow, and Bacopa.” Sighing at the clear confusion in his face you began to explain their uses only to realize that there wasn’t much time to begin with. “None of them are poisonous. Trust me. They’re just there to help draw out what she locked away.”

“Do you mean what I can’t remember?”

Nodding you dragged the chair closer to him. “I’d sit down. The herbs do nothing unless I help them.”

You waited, allowing him to remove bits and pieces of his armor until he was in simply a pair of worn in pants and a loose shirt. It would be so easy to kiss him like this. Press your lips to his and remember what being loved felt like, but it would be a lie of your own making. He could not love until he knew who he was to you - who he was to history.

“Lean back,” you murmured, dipping your fingers into the small bottle of frankincense oil next to the empty cup he had set down. “This won’t feel good.”

He jolted. “What do you mean?”

Pressing your fingers to his temples you pushed his head back until his eyes were watching you, the fear spilling through and breaking past the brave face he tried to keep on. You should have specified who would be in pain; he would endure it just as he had done before, but you - you would be in agony all over again. As if this was happening for the first time all over again.

Just as you expected his eyes slipped closed, consciousness already falling under the spell of exhaustion he was put in from the tea. You took a deep breath, giving your body a moment to catch up with where his mind was. How far he’d fallen into a slumber and how far you’d have to dive in order to find him beneath the waters of his mind. One could lose themselves this way. Forever venturing into a human's mind until they were trapped for all eternity, but you’d done this enough times to recall when to pull yourself out.

“I call upon the powers of the old, of the ancient, and of the new,” you whispered, shutting your eyes and searching for the faint tug within your body that would lead you to where you needed to go. “Give me strength to resurrect his memories.”

Latching onto it you gave into the feeling, relinquishing control and following where it wanted, the light of something beginning to illuminate the darkness around you. Standing in a darkened hallway you turned to see him standing beside you, his eyes unfocused and hazy. He would lead you, because only he knew where they were. So without hesitation you grabbed onto his hand, stepping after him and falling into the pit of nothingness.

“Give him the strength to fight against the powers of her,” you said, feeling the air rush around you as you continued to fall until your feet hit the ground of something.

Only to see a door.

Different from before and yet everything was still as you remembered it.

Reaching out you pushed it open with little force and stepped through slowly with him following close behind.

384 BCE

Gasping you gripped onto his shoulder and feeling him drive himself deeper. A simple argument between lovers had somehow spiraled into a dance of passion that left you begging for more. It was rushed, sloppy, bordering on sheer desperation but it was what the both of you craved. After not seeing him for weeks on end from a hunting trip that was meant for him to find food to last through the winter, you were agitated when he came home.

Not because he hadn’t found anything - he had - you just didn’t appreciate him expecting you to stay home and never stray. You of course had to go out in search of herbs for the work you did to keep the both of you protected. Only this was him you were talking about. The man who dragged you back to the small cottage screaming curses at him until he pushed you against the door roughly.

Hiking up your skirts to sheath himself roughly into you, eliciting a cry of surprise from you. The stretch wasn’t unwelcome and in fact it was what the both of you needed to temper down the flames of annoyance that were rising, but it didn’t end there.

An hour after eating you found yourselves naked on the floor of the cottage, your legs over his shoulders as he pounded into you with a power you’d missed feeling. He grunted into your mouth, watching in glee as your eyes rolled back and the runes on your body flared to life. You certainly didn’t expect the fire he had stoked to life in the fireplace to grow intensely, but you didn’t hold a particular control over your powers at a time like this.

“Oh-” you cried out, nails nearly piercing his skin. “Right there my love.”

“Tell me,” he spit out, shifting forward even more to drag your hands above your head. It sent him deeper into you with each thrust until you were sure your vision had gone blurry and would never return back to normal. “Do you love me?”

You nodded quickly, tears falling from the corners of your eyes and sliding down into your hair. “Yes!”

“Are. You. Mine?” Each word was enunciated by a thrust, forcing your body forward and your legs up even more. You could practically feel him in your chest, the pressure building faster than it had before. Some part of you found this to be insanity, but another part - one much stronger - loved how he manhandles you. Took you in a way that had your legs shaking and breath stuttering in your chest.

“I’m yours!” you screamed it, the pressure breaking and exploding around you.

He practically fell on top of you at the feeling of your walls clamping down around him, but he forced himself up, teeth digging into your shoulder as he shuddered his way through his own release. White flashed behind your eyes and you wished so badly to recover quickly just to watch him fall apart, but if anything his constant thrusting forced you higher. Until you were crying out in ecstasy, chanting his name for each eternal being to hear.

“My love,” you whispered, managing to open your eyes fully to see him panting above you. Red streaking across his cheeks eyes dilated - he looked feral and you wanted to see more of that.

“Your love,” he replied, lowering your legs and settling on you gently. His lips met yours in a kiss that breathed air back into your lungs. “Always yours.”

“Always mine?” Brushing his hair back from his forehead you stroked the bare patch of his beard with your thumb. “How can you be so sure? Especially when she won’t stop hunting either of us. She believes that you belong to her not-”

He kissed you again, licking softly into your mouth until all thoughts were pushed out and nothing but him remained. “She will never be able to break the bond you have to me. Never.”

“I hope that to be true,” you whispered somberly, pressing your forehead to his.

“I love you.” He smiled as he uttered those words, finally giving you his heart after so long of knowing one another.

Ironic that he was originally sent to kill you and yet found himself being captured by you, heart, body, and soul.

“And I love you...Din.”

His eyes flew open as he raggedly gasped for air, clutching at his neck. You however were thrown back by the force of your own power, landing against the door and slamming your head against it. That would hurt later, but all you could care about was what happened before you. He remembered - all of it. Everything she had taken from him now rushed back into his mind once again, settling in their intended spots and giving him everything he needed to be whole once more.

“I can’t-” he said, voice gone due to the dryness in his throat and mouth.

You scrambled from where you sat, reaching for the water and handing it to him. “That would be the cause of the valerian.”

He looked up, eyes narrowing in your direction. “I thought-” he coughed, clearing his throat “-you said the tea only contained three ingredients.”

You waved your hand, dismissing his annoyance. “I could hardly tell you that I needed you unconscious for the spell to take it’s full effect. You wouldn’t have trusted me with that state you were in.”

Din rubbed his forehead, feeling his head throb from the effects. “No matter how many times you do it, that spell never gets any easier.”

“But it did work right?”

Again you feared his response, because what if - after all that work - none of it had taken effect. What if you were left with nothing but a man who held only a few memories of the lives you spent together?

He smiled, standing up to his full height and grasping onto your wrist. “Always yours,” he said, reminding you of the vow you had taken together.

One so strong that not even the darkest of beings could break it. You wanted to cry from joy, the weight lifting from your shoulders and allowing you a chance to finally breathe. He was standing before you - free of her control once more. Only something in the base of your stomach told you to remain wary of what might happen. She might not be able to track you, but she could track him and that fact settled over you too late.

You were already dragging him towards you, lips slotting against his to feel what you felt before. What you had missed for so many years. You had missed him - would always ache for him - and still nothing would feel as good as when he placed his hands on you. When he kissed you like he’d never hold you again within this lifetime. You didn’t want to consider that fact, but this might actually be the last time you see him.

She’d gotten far more clever with her tricks of hiding him away.

“Din,” you gasped, hands digging into his hair and falling back against the counter behind you.

Surely the universe would allow the both of you this moment together?

His hands yanked up the skirts of your dress, shoving them up around your waist to pull at what you wore beneath. You secretly cursed the layers of clothing that adorned your body, but the warmth of his palms against your skin was worth it in the end. The feeling of him pressed against you would forever be a feeling unlike any other. Before you could tug at the ties of his pants he was dropping to his knees, pulling a leg over his shoulder and forcing you forward until his mouth met you.

Gasping, you dug a hand into his hair, tugging sharply at his curls and trying to hold in the sounds that threatened to break free. However the sharp bite above your hip bone had you yelping in shock. Did he wish for you to make noise? You assumed so by the glimmer in his eyes. One that you’d seen before; one you missed dearly. His tongue slipped between your folds, licking up what you practically dripped down his chin and he moaned at the taste.

You couldn’t recall the last time he’d done this, but you couldn’t care less. Not when he was slowly sucking your clit into his mouth, making sounds with his mouth that left you shaking in place. So long you’d waited for him to come back to you and you begged with the ancient powers that had come before you to let him stay. You would have bargained your own soul at this point to keep the man you loved with you.

“Fuck!” you shouted, head falling back and hips thrusting sharply against his tongue to feel the pressure build even faster. “You’re going to make me-”

“Good,” he growled, two fingers plunging into your cunt. Only to pull them out just as quickly and begin a pace that nearly forced you to the ground. “I want to stay like this forever. Buried between your legs.”

Smiling you breathed rapidly, your hips shifting from his mouth to fucking yourself on his fingers. “I’d let you,” you breathed, eyes shutting from the sheer bliss of this.

How he felt, how he made you feel. All of it overwhelmed you to the point of near madness and yet you would welcome it like an old friend. You would happily drown in this feeling rather than lose it once more. Love was it’s own kind of torture - sweet right up until the bitter end, but it was a torture you needed. One that kept you alive every day and every night.

You had waited lifetimes for him to return to you and you’d wait lifetimes more after that.

“I begged the universe to bring you back to me,” you said, meeting his eyes as he licked lightly at your clit, drawing out the building pressure within your body until your stomach began to tighten.

“And here I am,” he whispered, fingers searching for something within your body.

The squeal you let out as he pressed against the spot along your walls caused a smile to bloom on his face. Eyes gauging your every expression - every reaction - as he sped up. Striking against it with each thrust of his fingers until you were shouting his name - begging him to let you fall apart. He had meant what he said. After so long of not knowing who he was, who he was meant to be with, he would remain here giving you as much pleasure as you could muster. It gave him a sense of control over his life again.

Allowed him to partake in the happier aspects of life rather than be buried within the darkness that had enveloped his mind.

“Is it good my love?” he asked, pressing an open mouthed kiss to your clit, licking at it again until you could do nothing but nod your head and moan unabashedly in wanton ecstasy.

The fear had washed away from your body, every worry you held onto in order to survive no longer seemed of any importance to you. Not when he made you feel this way with merely his fingers and tongue. His name was a spell on your lips, chanted as if it would give you powers older than the universe itself. By the way he gripped your thigh, pressing himself even closer until he was drowning in your taste, he liked what he heard.

Nothing was more lovely than the sound of you incoherently babbling praises, pleas, whatever you could manage to spill free. He’d missed this...missed you.

Your walls beared down on his fingers, sucking them back into your body and he licked steadily at your clit, sucking on it with a wet sound loud enough to have your body bend to his will. Each sound was filthier than the last, but he was desperate for more of your taste. Would do what it took to drink down your slick as if it was the ambrosia of the gods above.

“Come for me,” he said, spitting on your clit only to dive back in. His eyes focused solely on your face as you built higher, higher, higher and eventually couldn’t control the actions of your body.

The fire across the room grew to a lethal height until it practically licked up the rock walls, heating up the house until you were both sweating. Screaming your head fell back and your fingers dug sharply into his hair - keeping him in place as your hips grinded against his mouth roughly. You felt the coil snap, saw something flash behind your eyes as an aura of colors shimmered in the air. The breath in your lungs was shoved out, leaving you panting, floating back into your body and nearly collapsing onto the ground.

Still he licked at you, gently thrusting his tongue into you and tasting your release. It wasn’t until you flinched away from his mouth did he stop and surge back to his feet, grasping your neck and pulling you in for a kiss that left you even more breathless than your orgasm.

“I want you inside me,” you said, voice hoarse from screaming.

“Whatever you wish, my love,” he breathed against your cheek, hands already yanking at his pants until you were grasping him in your palm. Stroking him softly, just to see him struggle just as you had to remain coherent.

“What I wish…” you began, kissing the corner of his mouth gently. “Is for you to stay safe with me.”

The words had to be said and yet they were no less painful than when you’d thought them. You wanted him safe, more than you wanted him with you. Yet to have both - an impossible feat you weren’t sure how to bring to life yet. Not after what you’d seen, what he’d been through. Seeing it happen would surely break you in half until you wouldn’t be able to go on, but you’d done it before and would sadly do it again.

Till death do you part.

Words he’d whispered to you lifetimes ago on a night such as this one. When the moon hung in the sky, full and bright - emitting enough power for you to keep the both of you safe - and yet it still happened. She still took him from you.

The ring was pressed against your sternum inside the bodice of your dress; burning into your skin the longer it remained there and not on your finger, but how could you wear such a thing of beauty. When you were shrouded in nothing but darkness. Life was cruel, but fate was the tragic downfall you both had to endure just to be with one another.

He helped you onto the counter gently, afraid that he’d break you if his grip was too strong - even if he knew how powerful you were. He was always afraid he’d break you, because he’d done it before. You didn’t wait for him to ask if this is what you wanted, because you were always guiding him towards your entrance. Eyes begging with him to connect the both of you once more in an intimate embrace you hadn’t partaken in for years.

“I wish I could be safe with you too,” he whispered, gasping as he pushed into you, feeling the warmth and tightness of your walls hug around his cock. “I wish I could protect you.”

Fighting back the sting of tears, you cupped his face, bringing him closer for a kiss that would no doubt break both of your hearts even further. The tale of the moon and the sun drifted back to your mind, echoing your thoughts back to you. Each night the sun would fall so the moon could rise. Forever apart...never together. A love that was as eternal as the universe itself and through each lifetime they found one another.

“I love you,” you gasped, head tilting back and sharing his breath as he thrusted into you slowly, steadily. Enough to make you dizzy with emotion and yet still ache for more than just this.

You wanted him wholly. Wished that life would allow you one good lifetime together rather than this desperate fucking that would fall away to reveal your hearts that each of you kept so guarded.

“I love you.” He pressed you closer until your chest was against his, legs hitching higher up around his waist in order to let him sink deeper into you with every thrust. “So much. My heart belongs to you,” he said, forehead pressing against yours.

“As does mine.”

The softness began to shift, back to the roughness you both knew so well. But still you welcomed it, dug your face into his neck to keep yourself connected to him in some way. He barely pulled out now, unable to part himself from you and the whimper of his name caressed against the skin of his neck. Some small assurance that this was real, he wasn’t merely trapped in a dream, unable to escape the horrors of his mind.

What a wonderful way to be brought back to life, he thought.

By your love.

“Din,” you breathed, teeth digging into his neck and causing his hips to stutter. On the verge of coming, you refused to fall apart until he was right on the edge with you - ready to follow and spill into your body.

Pressing a kiss to his chest, you clenched around him, keeping him within the confines of your body and shoving him over the cliff. Gasping through it you dug your nails into his shoulders, watching in delight as he shuddered, nearly falling into your arms completely. It wasn’t earth-shattering like many of the others, but it was much more. Far more than even words could describe.

Holding him close you breathed in the scent of him. One you had tried to recreate through the years with different herbs, potions so potent that they wouldn’t leave your senses for days afterwards. But nothing could come close to the way his scent enraptured you - surrounded you like it’s own type of embrace.

“What else do you remember?” you asked, leaning your head on his shoulder, unwilling to let him go just yet.

“Everything. Our lives together,” he replied, hand brushing against your still clothed back. “The last time I saw you.”

The heaviness returned faster than you expected, but you didn’t believe it would stay away for very long anyways. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Don’t say that,” he said, pausing his movements. “I hurt you.”

“Din you couldn’t remember who I was at the time.”

“I understand that, but...you felt familiar. I didn’t want to hurt you. Believe me I fought against whatever vile shit she-”

Cupping his cheek you turned his head, bringing him back from the depths of his mind, before he swam out too deep for you to reach. “I believe you. More than you know. You weren’t yourself and how could I blame you for your actions when that was the case?”

“But-”

“But nothing,” you said, running your thumb along his jaw. “You’re here and that’s all that really matters at this time.”

You watched as he allowed himself the freedom of choice once again; gave into the love you brought forth, because it was a stability he needed in his life. Gathering you in his arms he slowly helped you down to the floor, dragging you on top of him until you were locked tightly in his arms. He had slipped out of you through the movements and you slowly dripped down your thigh, but somehow it remained a feeling of comfort.

The fire had died down with your adrenaline, returning to a slow burning, crackling softly in the background. For a moment you could allow yourself to fall into a peaceful sleep - let go of the worries that plagued you and forget.

You hoped.

“Sweet child.” A voice cooed in your ear, sending your heart into overdrive.

You knew who it was seconds before she spoke; the burning of each rune on your body alerting you of an entity that wished to do harm. One who wasn’t supposed to be able to track you let alone contact you through your dreams. Opening your mouth you tried to say something - call out for Din - fight against her, but your mind was trapped. Almost as if you were trapped in molasses.

“I see my huntsman found you,” she whispered, her breath washing across your cheek.

Fear spiked through your heart, sending your body into a mode of panic and it must have done something to the external world. It was enough to wake him up from where he was beside you, shaking you awake, but he didn’t hold any power of his own. Not enough to break you out of this world she had created specifically for this moment alone. She wanted you to know that you were powerless against her the second you let your guard down.

She could find you anywhere.

“Seren,” you gasped, screaming in pain as the runes nearly seared themselves to your bone to keep you protected.

“Come back to me,” his voice whispered against your temple, dragging you to the surface and back into reality with him.

Your eyes opened, air rushing back to your lungs as light flashed over your eyes. Showing you what you dreaded most in the world, and you shut your eyes tight, wishing for it to leave your sight. Except you could not shut off the powers given to you by your ancestor.

“She’s coming,” you said, breaking free of his hold and getting to your feet. Reaching for the jars of herbs that were scattered around the house you began to concoct yet another spell.

Hiding your magic be damned. She already knew where you were, had found a way to break past barriers that had taken you years to set in place. Starting the fire once more you ignored his inquiring words, forcing yourself to remain practical and focus on the task at hand. She would not take him from you again.

Not after last time.

“What do you mean?” he asked, following close behind you.

“She found me Din,” you replied, grabbing the bones that lay scattered around the table thanks to the cat who wandered in and out from time to time. She brought you gifts.

“Then we have to go.” He grabbed your wrist, stopping your movements. “If she found us then we leave.”

“And go where?” Pulling away you felt the chill go down the base of your spine again, curling low in your stomach. “There’s no place I can go where she won’t find me.”

“Listen,” he said, cupping your face. “I promised to protect you.”

“Din-”

“I will protect you.” He left no room for an argument in his words, and while you would have normally fought him on that, there was a certainty in things that hadn’t been there before.

This was it for you.

The moment where you choose how far you would go to keep him in your life. He didn’t mention it if he noticed your plan through the eerie stoicism you kept on your face. Why should he? There would be no fighting you on a decision such as this; no way to convince you that this wasn’t worth it.

Only that was the thing. It was always worth it - he was worth everything.

Feeling the rune on your hip flare to life you understood how little time you had left with one another. One step out of the door meant you’d never get the chance to come back inside together, because things were finally clear to you. He died to protect you from her, but there would be no need for protection when you died.

“You’re going to let her kill you,” he said, disbelief crossing his features.

“I won’t let her take you from me again Din. Not like this.”

“So you would rather die than run away?”

Your shoulders dropped, eyes shining with the tears you continued to fight against. “She won’t take you if I’m no longer here to hunt.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t, but what would be the use of keeping someone’s soul mate when they’re dead?” It made some sense in your head, but at this point you were at a loss for another plan. Running never worked - especially with the amount of times that you had tried it and she was far too powerful to kill.

“If that’s your choice,” he said, grabbing for the sword propped against the table. “Just know I’m not letting that happen.”

The door swung open before you could respond. Neither of you touched it, but you already suspected who was behind this. Who had decided to pay a visit to a home you’d built for yourself for years. Inhaling deeply, you took a hesitant step forward, your bare feet touching the wood beneath you that had been carved with rune after rune.

She couldn’t enter.

Not when Hecate’s symbol was carved into the wood above your door frame, blocking those that dared to do harm against her ancestors.

Staying directly beneath it you watched as a hooded figure stepped out from the shadowed forest entrance, her pale bare feet drawn with black marks. Ones that you recognized, but would never use yourself. It seemed to blacken the very ground she stood on, taking life from your garden of flowers and turning them to ash before your very eyes.

“Greetings sweet child,” she said, voice sounding exactly like how a siren would sound and you wondered if they received that gift from her.

“Seren.” You weren’t a violent person, always choosing to look on the lighter side of things rather than revert to darkness. But with her...you wanted to watch her die at your feet. Fall to the ground and suffer from what she had put you and Din through for far too long.

“You sound so unhappy to see me.” She reached up, hands covered in runes as well - some you hadn’t seen before - and pulled the hood from her face. Revealing the woman who plagued your dreams at night, forcing you to remain awake and watchful lest she decide to pay you another visit.

“I’m not particularly pleased,” you replied, deadening your eyes. She would not see what you felt - not this time. “You’ve arrived at such an awful time.”

“That’s because you took what belongs to me.” She plucked a rose from your garden, piercing her finger as she went and sucking the blood off her skin. “How is our fine hunter?”

You nearly stepped outside away from your protection, but his hand on your wrist kept you there. “He does not belong to you,” you snapped, eyes narrowing at the sight of her slowly sucking the life from the rose in her hand. Turning the red into black.

“That’s not the agreement he made.”

“Fuck you. He was under your spell when he made that agreement. Otherwise he would have never gone with a bitch-” You were knocked to the ground, the breath leaving your lungs instantly.

You heard him call your name, felt him drag you back until you were leaning against his chest and resting between his legs, but couldn’t breathe. She’d taken the air from your lungs, shutting off your voice temporarily. All because you disrespected her. There would be no fighting her today, not when you were still weak from the spell you casted on Din to bring forth his memories.

He stroked your face, calling your name gently to rouse you from your state of weakness. “You’ll be okay,” he whispered, thumb running along your cheek.

“We should have ran,” you said, smiling up at him with a morose look in your eyes. “Too late now I guess.”

“I shouldn’t have come to find you,” he said, helping you back to your feet. “She used me to-”

“I don’t care.” And that was the truth. You had a few moments with him again; certainly not enough to last another lifetime, but enough to remind you why you continued to fight against this woman. Why you kept your vow to him.

“I love you Din,” you whispered against his lips, kissing him gently before pressing a hand to his chest and watching as he fell to the ground before you. Eyes rolling back in his head. “Too much to let you go.”

“What are you doing?” Seren called from outside of the house, her eyes no doubt able to see what was going on.

Turning to face her once more you smiled, raising a bottle of a potion she knew well. One she used to get here in the first place. Bending down you pressed your fingers into the ash from the fire, drawing a symbol on the skin above his ribcage that not even she could track. You would not allow her to take him from you this time, but you would not be able to spend your days with him again. Not for some time.

“Always yours, my love,” you whispered, pressing your hand into the symbol and bringing it to life - watching as it burned lightly into his skin. Solidifying in his soul.

Standing you stared at him one last time, before stepping out into the garden with Seren nearly sending you six feet under with just her expression. She did not like the spell you had cast, but you no longer cared. Not when the man you loved was finally safe - finally free from the both of you. Lifting the potion to your lips you watched her shout in anger, rushing forward in an attempt to knock the bottle from your hands.

Yet it was already too late. You could feel the beat of your heart begin to slow and the numbness in your body spread until you were falling to the ground.

Forever asleep until the universe called upon you again.

Until you could reunite with the other half of your soul.

#din djarin x fem!reader #din djarin x you #din djarin x y/n #din djarin #din djarin smut #din djarin one shot #din djarin fic #pedro pascal #din djarin au #din djarin fanfiction #my writing

67 notes · View notes

namelessayakashi · 3 years

Text

Merlin/Arthur Fic Rec List

This is going to be a long post, so the recs start blow the cut!

I wanted to make a fic rec list!! So, here I am. Should be doing my uni homework that's due tonight but I am a terrible procrastinator.

I will probably make another one later on when I have more time that is more organized, but this one is in no particular order.

Last Updated 23 Sept. 2021

Also, quickly, a big thank you to @kickassfu for the making gif above for this post, ilysm Maf!!

Onto the fics!

Unsaid Love by AeonTheDimensionalGirl

Rating: Teen & Up

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Type: Return Fic; Angst with a Happy Ending

Wordcount: 4,022

Quick Summary: Songfic for the song Unsaid Emily from Julie & the Phantoms. Follows Merlin through the years as every century on Arthur's birthday more and more of a song is revealed to him when he goes to sleep. [Regency setting fic]

-- I am still not over this fic of @aeonthedimensionalgirl's, this fic is literally incredible. It is so good. I recommend reading it with Unsaid Emily playing on repeat in the background.

The Wisdom Of The Ages by tehfanglyfish

Rating: Teen & Up

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Type: Fluff; Getting Together

Wordcount: 4,200

Quick Summary: "Saving Arthur while disguised as Dragoon the Great was all well and good until the king decided the old sorcerer deserved a reward. On the run from Arthur, Merlin finds sanctuary in an elderly women's social club. What was supposed to be a one-time visit becomes a regular part of Merlin's week, as he returns each Friday to discuss recipes, commiserate about aches and pains, and lament the state of his love life." - Summary directly from AO3

-- Such a good fic, honestly, like. Merlin befriends Camelot's elderly ladies. Need I say more? It's great.

Forgetful Days by OnceFutureEmrys

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: None Apply

Type: Fluff; Modern AU

Wordcount: 620

Quick Summary: "Arthur is very forgetful. Luckily, Merlin is there to help." - Summary directly from AO3

-- Seriously, @oncefutureemrys this fic is so cute and it's just great, def recommend it

Home in Your Arms by OnceFutureEmrys

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: None Apply

Type: Pining; Fluff; Modern AU

Wordcount: 1,574

Quick Summary: "Arthur is missing Merlin when when he hears someone knocking on the door..." - Summary directly from AO3

-- Yes, another one from OFE, because I love her and her fics. This fic is so sweet, it is a modern University AU!

Ink On A Page by Hisa_Ai

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: None Apply

Type: Pining; Fluff

Wordcount: 2,170

Quick Summary: Merlin writes his feelings on parchment, because if they are on paper, they are just words on a page, and not really his and didn't hold any meaning. One day Arthur notices him writing on one of these pieces of parchment.

-- Literally so beautiful. I loved this fic so much, and I recommend it so much. It is a canon era confessions fic, and it's just so good.

Fool Me Once by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

Rating: Teen & Up

Archive Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Type: Humor; Magic Revealed; Dark Humor

Wordcount: 18, 728

Quick Summary: "Uther finds out about Merlin’s magic, but can’t seem to kill him. Merlin is just trying to protect Arthur. They become a begrudgingly effective duo. Arthur doesn't understand why they think he isn't noticing this." - Summary directly from AO3

-- I mean, can I just recommend this entire series? Seriously, the series this fic is in is just--excellent. I love this fic. It has Immortal Merlin and Uther Knowing about his magic. Seriously, though, just this series is amazing ahah Exceptionally Exceptional, Calling the Middleman, Returning the Favor, In Which Arthur Lets a Sorcerer Live and Regrets It, just to name a few, are incredible and I definitely recommend reading them.

for my beating heart is far too small for the entirety of my love for you by kickassfu

Rating: Teen & Up

Archive Warning: None Apply

Type: Fluff; Established Relationship

Wordcount: 1,566

Quick Summary: Arthur is trying to learn a little magic to surprise Merlin at his coronation after their wedding.

-- So, I actually gave @kickassfu the prompt for this one. And oh my gods. How they did it? So soft, sweet. It is so good, and I 100% recommend you check it out!

That’s my Man by AeonTheDimensionalGirl

Rating: Teen & Up

Archive Warning: None Apply

Type: Emotional Hurt/Comfort; Magic Revealed; Arranged Marriage; Angst with a Happy Ending

Wordcount: 2,287

Quick Summary: "By ancient, prophesied law, Arthur Pendragon must wed Emrys.

Problem is no one knows who they are." - Summary directly from AO3

-- I told you Aeon would be on here again! Love this fic so much. Love magic reveals, love arranged marriages. Seriously, this is great.

the house is flooded (as is his heart) by powered_by_notes

Rating: Teen & Up

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Type: Domestic Fluff; Return Fic

Wordcount: 2,281

Quick Summary: Arthur leaves to do some work in town, and Merlin runs into a bit of trouble with the cottage and their chickens while he's gone.

-- They have chickens. Enough said. No but really, this is so good, they live in a cottage and they have chickens and I definitely recommend this fic.

Emrys the Really, Truly Terrible by lindenwaverly

Rating: Teens & Up

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Type: Magic Reveal, Emrys Reveal

Wordcount: 15,241

Quick Summary: Arthur has repealed the ban on magic, but Merlin still hasn't come clean about his identity. The issue comes in where, Arthur wants Emrys to be his Court Sorcerer

-- literally. cackled. this is so great, i loved this one. i read it in the morning and do not regret it one bit. some of the dialogue just killed me. it's a great fic, and you should definitely read it.

Arthur Pendragon's Business Judgment Rule by oddishly

Rating: Teen & Up

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Type: Woke Up Married

Wordcount: 27,459

Quick Summary: "Arthur and Merlin wake up married. Camelot is in the middle of treaty negotiations with a visiting king. It's okay, Arthur has a plan." - Summary directly from AO3

Lord Drake's Bequest by Pennyplainknits

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Type: Modern Era, Fake Relationship

Wordcount: 9,966

Quick Summary: " "To my great-nephew Arthur I bequeath Tintagel Distribution, wholly and without reserve, save for one condition. You must marry, and stay married, for a period of no less than six months. You're a wonderful businessman Arthur, but a full life needs love and companionship, not just a string of affairs. Settle down young Arthur, and your life will be the richer for it." " - Summary directly from AO3

of all things magic, a cerulean haze by powered_by_notes

Rating: Teen & Up

Archive Warning: None Apply

Type: Magic Reveal

Wc: 7,092

Summary: "When Arthur goes missing, Merlin goes off on his own searching for him. He knows to look for things that the others simply do not and has things at his disposal that the others, again, simply do not.

. . .Magical things, of course.

In all his power, worry, anger, and relentless searching, he has no idea the missing king is being shown all the things that Merlin is doing with that power.

. . .Magical things, of course." - Summary directly from AO3

-- Loved this sm. Gods, I was supposed to read this ages ago, but only FINALLY just found the time to last night and it was so great. Arthur is kidnapped while out doing smth for Merlin and it's just really good.

On the Run by Sorceressofdragons

Rating: E

Archive Warnings: None Apply

Type: Modern AU

Wordcount: 18,155

Summary: After an unsuccessful attempt on their lives, new neighbours Arthur and Merlin decide to take off into the woods. Their destination is Morgana’s country estate, but these two city boys don’t know anything about survival—so if the foxes don’t get them, the lack of Monster Munch might. Featuring sex mishaps, weird food, walking in circles, and some obligatory cuddling. Oh, and Merlin is hung. - Summary directly from AO3

-- fucking KILLED me. This was just -- it was great. Literally, from the start I SWORE i knew the who and why only to discover I was totally off with the *why* and it was fantastic.

Hear Your Heart Sing (Love, Love, Love) by schweet_heart

Rating: Mature

Archive Warnings: None Apply

Type: Soulmate Au, Modern Au

Wordcount: 15,834

Summary: Merlin used to like the idea of finding The One – until he fell in love with Arthur Pendragon. Now he has a boss he can't date (but can't stop thinking about), a soulmate he can't find (who has terrible taste in music), and a best friend who can't believe he still hasn't got his act together (even though it's seriously not his fault).Sometimes, life is unfairly complicated, even without your soulmate singing painfully catchy tunes in the back of your head. - Summary directly from AO3

-- This one was just great. The soulmates, the songs, the misunderstandings--it was great. I loved this one.

Note to Idiot by tinylilremus

Rating: Teen & Up

Archive Warnings: None Apply

Type: Harry Potter AU, Modern AU

Wordcount: 9,762

Summary: Arthur and Merlin are members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad who work different shifts and share the same office. Arthur, who works the day shift, can't stand the rain. Merlin, who works the night shift, can't concentrate without it.

When they both get tired of changing the weather in the magical window in their underground office, is there a more British way to settle their differences than with a few passive-aggressive memos? - Summary directly from AO3

-- HP AU! A Ministry AU at that! I literally. I loved this so much. Merlin & Arthur are both in the AMRS, different shifts, and it's just hnsdsjdkh it's so good. Really, it's great. And we get to see them on the job a bit!!! Which is fun. This one is def a great one to read, esp if you like HP AUs

as stated previously, this list is being frequently updated with more fics!!!

189 notes · View notes