#freya if youre reading this look away

[lav3nder-bees]

happy february to them and absolutely nobody else

[darlingdekarios]

hide and seek.

rating: explicit. 18+ only. length: 5,555 content: Simon "Ghost" Riley x f!reader, reader is referred to as a codename "Freya" and related nickname from Ghost, smut [fingering - receiving, unprotected p in v, mentions of stomach bulge, creampie, oral - receiving], kink(s) [size, outdoors, slight degradation, praise, squirting, cum eating], not beta/proof read deal w/ it

during a training exercise, the lines between hunter and hunted become blurred, and the feelings that have been buried inside claw their way to the surface.

"You can't hide forever, Freya."

Eight hours and fourteen minutes into a training exercise with Taskforce 101, and the two men who remained were starting to question if the words rumbling through their ear piece were correct. Dropped in the mountains within a ten mile radius of one another, it was a game of hide and seek … each of you taking on both roles simultaneously as you tried to remain hidden while taking out your opponents.

It was an honor system - survival of the fittest. Price, of course, at a camp at the base of the mountain, sending a team out to retrieve those who were picked off. Now it had dwindled - only the three of you remained, and the comms channels had been particularly quiet as time ticked by, each of you convinced you'd prove yourself top of the food chain eventually.

But Ghost's voice had interrupted the quiet, your focus broken for a moment as you halted all of your movements, waiting for the forest to respond to his voice. When nothing close to you alerted you dropped your own voice lower to quip back at his taunting, adjusting your position where you currently crouched.

"Just have to outlive you, LT."

"And Gaz. Don't forget about Gaz."

A smile spread across your lips, backpack sliding off your shoulders and to the ground quietly in an effort to increase your movement radius. Your target was well within sight now, the figure hunched over a jet boil that was working to make him a hot meal without smoke.

"Oh, don't worry. I didn't forget about Gaz."

"Well, I'm still here, so you've still gotta worry about me finding you first," the named man finally responded, his voice echoed from the earpiece and from the figure in front of you, carried between the trees as he gave no effort to hide himself, thinking he was without company.

You were moving forward now, using trunks and bushes for cover, stalking toward prey that remained blissfully unaware that its downfall was close enough to see puffs of cold breath from them.

"Not for long."

From there, it was silence from you, any further conversation a threat to giving away your location the closer you drew to him. You could hear the uptick of worry in his voice immediately when he responded, his focus on dinner shattered as he stood again. There was no possibility of him fleeing now, not with hot equipment to turn off and put away. Instead, he'd have to wait for the inevitable.

"What's that mean?" he questioned, head searching around his perimeter desperately in hope to find you before you could reach him. When his question went unanswered the frustration in his voice increased, a subtle shake indicating he was aware of his mistakes. This game was over for him … now he only needed to wait. "Hey, what's that mean?"

"That doesn't sound good, Gaz."

You were trying to ignore the tone Ghost used now as he spoke … the subtle amusement lingering under his tone only spurring you along more. It was over for Gaz before he had a real chance to react.

"Freya, what does that … FUCK!"

His shout was muffled into your hand as you slid up behind him and covered his mouth, a victorious smirk covering your face. Reaching into the pocket of his jacket you activated a GPS tracker to signify his pickup location, moving around him to look him face-to-face. He gave you a nod of respect before you hurried back to the trees, replacing your equipment and setting off on your next target.

"That's Gaz out," Price's voice was smooth in the comms, ready to set the match into its final round. "Ghost, Freya, you're all that's left. Try not to play with your food too much."

"Hmm."

You wondered if Ghost had an advantage position now, if he was looking to the trees for evidence of Gaz's retrieval, perhaps hopeful for a tip toward your location. You were eager to ensure he'd receive none.

"No promises."

"Once the sun goes over the mountains, you're alone for the night. No comms. It becomes true survival. Understood?"

"Copy," the two of you spoke in unison and Price dropped out again, returning the two of you to your isolated setting. As you hiked forward you found an eagerness filling your stomach … butterflies fluttering around as the prospect of facing Simon in this setting as the victor for this game set in on you. He could hear the smile you wore on your face as you all but purred into the comms.

"See you soon, Ghost."

The confidence in your voice sent a shiver down his spine - something he found becoming a common occurrence whenever you were around. From behind his mask his lips curved into an amused smile, though his tone indicated no such thing when he spoke.

"We'll see about that."

"It'll get cold soon, Frey. Once the sun drops over those mountains …"

It had been just under two more hours since you'd taken Gaz out, and things had mostly been silent. Neither of you wanted to outright give away your locations by something as easily avoidable as not remaining silent, so for the most part you had, only responding to Price quickly when he provided time updates.

"If you're worried about a little cold you could always forfeit, Ghost."

The laugh that rumbled in him came through even lower through a microphone like the one you wore now, and while the sound still set all of your nerves ablaze, you wished you could hear it in person. It was a ridiculous offer - Simon Riley had never forfeited in his life and he wouldn't start now, even if it meant sleeping beneath a layer of snow tonight. It was something about him that pulled you in like a magnet, his proven results time and time again securing your unspoken feelings for him.

Feelings you now couldn't afford to focus on with bragging rights of this size at stake. You were well aware of the possibility that Ghost had an eye on you through a scope - he could already be tracking your every move. You were certain that, knowing him, he would be close - he wouldn't allow his last remaining enemy to stray too far.

You still hoped to use that to your advantage, opting to ignore the cockiness in his words.

"Not a chance."

It was only an hour later that the sun was no longer offering any amount of warmth, the last of its gold and orange hues diluted by the beginnings of the night sky.

"Price did say if we're out past sundown we're out for the night."

"You sound scared, Frey. Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark?"

"Not a chance."

Really, you weren't…not now, anyway with every inch of your body burning with the desire to win. You echoed his earlier words to initiate a playful banter the two of you ever really enjoyed alone, inviting him in to another game with the reminder that now, only the two of you remained on the line. Thankfully he took the bait, catching on quickly to what you silently offered.

"You should be…never know what's lurking about…hiding behind a tree, in the shadows."

To his own internal pleasure, the quiet laugh that he allowed to rumble through his chest was joined with your own, the soft sound sending a rush of warmth through his body. Though he'd never admitted aloud - maybe not even fully to himself mentally, in truth - he craved moments like this with you, where your laugh and your casual tone fell easily on his ears like the chirp of birds in the morning.

Instead, he enjoyed his time with you selfishly, the need he felt within him to enjoy more of you buried inside where it would never see the light.

"Could say the same to you, big guy. What's lurking in the shadows around you?"

There was something in your voice that made the hair on his neck stand, something to the tone that piqued his interest further. You were almost purring - he was starting to wonder if Price's request not to play with food was directed entirely at you now. As he focused on your tone, on his surroundings, on taking in the trees around him and desperately trying to ignore the new tightness in his pants, your eyes were on the finish line.

You had slipped free of your boots and socks again, suffering through the cold ground in an effort to quiet yourself further as you stalked your way to him slowly under the cover of darkness. When you could begin to make out details - the pockets on his jacket and pants, the glimmer of zippers as they caught the remaining light, every curve his silhouette offered…you stilled, enjoying the moment.

His breath was visible - heavier than usual. You couldn't help the rush of pride that filled you at even the slightest hint that you had his nerves alight. How many people could say that about Simon Riley? It was a feeling so fulfilling you were almost tempted to bask in it longer, to savor every microsecond it lasted.

But the promise of his reaction was far too enticing to stay hidden for too long, a fact you succumbed to as you silently took more steps toward him.

"Hey, Simon?"

"Hmm?"

"Boo."

Fortunately the ground was soft enough to aid in the jump you sprung into to wrap your legs around his waist from behind, your arms wrapping around his neck and giving the slightest squeeze to accentuate your point. He'd lost.

"Fuck."

"Concede."

When the order was not immediately fulfilled you squeezed ever so slightly harder, only enough to drive it home. This was a fair win. One you'd earned.

But he wasn't hesitating to find a way out…he'd taken an intentional moment to allow you time to bask in your glory - at least, that was better than admitting he just wanted to feel you closer for a moment longer…for as many moments as you'd allow. Regardless of his own wants and completely focused on what would make you happy (though he could already feel it radiating from you), he forced himself to not, a deep breath filling his lungs as you released him.

When you climbed down and he turned to face you, the grin that had spread across your face fell open. In preparation for the dark Simon had already removed his glasses, leaving his sparkling eyes bare for you to see, more of his face exposed now in his balaclava than you'd ever been treated to before.

(Though it was hardly enough. Your curiosity about what would greet you beneath the black fabric grew by the day…by the second now as you made eye contact like you'd never been able to before.)

In the depths of his eyes your own pride was matched, telling you enough about his thoughts on your win that the words could truly go unspoken. He studied you carefully, enjoying the curve to your lips as a coy smirk and how somehow still, despite the pride, a neediness flooded behind it all, something as primal and feral as the forest's inhabitants.

"How long have you been on me?"

"Right after I picked up Gaz, he was trailing you from the southeast."

The mask's fabric shifted confirming the light smile that played on his lips, his eyes burning into yours now. As intense as his gaze was (it always was, why should now be any exception?) you were lost it in, searching for a hint of what he was thinking…what he was feeling. He was an expert at this - at hiding, at interrogating, he could easily pick you apart and have the answers he wanted flowing from you with only a little more effort.

With you, however, it required no intimidation to coax what he wanted from you.

"You could've caught up before sundown, then," it was a simple statement, his eyes not leaving yours as he took a knee on his sleeping pack before you, digging in his bag for a small towel and a fresh pair of socks. He motioned for you to take a seat on the rock he'd set up camp next to, nodding in appreciation when you adhered. "Your pace is faster than that."

You hadn't known him very long - you weren't even technically part of the task force as it stood. It has been almost a year, however…nearly twelve months of knowing the man who now knelt before you, carefully wiping mud from your feet and handling you like you would shatter if he wasn't softer than a hummingbird's feather. You didn't know what to expect of physical contact from him…but this degree of gentleness was certainly not it until this moment.

You thanked him for his delicacy by ensuring your eyes never left his face, eager to meet his gaze again whenever his found you again.

"Could've, yeah," you confirmed when he started to slip the warm socks onto your feet, his attention now nearly fully returned to maintaining eye contact with you. You were aware that with each passing moment your heart was beating faster…even more aware that you couldn't stop it even if you tried. "You could've tried to track me."

"Could've done."

"Why didn't you?"

He was still on his knees in front of you - in fact, there was no sign he intended to move now.

"Wanted to see how long it took you to find me. Wanted to see how you'd approach."

You'd never heard his voice like this - so quiet it offered no disruption to the peaceful mountains around you. Not quiet like he normally was to avoid an enemy, quiet to pinpoint that the words were only for you. As if you needed another reason to be attracted to him - as if the very definition of perfection could get any better.

"Did you find my methods satisfactory?"

The longer his eyes burned into yours the easier it was to ignore the dropping temperatures in the air around you.

"I did."

His praise - even just that was enough to be considered such - struck you to your core. You found yourself speechless, your face burning. Unaware for a moment as one of his hands rested against your knee, uncaring that you probably looked foolish as all you could do now was stare. He was willing to hold your gaze for as long as you offered it - a dangerous fact.

"If you're trying to prove yourself to Price, you don't need t' put yourself at more a risk of injury to do it. Proper footwear is important."

"I'm not proving myself to Price. I'm proving myself to you."

He'd been choosing to ignore the signs from you - opting for the safety of denying what was transpiring between the two of you now for the security it provided. It seemed those days were gone - even the air around you seemed to be pushing the two of you together.

Still, this was a territory he'd convinced himself was forbidden, and in his internal fight as to how to move forward it allowed you a moment of doubt. It was you who spoke again before he got the chance, eager to explain your actions further.

Not that you owed it or he expected it…you needed it now to fill the silence.

"I wanted to hear it from you…that I bested you," he could hear the doubt blossoming on the back of your words - it wasn't like you to share like this, it was much safer to keep things to yourself. But if you did that forever, he would as well…and the reality was, you were more willing to break the unspoken rule with yourself before he was. "I wanted to hear the pride in your voice. To see it in your eyes."

His eyes found yours again as he reached a hand toward your face, hesitating for a moment just centimeters away to give you the chance to slap his hand away, waiting for any action from you that confirmed the doubts ever-present in the back of his mind. Instead, ever so subtly your head leaned closer to his hand, inviting the distance to be closed.

All the signs were there, and now he just had to read them.

He grasped your chin between his fingers and held you gently as he drew closer to you, his free hand reaching up to push the bottom half of his mask up. His lips were more inviting than any you'd seen before - it was a cruelty that he covered them, a gift at the same time to your focus.

(For the record - you'd gladly sacrifice your focus if it meant watching his tongue run across his bottom lip. A momentary lapse of your attention was well worth witnessing the way he invited you in now.)

"Who knew you could be so needy?" he questioned, his tongue swiping across his lips again, finger tapping your chin playfully. That alone sent you clenching around nothing - just that taunting question was enough to fully spiral you into desire. "Why don't you tell me why you kept us out here after dark first?"

Your face was burning - every inch of you was burning. Simon was an intelligent man - your plan to string the game along longer hardly a secret now. It was your turn to concede - he'd found you out. Somehow, you couldn't even begin to remotely care.

"For this. This moment alone."

He had come so close now that the distance between your lips could hardly be considered decent. With the smallest movement either of you could have closed it - a kiss both of you had long awaited in silence a promise now.

"Are you hoping for a reward?"

Your mouth had never been this dry and you could only nod, savoring the way his free hand now ran up your side, urging you forward slightly. He began to lean closer, slower than you'd ever seen him move before, to demonstrate where he intended to go, hoping you would follow his lead - hoping you could be the one to initiate what was to come.

"Use your words."

"Yes."

Like a flock of birds startled by a sound too loud cracking in the night like thunder you came crashing together like lightning, his lips finding yours like they'd already done so a thousand times before now. With his strength he had you on your feet and against a tree in the time it took for a gasp to fall from your mouth. He paused, dark gaze softening briefly as he waited for you to give any sort of show that you wanted him to stop. When you didn't, his lips finally claimed yours as your hands pulled him in firmer by grasping his collar.

It was heated - both of you had waited for this moment while simultaneously avoiding it since you'd met, but now that it was here it demanded everything from you - the kiss itself was all-consuming. As your lips and tongues danced together both of you allowed your hands to explore under shirts as best you could. His hands engulfed you - any part of you he grabbed was with as much as he could possibly get his hands on, noticeably holding himself back from grasping tighter in an effort to spare you from bruises.

Until your nails ran down his abs hard enough to leave red trails in their place and he took the unsaid words as further permission, his finger tips digger into your hips harder as he leaned more of his weight against you, truly pinning you to the tree. He gave you a moment to breathe - your vision blurred as you blinked up at him, eager to see the swirls of color in his eyes this close but still hopelessly wanton for his mouth on you some more.

A light smirk played on his lips at your expression - pupils and eyes wide and your already swollen lips remained parted, desperate and shallow breaths falling from your lips. He pressed a kiss to the corner of your mouth before trailing his lips to your jaw, dragging them back until he reached your ear with a gentle nip at the lobe.

"'s this what you wanted, dove?"

You could hear the desire fueling his words and could only whimper and nod in response as his lips connected to your neck, one of his hands releasing its hold on your hip to unhook the button of your pants. His lips reached lower, beneath where a collar would normally sit on you to suck a spot that raised goosebumps all across your skin as your zipper was undone. You realized you'd yet to give him the verbal response he probably required and it came from your chest as a broken moan as his hand slipped into your pants, pushing your underwear to the side.

"Y-yes, sir."

It was his turn to groan now, his fingers spreading your folds to spread the slick that had already started to leak from you. He bit into the spot he'd been paying attention to, uncaring if it left a mark for others to see in more casual settings, savoring the gasp and moan that fell from your lips and the way your hands desperately clawed at his sides to hold you to earth as your hips bucked forward, his fingers teasing your entrance as they did.

"Fuckin' soaked already, eh, love?" his taunt was directly below your ear followed by a loving swipe of his tongue, uncaring of the sweat that had gathered on your skin throughout the day and cherishing everything you had to offer. His fingers traced your hole slowly, teasing you with the slightest entrance several times before he continued. "I've barely touched you, y'filthy girl…"

You could once again only whimper as two of his fingers slipped inside of you with a quiet 'tsktsktsk' sounding against his teeth, his muttered words of praise and degradation muddled by your hazy mind as he stretched you open. He was well attuned to what your body responded to, pumping the thick digits into your tight sex with the perfect speed, rubbing against the most sensitive and velvet part of your walls perfectly each time to pull more moans from you.

His lips found yours again when he was satisfied you'd finally caught your breath enough to meet you in another bruising kiss, his hand that wasn't focused on fucking your cunt reaching to work his own pants partially down his thighs, freeing his throbbing cock with a grunt. You could tell by the speed to which his fingers entering you picked up and the rough grasp on one of your hands that he needed you just as desperately, guiding your hand to his cock and groaning again into your mouth as you wrapped your hand around his thick shaft, stroking his length tenderly.

As you continued to ensure your hand paid attention to every inch of him available he worked your pants down, making sure to quietly ask you if you were too cold in doing so and rewarding you with a gentler kiss and pressing closer to you when you shook your head. You could feel an orgasm building in you heavily and he picked up on the cues your body provided like it was something he'd been doing for a long time already, pumping his fingers faster as he continued to relentlessly kiss you.

"Go on, then," he coaxed against your lips, still not pulling away enough to give you a chance to suck in a full breath. You were dizzy, vision blurred already as every cell in your body focused on finding release. "Get nice and messy for me to fuck you."

It was that promise that sent you over the edge, the first wave of euphoria crashing over you and blinding your vision as you gushed around his fingers, the sloppy sounds of them entering your spasming repeatedly bringing a smile to his lips. He gave you the chance to breathe finally, releasing you from his kiss as his fingers abandoned your white hot core, hands grasping your hips to lift you upward. You realized your hand had fallen away from his cock as you'd worked through the initial hit of your orgasm and reached for it again, guiding it between the folds of your pussy and guiding it back and worth as he situated you between him and the tree, encouraging you to wrap your legs around his waist.

You were closer to his face now and could see the emotions in his eyes more - the hunger and need that filled him pouring from his expression and accentuated by a groan as your slick was spread over his cock. His words were barely more than a growl - the conflict deep behind each one only evident because you understood him. "Shouldn't…fuck you raw, dove. Such a bad fuckin' idea…"

You whined to communicate your dissatisfaction, already desperate to feel every inch of him buried in you and logic chased from your mind this soon after one orgasm had rushed through you. You reached between your bodies to rub your thumb over the pre-cum leaking from his swollen cock, grinding against him more. He was coated in your slick already - the fact he could slip into you with enough aid from just that unfocusing his mind.

"Need you, Simon…"

Of course it was his name on your lips that silenced his worries - that completely erased them. He adjusted quickly and with one swift movement his cock was stretching you, splitting you open on inch after inch as his lips found yours again. It was a fact that his length was too much for you to take in full, one you ignored happily and in a moderate state of drunken bliss until he'd bottomed out in you, tip pushing against your cervix. One of his hands remained attached to your hip and the other reached to press against your stomach and the bulge, adding to the pressure seated in your core so much you already started seeing stars again.

"Y'okay, princess?"

Any other time you'd have snipped at him not to call you that, but now as he muttered it in a slightly higher pitch, his whisper desperate and light against your lips you couldn't bring yourself to mind the name - with his cock buried in you you only nodded in response. His eyes met yours again before he leaned his forehead against yours, giving you a moment to focus on the feeling of his pulling his cock out from your velvet walls slowly.

He waited for a moment, teasing you with a delicate kiss to your bottom lip before he sheathed himself into you fully again with one swift thrust, hand pressing down against your stomach again. The sound of your pussy accepting him in with a squelch combined with the moan that ripped from your chest was pornographic and addicting, and he immediately entered a bruising pace to repeat it as much as he could - greedily working for another release from you.

You were thankful that his resolve had completed melted away as he got lost in the feeling of your cunt squeezing his cock on each entry, moans and grunts repeatedly falling from his lips as he fucked into you. While most of his hand stayed pressed against his own bulge inside you he reached his thumb down to your clit to rub the swollen nub, eagerly claiming your mouth again with his tongue when a moan erupted from it.

He continued his efforts relentlessly but gave you another break to breathe to lower his head to your neck again, kissing a trail down to your collarbone where he nibbled lightly, testing how the added stimulation would effect you. Despite the repeated moans and whimpers falling from your lips - it wasn't enough from him, the need to push you over the edge and prove to you the months of this building was worth it fueling his movements with primal need.

His hold on your hip became harder as his speed increased, thrusting into you desperately and rough. Distantly you could hear him praising you repeatedly as your walls began to squeeze his length tighter, mumbling quiet words of appreciation into your skin interchangeably between biting and licking and sucking. When your legs began to shake around him, he knew you were close and while he could've continued on just how he was he pressed for more, fucking into your harder with bruising thrusts into you.

(In the morning you'd remark that he could've taken it easier on you considering you had a hell of a hike back to camp and it would only be worse with a bruised cervix and hips. He'd only offer you a smirk as he remarked the pain would be good for you.

But he'd carry you for however long you asked him to if it was too much.)

"That's it, dove," he cooed, adjusting to look into your face again. "Want you to cum on my cock…want to see how messy we can make you, yeah?"

You nodded, vision blurred as you met his eyes again, eager to see the gaze of adoration he was now offering to you. His lips twisted into a smirk at the sight of your mouth hanging open, a bit of drool running down your chin - something you hadn't noticed and would've felt embarrassed over if he hadn't leaned forward and greedily swiped at it with his tongue, kissing you deeply again.

It was then that a second orgasm was pulled from you - but between the stimulation of the head of his cock rubbing against the perfect spot inside you, his thumb circling your clit, and his lips kissing you as though it was life sustaining this time your release squirted from you, your release coating his cock, waist, and thighs. A low groan rumbled in his chest and his speed picked up again, savoring the feeling of your walls clenching around him and milking his own release from him.

He opened his mouth to try to warn you it was coming - a lost cause when you abandoned his kiss to attach your lips to his neck and jaw, lightly nipping and licking at several sensitive spots that were typically covered to the world. He grasped your hip tighter and stilled his movements otherwise as he filled you with his release, his hot seed creating such a large load that it was already leaking from you around him.

You continued to kiss on his jaw as you both came down again, Simon waiting until he was certain you wouldn't fall before he removed his length from you, gently lowering you back to the ground. His eyes remained transfixed on your combined releases leaking down your thighs for a moment, conflicting emotions once again flooding his expression as he gazed at you. Just as you opened your mouth to ask if he was okay he dropped to his knees, using one hand pressed against your stomach to pin you to the tree again as the other lifted one of your legs over his shoulder.

He leaned forward to lick each of your thighs clean - you wished he'd removed his mask briefly so you could tangle your fingers in his hair, the thought was abandoned when he leaned forward fully to connect his flattened tongue to your folds, licking a slow stripe through them gently. You gasped and grasped at what you could, landing on holding the hand over your stomach and the back of his head, anchoring him to you.

He was happy to accept the way you pulled his head forward, burying it into your cunt more until his nose was pressed to your clit. His tongue found your hole and fucked into it, greedily slurping in as much of your releases as he could. It was entirely too much the way he swirled his tongue and sucked against you hungrily, but you still couldn't silence the loud cry of disappointment when his mouth abandoned you only to stand and kiss you again, silencing your whine with his tongue sharing what he hadn't swallowed for himself already.

When he released you again he leaned his forehead against yours, a lazy smirk spread across his lips that matched the smug energy radiating from him. With a shaking voice you quipped at him, unashamed of what he'd reduced you to and completely pleased with how your plan had come to fruition.

"Price told us not to play with our food."

The way his laugh huffed from him in his breathless state was intoxicating, his tongue swiping over his bottom lip briefly catching your gaze and transfixing you again.

"What Price doesn't know won't hurt him.

masterlist. call of duty masterlist.

[luvendiary]

3 times hiccup asked you to marry him + the time you realized he meant it

hello! this was an early draft for this request: Hello!!! Imagine hiccup telling reader "I'm in love with you" / "Marry me" out of blue after a stare down (can be established relationship or not muahahaha) I like how this turned out, except for the ending. it's sort of shitty in my opinion. also, this isn't proofread. and sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language. feel free to point them out. also, there’s a slight corpse bride reference with the vows!! as always, thank you for reading. let me know what you think and if you'd like more of this. requests are always open!

1.

Snoggletog was one of your favorite festivities. The beautiful coat of snow that hugged the soil, and the way the sunlight softly reflected on it was perfect to you. You loved to see how vikings busied themselves by hanging up ornaments and mistletoe on the doors. You loved hearing the out-of-tune carols that echoed across Berk. And you loved the late cold nights as you and the dragon riders sat around a warm fire and talked about the day’s happenings.

One thing you did not love though, was the Snoggletog play, specially because it had been assigned to you all this year. It was the dragon riders’ responsibility to plan, organize and act it out the day of Snoggletog.

“What about the start of dragon races?” Snoutlout suggested.

“They did that two years ago,” Astrid replied as she sharpened her axe.

“We could do Loki-”

“We’re not doing Loki day Tuffnut,” Hiccup interrupted him.

A moment of silence passed amongst all of you.

“What if, we make a reenactment of Odin and Freya’s marriage? How they stopped the Aesir and Vanir war,” you said while nibbling on your thumb.

“That could work,” Fishlegs said.

“I like it, we could even get the dragons in on this,” Astrid suggested.

“Of course, brilliant idea (Y/N),” Snotlout said as he stood up with a cocky attitude. “Specially because I would make the perfect Odin.” He flexed his muscles and stroke a victorious pose.

You chuckled and pushed him away, “Sit down Snotlout. I was actually thinking that Astrid and Fishlegs could be Freya and Odin.”

“Oh no,” Astrid said immediately. “I’m not good at performing. Plus, you gave the idea, you should be Freya.”

“Alright,” you said. “If no one else is up for it, I’ll be Freya. Fishlegs, are you ok with being Odin?”

“Ye-” his reply was interrupted by Astrid elbowing him. “I mean, I wish I could but…I-I don’t like performing.”

“What but you love perfor-?”

“Hiccup! Why aren’t you Odin?!” Astrid chimed in as she placed her arm around your shoulder while the other went around the brunette-boy’s shoulders.

“Uh…I-I guess,” Hiccup said.

Astrid grinned while looking at you, “Great! It’s settled then!”

“Why would you do that?!” you shrieked as you pressed the palm of your hands to your eyes.

Astrid, who sat next to you overlooking Berk from a nearby cliff, shrugged, “Oh I don’t know. Maybe because I’m tired of you two beating around the bush. Why don’t you kiss already? It’s obvious you want to.”

“Shut up Astrid,” you said while sitting up. You rubbed your hands together to provide some heat to your body. “I’m not even sure if he likes me.”

“You’re as blind as Gothi is mute,” she replied.

“How can you be so sure? Has he said anything about me?”

“You’re hopeless Y/N.”

The days went by, and Snoggletog drew closer and closer. Right after training, you went to rehearsals, and while most of it went by in fits of laughter and jokes, you all managed to build a production. You often tended to practice with Hiccup, since you had the most line together, and it gave you an excuse to spend more time with him. During this period, you had managed to gain some small victories in the love department, holding his hand, dancing with him, and hearing him laugh while you acted out some of your scenes being some. However, there was something you both had been avoiding: the marriage kiss. It made your heart flutter and your stomach swarm with butterflies every time you though about the possibility of kissing him; on the other hand, it also felt like Gronkle iron swishing around your intestines. What if he didn’t want to kiss you? What if he just did it out of pity?

Your mind was plagued with questions up until the big day.

“Good luck,” Astrid said while she gave you a knowing look. She was looking forward to the kiss, and if what she had told you was true, all of the dragon riders were too.

The play started out good, Snotlout and Tuffnut played the Aesir family, while Ruffnut and Fishlegs played the Vanir.

The scene changed and the Aesir were complaining with Hiccup about how Freya’s magic and her help towards the Vanir was the reason for their shortcomings.

I was then your time to appear. After several attempts from the Aesir to try to kill Freya, you and Odin came to an agreement: you were to marry each other.

“Marry me,” said Hiccup. And as you looked into his eyes your breath hitched. He had a smile plastered on his face, and his eyes gleamed.

“I will marry you,” you replied as you offered him your hand and he put the ring on your nuptial finger.

The scene was supposed to end there, you were about to take a step backwards so that the actual marriage scene could take place, however you felt a hand wrap around your wrist, and before you knew it you were being kissed. You were being kissed by Hiccup Haddock.

Your shock was palpable, however you dissolved into the kiss once the initial incredulity had passed. Once Hiccup felt the kiss was reciprocal, he wrapped his arms around your waist and drew you closer.

2 .

Dragon racing was a hefty sport. Ever since it was created, it became a fan favorite amongst Berkians. Once every full moon, a match was held that was sure to be the talk of the town for at least a week. On summer and winter solstice, you held the dragon riding tournament, that usually lasted for about a week; except for that one time when the black sheep had wondered deep into the woods, and you weren’t able to find it for two days.

Point of the matter is, dragon racing was a serious issue for vikings. And that’s why victories where celebrated so grandly. You never particularly cared for the celebrations, however wining was important to you; your usually carefree nature was irrecognizable when it came to the sport as you became a furiously competitive rider. This change, spared no one. Not even your boyfriend.

“Incoming!” you called out before snatching the black sheep from Hiccup’s arms, as you held on with your legs to (Y/D)’s saddle while she flew in an upside down position.

“Hey!” he shouted in response with a light chuckle.

“I wish I could say I’m sorry, but I’m not!” you replied with a shit-eating grin directed his way. With the black sheep secure in your arms, you flew away, not a hint of remorse visible on your face.

You returned to your upright position and quickly flew up to your basket and threw in the black sheep. As soon as you do so, you hear the crowds cheers and applause mixed with the blow of the horn, signaling that the match has ended.

Astrid joined you on the platform, followed by Ruff, as they cheered you on and celebrated your team victory.

Hiccup watched you, still mounted on Toothless with a lovesick smile present in his features, “I’m going to marry her,” he said as he took in your beautiful smile.

“I don’t think you’re her type,” said a voice next to him. Tuffnutt flew next to him with a pissed expression -probably because of their defeat- “but go for it. I’m sure my sister would be flattered.”

3 .

“Do you think there are other people out there?” you asked as you stared blankly at the stars. “I mean, besides us dragon riders and dragon hunters. Do you think that maybe there’s another civilization that has been familiar with dragons long before us?”

You heard Hiccup chuckle, “Possibly, maybe they even know of species we have yet to discover.”

“I wonder if they maybe think the same of us. Maybe we’re some strange advanced civilization to them”, you said with a light giggle as your thoughts went wild with the idea of the unknown. “Or maybe, we’re cavemen in comparison to their civilization. Maybe…they know about our existence, and they have just decided to leave us alone because we’re not worth their time.”

“That’s a bit depressing isn’t it?” Hiccup asked, humored by your rambling.

“I don’t think so. I think it’s exciting…” you said slightly breathless as you stared at the vast abyss of twinkling lights that spread above you and beyond. “Just imagine everything we’ve yet to discover.”

You faintly heard the huffs and growls of your dragons, who were entertained by Hiccup’s prosthetic leg as they fought each other for it.

Hiccup allowed himself to steal a glance at you for a fraction of a second. He thought that the view in front of you was beautiful, but to him, the real wonder was sitting right next to him. You looked breathtaking with the starry abyss reflected in your eyes. Yet, you were so unaware of it.

“Marry me.”

He didn’t mean to actually say it. But he just couldn’t control himself when he was with you.

Your trance was broken and you stared at him wide eyed, in disbelief at what he had just said. However as soon as you saw his expression mirroring yours, you burst out laughing. You couldn’t say truthfully that you had never though about marriage, especially with Hiccup.

Hiccup’s startled expression morphed into confusion.”W-What? Why are you laughing?”

“Are you sure you want to marry me?” you asked in between giggles. “You don’t seem very sure.”

“What? Y-Yes! Of course I’m sure! Why wouldn’t I want to marry you?” his eyebrows furrowed in the way you loved. The way that told you you had successfully managed to get in his head. He had turned his body so that it was now mirroring yours, and his shoulders were raising up and down as they usually did when he was trying to explain something or defend a point.

“Fine then. I’ll marry you.”

His rambling stopped immediately. “What? Y-You will?”

You shrugged your shoulders nonchalantly. “Sure. Why not?”

You stood up then as you walked around the small island you had stumbled upon earlier that day. Leaving a very flustered and confused Hiccup behind.

“Wait! Where are you going?” he called after you as he struggled to get up. He rambled on as he chased you, asking about arrangements and other things.

“Aha!” you said victoriously as you crouched down over a patch of grass with some wildflowers sprouting out.

Hiccup peered over your shoulder, trying to see what you were doing.

Eventually you stood up and extended your hand towards him. He stared at you blankly for a moment, and muttered to himself, tryin to understand your actions. Still, an amused smile was present on his face.

“Well?” you said after a bit. “Give me your hand.”

He did as you instructed, and then you took out your other hand from behind, which gently held a blade of grass along with some small wildflowers intertwined with each other, forming a ring.

“I know it’s not the best craftsmanship, but I figured we couldn’t get married without rings,” you explained with a soft giggle.

Hiccup grinned down at you, and laughed incredulously. He wondered how he ever got you to agree to be his. “I’m afraid to tell you dearest, but I don’t have a ring for you.”

You sighed mockingly and rolled your eyes. “I know that. I assumed you would be too in your head about your future duty as chief and the dragons to think about me.”

“Hey!” he protested immediately. “I’m always thinking about you-”

“But worry not!” you said as you giggled playfully. “Since I know you well enough to be married, I know you well enough to be prepared for our wedding.” You reached into one of your pockets and puled out and identical ring, which he gently grabbed.

He stared down at you, with a skeptical expression.

“Well, go on with it. Do you want to marry me or not?” you asked as you tilted your head slightly to the side.

Hiccup sighed and then locked his eyes with yours. “I, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, the Third, make this oath. With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine."

Once the traditional vows were finished he gently took your hand and slid the delicate ring onto your nuptial finger.

You watched with a smile as he carefully placed it, and once he was done, you repeated the vows and slid his ring onto his own finger.

With your ceremony done, your lips met in a gentle and warm dance. You felt as his hands slid down your back and rested on your hips, holding your body closer to his.

“This is the second time we’ve been married now,” he whispered as he broke apart form the kiss,

“How scandalous,” you whispered back with a soft laugh, as you remembered the Snoggletog performance and how it ended up with your first kiss.

“Maybe the next time we get to do it, you’ll actually be wearing white.”

You stared up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Is that so? Does that mean you’d like to bed me next time?” you teased.

“I’d love to bed you now,” he said with a slight chuckle. “But I’m aware you’d rather follow the traditional path.”

You laughed and patted his chest. “Well, you’ll better get me that white dress quickly then.”

4.

Hiccup had been acting weird all day. Evading you and whenever you managed to track him down he responded any question you had in a dismissive manner. You had figured you should let him alone for a while, at least until he was ready to talk about whatever was bothering him.

He did tend to get too into his own head whenever he was worried, and it took you telling him about it for him to realize he could share his burden with you. But this time it was different.

When you had asked what was bothering him he dismissed you as soon as he could and continued what he was doing.

It had hurt you. It made you think if you had done anything wrong, but you couldn’t think of anything. It was scary thinking about what this could mean for the both of you.

“And you’re sure he hasn’t ever acted like this before?” Astrid asked as she tried to make sense of the situation with you.

You where both sat in the Great Hall, as the rest of the vikings ate their dinner. You however, couldn’t seem to make anything go down past your throat, as worry consumed you.

“Yes Astrid, I am sure,” you replied rather harshly. “I don’t even know where the hell he is right now. For all I know he’s probably off in another girl’s house. Maybe he got tired of waiting for me. Maybe he realized he doesn’t want this sort of commitment…”

You knew that this was irrational thinking. Hiccup had never given you signs that he didn’t want to be with you anymore, on the contrary, he was always very reassuring on how much he liked being with you. Up until now you had never had any reason to doubt your relationship; but up until now, Hiccup had never behaved like this either.

“Don’t say that! That boy is crazy for you. He has been since we where thirteen.”

You sighed and buried your hands in your hair. “Then why is he acting like this?!”

“I think you should ask him yourself,” Astrid said as she placed a comforting hand on her friend’s back.

“I’ve already tried that…” you groaned out. Your voice muffled by your arms, on which you were resting your head.

“Give it one more try. Maybe he’ll snap out of it.”

Reluctantly, you agreed and made your way up to the watch tower. It was Hiccup’s turn to keep watch tonight, so you knew he wouldn’t be able to escape this time.

You felt the heat of the fire before you saw it, and you knew he was there.

“You need to cut the crap Haddock,” you started as you saw the faint outline of his shadow as you were nearing the end of the stairs. “If I did something wrong, just tell me right now because I can’t keep doing this. We’re not teenagers anymo-”

Your throat closed up as soon as you saw him. A gasp escaped your mouth and your hands flew to your face.

In front of you, Hiccup was down on one knee and a small wooden box sat comfortably on the palm of his hand.

“You bastard,” you whispered just to yourself.

He chuckled at that and smiled as he saw your reaction. He then opened the box to reveal a small silver ring in the shape of some intricate patterns.

“My dearest Y/N…” he started, but the lump in his throat wouldn’t let him go any further.

“Oh Hiccup…” you breathed out as you approached him slowly.

“Please marry me,” he said finally.

You crouched in front of him with tears in your eyes and held his face in your hands.

“Of course I will marry you,” you replied as a teary laugh escaped your throat.

To him, it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

He laughed then, as he slid the ring in, and looked up at you. He cupped your cheeks with the palm of his hand and pulled you closer until your lips met. He tasted tears and relief in that kiss.

You eventually separated and you hit his chest lightly.

“Don’t ever do that to me again you bastard!” you said as the tears flowed, and you whipped them off as nervous laughter escaped your lips.

“I swear this is the last time love,” he chuckled as he crouched his head slightly to help you whipe your tears.

“Not that! Don’t ever avoid me like that again Hiccup! I was starting to think that maybe you didn’t want me anymore…”

Hiccup grabbed your chin gently and made you look up at him. “Theres no one else I’d rather want.”

You laughed nervously once again and offered him a teary smile.

“I’m sorry I scarred you love. I just…I was so nervous.”

“It’s ok…” you reassured him. “I understand.”

He smiled down at you and whipped another tear. You didn’t mean to keep doing it, but you had been so worried all day long that it was finally coming out. You didn’t want to ruin your moment like this. It was supposed to be a moment for celebration and happiness. You tried to make it stop.

“You can cry. I will lift your sorrows,” Hiccup said with a soft laugh as he whipped another tear.

You smiled then, tears still flowing out. But you knew it would be alright. He would make you feel alright. He always did.

[crimsonmoonlight88]

You Belong With Me

Pairing: Mae x Noa

Note: Inspired by the photo Freya shared and this gorgeous rendition by @cj-k. Thank you for letting me share this beauty!

Mae found him by the fire, sitting with his pile of books and rolls of parchment. The hut he had crafted reminded her of a scholar's study, and she supposed it was. Or as close to one as it could be. It was still a shock to her that he could read, that he was teaching the others in the clan.

She told herself she did not wish to disturb him, but the truth was that her throat had closed up. This ape...he was the first that had showed her mercy and compassion, and he had nearly died saving her life. She had later saved his in return, but it did not feel enough, somehow.

"So late," Raka observed, glancing up at her at last. "And so..." His voice trailed off as he squinted in the dim light, trying to read her expression.

Mae quickly morphed her face into neutrality. Steeling herself, she forced herself to speak, to move forward with the inevitable. "I wanted to return this to you," she said, removing the familiar medallion from around her neck. She hesitated, feeling oddly bare without it, before extending it to him. "It is yours, after all."

Raka did not take it. He merely looked at the circular symbol, then met her gaze. "It was...a gift," he said gently. "For Noa. And now...it is yours."

Mae's hand shook. "Just take it."

"It is yours," Raka repeated.

"I don't want it!" she snapped, her voice cracking in the night.

Silence fell, heavy and uncomfortable. Raka closed his book, his dark eyes narrowing in a way that saw too much.

Mae let out a sound of exasperation and looked away. Her eyes wandered until they focused on the fading words of one of the tattered old books: The Words of Caesar. She knew this book. Raka read from it weekly to the others; she had listened only twice, too afraid to hear more.

With a sigh, Mae took a step forward and gently laid the necklace across the book so that the medallion rested on Caesar's name. She stared at it only briefly before finding Raka's gaze once more.

Sadness--and knowing--shone in his too-human eyes. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She felt as stripped of voice now as she had in the wilderness. So she forced herself to turn, moving mechanically to the flap of the door. She reached for it, but then Raka halted her when he spoke.

"I finally found..." he started, "why we call them...Nova."

Mae hesitated. She did not want to know the reason, and yet she turned, angling her head slightly. Waiting. Dreading. Curious, despite herself.

But Raka only smiled gently. "A tale...for another day...I think."

"Maybe someday I could hear it," Mae whispered.

Raka bowed his head, his eyes shining. "I look forward...to that day...Mae."

Tears welled in her eyes, but she nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She darted outside into the chilly night. The moon shone brightly in the sky, and Mae practically sprinted away, heading past the rebuilt structures and toward the small hut the apes had built for her.

Her breathing was ragged as she flung back the animal pelt that served as a door. She she stood there a moment, taking in what had, for the past few weeks--or months--been her home. A bedding of blue cloth and sack stuffed with feathers for her head. A blanket of warmth. Pelts draped over the sides like makeshift walls for privacy. A bucket. A basket of nuts and fruits.

It was not like the bunker with mild human comforts, but it was...hers.

Mae did not know how long she stood there in silence, but a hoot of an owl had her finally moving.

Her hands shook as she knelt and hastily stuffed the few items she possessed into her ragged rucksack. She swiped at her face angrily, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall.

"Going...somewhere?"

Mae whipped around in alarm, reaching for the knife in her boot on instinct. Noa stood in the makeshift doorway, watching her with a sort of calm wariness, his stance almost defensive. She hated that look, that stance--it was so frighteningly human.

His eyes tracked the knife in her hand, his nostrils flaring. In his right hand dangled the medallion. Her throat went dry.

Mae slid the knife back into her boot. "I have to leave," she managed to say, her voice hoarse.

Confusion gleamed in Noa's eyes. "Why?"

"I can't stay here. I'm not..." She struggled to explain how she felt, but forced her way through. "I don't belong here."

"You..." Noa's mouth worked as he mulled over her words, as though he could find no understanding in them. "You would...disappear into the night?"

Mae swallowed thickly, but said nothing. Could say nothing.

"Where would you...go?" He took a step inside, his face incredulous. "You said...you said you had...nothing left."

He had not spoken cruelly, but the words found their mark and Mae flinched. When she had returned here with an injured and scarcely-breathing Raka, she had planned on staying only long enough to see him recover. But then she had stayed longer, and finally admitted the truth to herself, to Noa--that she could not return to the others, to the bunker. That was the agreement, the price for her mission.

He had only asked if she had delivered her book. She said yes. They had spoken no more of it.

Mae had seen the satellites rotate, and knew she had succeeded. That hope for humanity had burned so brightly in that moment, but at some point these past few weeks, she had started to feel a sense of impending doom. She didn't know when she stopped hoping to be found by more humans and when she had started to dread it.

Mae wanted humanity to regain their dominance, their strength, but she wanted this clan, these apes who had accepted and forgiven her, despite what she had done, to remain untouched. She knew it was Noa and Raka's influence that aided in that forgiveness, but she was grateful none the less.

They did not deserve to be caught in the crossfire.

"Mae," Noa said, drawing her attention back to him. "It is...not safe," he insisted. "Out there...alone."

"It's not safe if I stay either."

He looked to her rucksack, then back to her, and took another step closer. "You are safe here...with Eagle Clan. With me."

Mae felt her heart shatter. He did not realize it was he who was not safe--because of her.

"I can't stay," she forced herself to say. "I can't, Noa. And whatever this is..." She waved her hand between them, letting the silence fall.

Noa angled his head. "What is...this?"

"It's..." Words failed her. She didn't know how to explain what it was between them. All she knew was that it would not end well. It couldn't possibly end well. "It's not important."

Noa stared at her.

"Not...important?" He angled his head slightly as he prowled closer, eyes narrowed. "Not important," he repeated, testing the words and making a face, as though finding them sour.

Mae could only say nothing. Could not bring herself to speak another lie. Not to him.

He stood close now, a mere inch taller but somehow towering over her. She glanced away, unable to bear the look on his face.

After what felt like an eternity, he reached up and gently slid the medallion back around her neck. Then he leaned down, bringing his mouth close to her ear. "You are a better liar...than that."

A tear slid down Mae's cheek. As he pulled back slightly, her eyes found his, and the intensity in his gaze took her breath away.

Against her better judgement, her right hand slid up his strong arm, curling into his fur. Her other hand found the band on his other arm, her fingers brushing against the soft feathers.

His arms went around her, angling himself almost protectively, like it was the most natural thing in the world. For a long moment they just stood there, locked in an embrace that seemed to stop time.

Noa's eyes seared into her soul, more human than she had ever seen. "You were...wrong," he breathed. "You belong...with me."

(This picture feels like a cliffhanger, so I ended this just so. In my mind, of course Mae stays. ;))

[merrybloomwrites]

Damien Haas - Vet Waiting Room

Summary: Who knew cats could be wingmen? A chance encounter in the vet waiting room can lead to more for Damien and Y/N.

Word Count: 674

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You absolutely love your cat. Shadow is the cutest, sweetest, chunkiest boy. But god forbid you try to trim his nails. You’ve nearly lost an eyeball one too many times and decided to just pay professionals to do nail trims every couple months.

It’s a bit of an inconvenience, needing to block out an hour so frequently just to get your cat's nails cut, but they’re so good with him that the time and money is worth it.

You’re waiting at the vet’s office for Shadow to be called back when someone walks in with a cat carrier of his own. He signs in and sits next to you on the bench. The first thing you notice is the purple in his hair. The next thing you notice is the biggest, fluffiest cat you’ve ever seen sitting in his carrier. 

He notices you looking at him and introduces himself, holding out a hand and saying “Hi, I’m Damien.”

You politely shake his hand and say, “Hi Damien, I’m Y/N. And who is this?” you ask, in regard to his cat.

“This here is Zelda, she’s my big ‘ol chonk,” he replies, his voice full of love for his pet. “Who do you have with you?”

“This is Shadow, he’s also my biggest boy. His brother is home,” you over explain.

“Are they actual brothers?” you nod and he continues saying, “That’s really cool! I call my two cats sisters but they’re not related. They just get along like typical sisters do.” 

“Oh yea, my boys definitely act like brothers. All the fights are worth seeing them randomly cuddle together though.”

“Oh I absolutely agree,” Damien says. 

He opens his mouth to speak again but the receptionist calls him back to a patient room. “It was nice meeting you,” he says as he gets up. 

“You too,” you reply and he walks away.

The receptionist says, “The techs are just a little behind, we’ll get Shadow taken care of soon.”

As you sit and wait, you can’t stop thinking about Damien. Even when Shadow is taken back for his nail trim, you can’t stop kicking yourself for not getting Damien’s number. Your friends are always telling you to put yourself out there, maybe join some dating sites, but you explain that you’d rather meet someone naturally.

And now you’ve met someone. This could’ve been a perfect opportunity and you totally blew it. 

Shadow is brought back out and you pay for the service. You hope that Damien will be out before you leave, but now you’ve run out of reasons to be there. You walk out and start to load Shadow into the car.

Just as you’re about to get in the driver’s seat you hear someone calling your name. Turning around you see Damien walking out of the office, struggling to catch up while carrying Freya in her carrier.

“Hold on,” he says, “Just let me-” he cuts himself off and goes to his car, setting Freya inside as you watch amusedly. 

He walks back to you and nervously says, “Totally understand if not, but uh, would you maybe want to go out sometime?” 

Even though you’re introverted, and truthfully nervous about the idea of a date, you manage to confidently answer, “Yea, I’d like that.”

He breathes a sigh of relief, alerting you that he’s just as nervous as you are, and he says, “Could I get your number and I’ll reach out to set something up?”

“That’s perfect,” you reply and the two of you exchange numbers. 

After another goodbye to Damien, with his promise to text you soon, you finally get into your car. Turning to Shadow in the seat next to you, you say, “I guess I need to thank you for hating nail trims, since you technically got me a date.” You laugh, letting out the excited and nervous energy bubbling in you. 

As you text back and forth with Damien that night to set up your date, Shadow gets extra treats for being such a good wingman.

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AN: Thank you for reading! I have one more Damien story coming out in a couple of weeks!

[w2soneshots]

I’ve missed you -W2S

words: 0.9k+

warnings: none.

summary: Harry comes to pick you up from the airport after a week with your family in Norway. Then he brings you to dinner with his friends to meet them for the first time.

notes: this fic was based off of this request!🙂 I hope you enjoy my lovelies💗🫶🏼

I met Harry four months ago. We immediately hit it off and have been together ever since. We're still in the early stages of our relationship, so I'm yet to meet his friends. Last week I left to go and see my family in Norway, which is where I've lived my entire life until last year when I moved to London. Me and Harry have spent most of our time together these past few months so it was really weird not seeing him for a week. Though we face-timed every night and I was constantly texting and sending pictures to him.

Today I'm flying home. My dad dropped me off at the airport and with one final hug we said goodbye. I checked in, went through security and was soon sat on the plane waiting to take off. I made sure to text Harry that I'd be landing in around two hours, since he insisted on picking me up. I listen to music and read for the entire time, so before I knew it we were landing.

I walked out of the huge glass doors and stopped as I looked around. When my eyes caught Harry's my heart rate began to speed up. A smile spread across my face and he quickly made his way towards me. "Hey!" He pulled me into a warm embrace. I wrapped my arms around his torso. "Hi." As we pulled away he smiled at me, then pulled a white bouquet of flowers from behind his back. "Oh my god Harry, they're beautiful!" I beamed. "I've missed you." He placed them in my hands. "I've missed you too, and thank you." I pushed myself onto my tip toes to peck his lips.

Once we got in the uber Harry had booked (since he absolutely hates driving, especially in London) we headed back to his apartment. When we got inside I took a shower to wash the plane smell off of me. Then I got ready because tonight I'm going to dinner with Harry, Ethan, Faith, Simon, Talia, Josh, Freya, JJ and Tobi. Harry has already given me the rundown on their names, what they look like and who's with who. I'm really excited to meet them and take the next big step in mine and Harry's relationship.

After making myself look presentable with, makeup and a nice outfit I left the bathroom. Harry sat on the bed and immediately looked up at me. "How do I look?" I asked jokingly with a twirl. He stood up "you look incredible." He complimented. "Why thank you." I smiled.

My leg shook slightly and I picked at my nails as we pulled up to the restaurant. Harry noticed this so placed his hand on my knee. "Everything's gonna be fine they'll love you." He soothed. I nodded then took a deep breath, intertwining my hand with his.

When we got inside we were quickly taken to our table where almost all of Harry friends sat. I politely smiled and immediately the girls stood up to greet me. "I'm Faith. It's so nice to finally meet you!" She pulled me into a quick hug. I introduced myself to the rest of the girls then looked back over to Harry who was already fondly observing at me. Unbeknownst to the both of us Ethan and Josh were nudging each other and whispering about how 'in love' Harry looked.

Once we sat down (me between Harry and Talia) we ordered some drinks. "So y/n how did you n bog meet?" Tobi asked. Harry had already forwarded me about his "stupid nickname" as he'd put it. "Um, well we bumped into each other and he knocked my bag out of my hand. Then we knocked heads as we both bent down to get it." I laughed lightly as I remembered the awkward interaction. "That sounds like it came straight out of a movie." Freya added.

Harry's hand sat comfortably on the top of my thigh as we chatted. I was soon fully comfortable around everyone and was having a great chat with Faith about her and Ethan's daughter, Olive. When our food arrived, all of the girls (including me) told the boys to "wait!" while we took a picture. The boys all groaned and then burst out laughing at the synchronised annoyance.

While we waited for dessert everyone was having their own little conversations. "So what's toffee pudding in Norwegian?" He asked. I giggled "it's just toffee pudding." "Oh. Well then what's," he took his time to think "thank you?" "Takk skal du ha." I replied. "Takk skal du ha." He repeated. I nodded "ye pretty much." I lifted myself from my seat "I'm just gonna go to the toilet, I'll be two seconds." Harry smiled "ok see you in a minute."

Harry's pov:

I watched as y/n walked away then turned back to the table to see the boys giggling. "What?" I asked, with my brows furrowed. "Harry you're so whipped." Simon stated. My face softened "well I really like her so... I don't mind." "I'm really happy for you bog, she seems really lovely." JJ said sincerely. "Ye it's nice to see you finally with someone." Ethan added. "It's not been that long has it?!" I asked, referring to Ethan's "finally". He chuckled "It's been like four years mate."

Your pov:

I returned to the table a few minutes later and sat back down next to Harry. "Did I miss anything important?" I asked. "Not really, the boys were just reminding me how long it's been since I've been with someone." I raised my brows "oh, why?" "Because they're glad I've finally found someone amazing as you." He whispered into my ear. A pink blush spread across my cheeks. Harry chuckled then placed his hand back onto my thigh.

[pruneunfair]

If I were these villainesses lawyers and if I could convince court they are innocent. (The court in this case is the manhwa community so the guilty/innocent factor will be based on if I can convince the community they did nothing wrong)

Yvonne.

I mean this one would be easy. She was body-napped by a Leila follower so all the crimes would be charged on the follower not Yvonne, and shes been trapped in a mirror anyway so the poor girl has been going through enough. She's got a solid case to prove her innocence.

Rashta

Honestly with how much the fandom is growing to love her she's not as screwed as one might think. If anything she could have rights to sue the Rimwells for years of unpaid labor and wrongfully taking away her child. Still, murder and mutilation are crimes worthy of hating her, not to mention those who think stealing someone's man is somehow worse then that. The best I could give Rashta is probably 5 years with a chance of parole

Rhyse

I feel like we would first have a guaranteed innocent verdict but then someone would reveal evidence that she's the author and we'd be done for 😭 because that's essentially what happened to me when I read the newest chapters of NYTRS. Rhyse is probably gonna get sentenced to 30 years with no parole.

Isabella

I'm gonna look her right in the eyes as I say "you are screwed." Because I don't know how I'm going to convince the community that a pure evil villainess who killed her sisters, one of which was a child, that she is a good person deep down. I can't even say she's a good villain cause that sure as hell isn't true. Sorry Isabella but your gonna get life with no parole.

Diane

I think I could get her out.. maybe worst case scenario she gets 1-3 years since someone will probably point out she kidnapped and beat a maid for supposedly trying to seduce the Emperor. But she did kill said Emperor and redeemed herself plus she kinda drank poison and gave herself a death penalty already so I think she's already dealt her punishment.

Marianne

Normally if we were going by actual morality Marianne would get the lethal injection, but since we are going by fandom laws which are all based on "love" for a character Marianne is probably gonna just get 10 years since she's so well beloved as a villain and character and then the public is gonna get pissed that she got it easy for her long list of charges.

Soleia

Soleia is gonna be the reason the Salem witch trials come back in modern day BUT she has actual black magic so she'd probably never even show up to court but if she did best case scenario she can leave on bail since what she did was for revenge and the people she hurt were willing to drop the charges if she agreed to not relapse, the fandom likes her more then Yerenica so she's almost guaranteed an innocent verdict by fandom law.

Freya

I could probably defend her for wanting to be with Izek so badly since she was trying to escape her toxic family but unfortunately 2/3 community despise her existence and would call for life in prison. If I reallly put in the effort Freya would get 10-15 years with a chance of parole.

Sumin

I already know I'm gonna be stressing as her lawyer. She murdered her mother in-law and even before that she did that she was still mean to the FL and thats a cardinal sin in the manhwa world to be mean to the FL. She's got a backstory sure but it's extremely contrived and dumb and even if it wasn't she still had a multitude of other friends and help from others so there's really no excuse. I might love her craziness but I don't think I'm gonna talk her out of life in prison with no parole.

Cosette

Another easy innocent. She is possessed by a demon who used her body to break havoc on the world so Cosette herself is in the clear and ready to go, and if we go by the novel, Cosette is dead.. gonna be real hard to charge a dead girl for Ragibachs crimes.

Mielle

Definitely gonna fail her and at best she's gonna get 35 years for arranging Aria to be executed for basically no good reason, pushing her father down the stairs and in general being a horrible person with a superiority complex, not like she's even gonna see the light again after 35 years cause we all know Aria isn't gonna let that slide.

Dodolea

I'm not even gonna try. I'm just gonna take the money and let herself get the electric chair cause even though I like white lotuses. Dodolea is the rare case where I actually hate a character and my only good thoughts about her is that she's a fantastic villainess.

[tanoraqui]

I’m reading A Restless Truth by Freya Marske, second book in the The Last Binding trilogy, and so far it’s just,

There’s a Maud Blyth LOOSE on a ship. I think eventually everything’s going to be okay, but I have no idea what’s going to happen next. And neither do any of you, and neither do your parents, because there’s a Maud loose on the ship. It’s never happened before, no one knows what Maud is going to do next, least of all Maud. She’s never been loose before, she’s as confused as you are.

There’s no experts. They try to find experts among the other first class passengers. They’re like, “We’re joined now by a man who once saw Sir Robin Blythe in his parlor,” and Jack Alston, Baron Hawthorn is like, “Go away and never speak to me again. I’m not involved in this.”

When a Maud is loose on a ship, you got to stay updated. So all day long you walk around, “What’d Maud do?” The updates, they’re not always bad. Sometimes they’re just odd. It’ll be like, “Maud visit an American businessman’s menagerie in the hold?” I didn’t know ahe knew how to do that. The creepiest days are when you don’t hear from Maud at all. You’re down in the engine room like, “Hey, has anyone…Has anyone seen–” [imitates earnest dimples] Those are those quiet days when people are like, “It looks like Maud has finally calmed down.” And then ten seconds later Maud is like, “I’m gonna recruit a professional thief/porn-writer to help me and this runaway-heiress actress break into people’s rooms to search their stuff. I have big righteous determination and charming dimples, I’m Maud Blyth Cutler!” That’s what I thought you’d say, you magnificent fuckng teenage lesbian.

[wooyoong]

🧸 freya's recent bts reads (& recs)

disclaimer : there's atleast one fic for each member, but i am yet to widen my spectrum, so you will find less vmin + jin fics. that also doesn't mean i don't like reading them, lol.

note : fic titles labelled with a * mark are series. minors please stay away, strictly. almost all fics here are 18+ !!

— also, i am @sugarwithtea 😭 incase you wanted to check out my writing blog then.

KIM SEOKJIN

* 9 months to fall in love by @floralseokjin (s2l, accidental pregnancy au, 18+)

It seems like everyone around you is either already in love, or in the process of falling, and while normally you couldn’t give a damn, finding out the co-worker you’ve had a teensy crush on is dating someone else at the office seems to sucker punch you right in the gut. It’s stupid, and you’re irritated at yourself, but you can’t seem to shake out of the funk you’ve fallen face first in.

Feeling lonely and heartsore, and mad for no reason, during drinks with your best friend you spot a man at the bar. Tequila confident, you make your way over to the stranger, and successfully one thing leads to another. The next morning you leave before he’s woken up, feeling satisfied in one way, but still as discontented as ever. Telling yourself it was an inebriated mistake, you quickly try to forget about it.

Only, three weeks later that night comes back to haunt you – in a very unescapable way…

* For Love & Money by @jimlingss (s2l, forced marriage au)

For love, you foolishly lied to yourself. For money, you married a stranger.

MIN YOONGI

* Till Death Do Us Part by @colormepurplex2 (e2l, arranged marriage au, mafia au, 18+)

Marital bliss isn't always a guarantee, especially when you find yourself marrying into the family responsible for your own family's demise. Sometimes, marriage is just a game of kill or be killed. Even when there is love involved, bullets still hurt.

Sinful Lust by @oddinary4bts (ft. jungkook, threesome au, 18+)

in an attempt to spice up your bedroom life with your boyfriend Min Yoongi, you suggest bringing another man into the action. Yoongi seems reluctant at first, but when you mention his friend Jeon Jungkook, he can’t deny his attraction. All that’s left to do is to convince Jungkook into participating...

* The Truth Between Us by @jimlingss and @gukyi (e2l, multiple aus, 18+)

a book deal should be the most exciting time of your life, but there seems to be a constant and omnipresent damper on your mood in the form of a certain min yoongi, who you would just cut out from your life, if he weren’t your editor. but then, the world shifts beneath your feet, and you begin to wonder if maybe you’ve always been looking at life from the wrong angle.

* Playing With Fire by @/chanyeolly (ao3) (e2l, idol au, 18+)

Yoongi hates you. Or at least, he thinks he does.

AKA

Y/N works for BigHit and Yoongi is bad at dealing with his feelings.

JUNG HOSEOK

Brevity (But Most Often Not) by @threeletterslife (ft. jimin, s2?, psychopath hoseok)

All your life, you've been with guys who didn't bother to read the news or appreciate the art form of journalism. But Hoseok... Even the way he carefully chooses his words is a sign that you and he are a match. If only he weren't in a dilapidating psychiatric hospital. Then maybe you'd have a proper boyfriend who treated you right for once.

* Arranged by @obiwrites (ao3) (arranged marriage au, 18+)

If you thought entering an arranged marriage with the person you love would be a dream, you were in for a rude awakening. Jung Hoseok was far from the doting husband you’d dreamed of and most of it could be chalked up to the fact that he was in love with his best friend. And you are without a shadow of a doubt, not her.

But what happens when Hoseok starts to realize he doesn’t want you to be her? That there might be more than meets the eye with you?

Fake Love by @aquaminwrites (e2l, fake dating au, 18+)

Every year, your family spends the holidays at your parents’ cottage in the country. Freshly single and not wanting to be picked apart by your family for being alone, you decide to recruit one of your friends to pretend to be your boyfriend. The only available volunteer? Your brother Namjoon’s roommate, Hoseok. Only problem? He absolutely hates your guts.

* Jungle Park by @jimlingss (coworker au, amnesia au)

The equation is simple. Hoseok needs to hire someone. You need a job. Except like any actual equation, it’s not fucking simple at all! Not when you have to add the fact that he was forced to hire someone he doesn’t want in his office, he has little respect for your job in general, and oh yeah...once upon a time you might have—*CENSORED*.

KIM NAMJOON

Not Another Holiday Romance by @kpopfanfictrash (s2l, one night stand au, holiday au, 18+)

You, a perpetually alone (and utterly cynical) movie director, are sent to the town of Snow Falls, Middle-of-Nowhere for your latest film assignment. Stuck in holiday hell until the new year, you’re determined to get in and get out with minimal damage to your Grinch reputation. That is, until a ridiculously gorgeous (and young?!) town historian is assigned to help with your film. Suddenly, you find yourself the heroine of one of those corny romances you direct – and are discovering they might not be so corny after all.

* My Feet to Follow, and My Heart to Hold by @daechwitatamic (r2l, college au, 18+)

You know a lot about the many types of love thanks to Kim Taehyung. You love him as the only person you see as “family”, you love him as your very best friend, and you love him as the beautiful, funny man he’s become. But when a twist of fate during your senior year has you rooming with his good friend Kim Namjoon, you just might find that you have plenty left to learn about love. 

The Wedding Arrangement by @/sugalights (ao3) / @sugaurora (s2e2l, fwb au, 18+)

You are in love with your best friend, the only man who matters, Kim Seokjin.

Unfortunately, he's just gotten engaged to someone who isn’t you. Even more unfortunately, he expects you to help plan the wedding alongside Kim Namjoon, his other best friend and, based on your first meeting, just another judgemental jerk.

Putting aside your distaste for the sake of your friend’s happiness, you both set about giving Seokjin the wedding of his dreams. Following a rough and satisfying affair at the caterer’s, you strike an unusual deal: you and Namjoon will be enemies with benefits until the wedding is over. And after six months of wedding planning, you both just might learn that weddings aren’t usually the end, but a brand new beginning.

PARK JIMIN

* Maybe Me by @jiminrings (single dad au, s2l)

summary: maybe it’s stupid of jimin to take on everything at once, all by himself. maybe it’s rash of him to book a long-term stay at a luxury hotel, even if it comes with a family discount. but maybe, just maybe, jimin would have nothing to lose and everything to gain if he lets you in.

KIM TAEHYUNG

Always the Bridesmaid by @kookingtae (e2l, holiday au, 18+)

When you first meet Kim Taehyung, you’re determined to find every reason you can to hate him—or maybe he’s just looking for ways to get on your last nerve. But when a turn of events has the two of you working the wedding of the man you’re hopelessly in love with, you’re too late to realize the real reason to hate Kim Taehyung is because of the latest column he’s secretly writing: “Always the Bridesmaid, Never the Bride”, and it’s all about you.

JEON JUNGKOOK

* Take A Chance by @crystaljins (hanahaki au, coworker au)

You should have known the second your business partner asked you to plan his best friend’s wedding as a favour that it was going to be nothing but trouble. Especially when it turns out he’s in love with said best friend. And dying of a deadly disease because of it.

on the road (to you) by @cupofteaguk (f2l, road trip au)

as a young adult, one of the strangest revelations is the discovery that peers of yours from past fragile college years are getting married. so imagine your shock and excitement upon receiving a wedding invitation. there are, however, two problems: (1) you are a poor early-20s recently employed adult just beginning to adjust to your 401k plan, and (2) the only available ride to the wedding comes in the form of Jeon Jungkook—friend of a friend, attendee to that aforementioned wedding, and your old college crush. 

Sinful Lust by @oddinary4bts (ft. yoongi, threesome au, 18+)

in an attempt to spice up your bedroom life with your boyfriend Min Yoongi, you suggest bringing another man into the action. Yoongi seems reluctant at first, but when you mention his friend Jeon Jungkook, he can’t deny his attraction. All that’s left to do is to convince Jungkook into participating...

Accidental Roommates by @jjkeverlast (r2l, single dad au, 18+)

moving apartments is stressful and difficult enough as it is. all the planning and packing and multiple moments of rearranging furniture; all you crave is peace.

yet it seemed like peace was far within reach as the owner of the apartment had left out one tiny crucial detail from the ad — a ripped tattooed adonis, coupled, with a tiny baby daughter will come as your roommate.

Rivers Over Stones by @ichorai (e2l, godparents au, 18+)

you hated jungkook the minute you laid eyes on him. the only reason why he was still in your life was because you both shared a goddaughter, hana. but everything changed unexpectedly when the two of you become her caretakers and you’re forced to live under the same roof. suddenly, you find yourself hating him just a bit less. or more, but who’s keeping track?

* Ego by @suga-kookiemonster (s2l, fwb au, 18+)

what’s a girl to do when her sweet, innocent baby lab partner isn’t quite so sweet and innocent? well, he’s a grown-ass man, and you’re about to learn that the hard way.

🧸 given that a lot of authors are not active, please don't misuse their content! all rights reserved by the respective authors!!

— a bit of these have not been completed by me, leading to no feedback yet but i know these are good haha!

[babyblue711]

Little Dragonseed

Sister Story to Loyalty Aemond Targaryen (HOTD) x Handmaiden - Part 1 Summary: A young maid of Harrenhal has been forced to remain hidden from the public eye, but as soon as she sets her eyes on a true Targaryen, she realizes to whom she truly belongs. Words: ~1.5K

Chapter Warnings: None, this chapter is tame. But it won't remain that way. A/N UPDATE: I should have been more explicit so you know what you are reading. The final part of this fic will have noncon/DD;DNE elements. Please be warned and I apologize for not saying sooner. As much as I see Aemond having a genuine heart, he is going to struggle in this fic. A/N: This is more of an introduction and I thought it best to break this story up into smaller parts rather than present you all with one traumatically long fic. Yes, that is Daemon on the banner, he is integral to Part 1, but this is very much another Aemond story. So far, I am planning 3 chapters that will eventually be tied together in Part 2 of "Loyalty". 💙 My personal head-cannon for the little handmaid is Freya Allan (Ciri from The Witcher series). 💙 Thank you to @arcielee for being my sounding board and reading over this for me. Your enthusiasm means everything. 😘 And thank you to @myfandomprompts for recreating the Targaryen symbol for me for the banner. She’s so incredibly talented y’all 😘

She knew from the moment she laid eyes on him. 

She felt it in her very bones, a deep revelation that she couldn't quite explain. She saw it in the perpetual frown upon his brow, in the shape of his chin, in the sharpness of his nose. She saw it in the color of his brilliant blond hair, indisputably the same hue as hers.

Her eyes didn’t share the same vibrant shade of purple that belonged to the royal family who ruled Westeros, but her light baby blues and bright silver-blonde hair had always been enough to attract attention in this part of the kingdom. She didn’t look anything like the humble folks of the Riverlands. 

Growing up, she had often wondered about her origins; she had known that her mother passed away during childbirth, leaving her without any further knowledge of her parentage. In her stead, she had been raised with care by the head matron at Riverrun. When the young maid questioned about her family, the matron would elaborate on the few details she recalled about her mother. She learned of the few physical attributes that the young maiden inherited, but if she pressed about her father, a dark cloud would shadow the matron's face and she would always refuse to say more.

Then, when Harrenhal passed to House Strong, the matron was called to oversee the running of the new household, as she had some distant familial connections with the new inhabitants. Unable to part with her adopted child, the matron brought the young maid along with her. 

Despite her best efforts to provide a sense of home, life at Harrenhal was anything but comforting. The castle was dark and ominous with rumors of haunting spirits that sent chills down the spine of anyone who dared to speak of them. As the young maid blossomed into womanhood, her adoptive mother started to impose strict rules upon her, forcing her to wear a headscarf at all times, hiding her unique features from the prying eyes of visitors and castle inhabitants alike. Now at one and eight, the young woman had begun to resent these restrictions, longing for the freedom she once had at Riverrun where she could roam without fear and be herself. But she knew the matron only had her best interests at heart: with her unique beauty, outsiders may be tempted to kidnap her, and worse, sell her into slavery at a brothel.

The Rogue Prince strode into Harrenhal with the air of absolute authority, and for the first time in her life, the young maid beheld a true Targaryen, suddenly feeling like everything was falling into place. Usually, she would have been kept hidden from unfamiliar faces within the castle’s walls, but due to the war's demands and the shortage of staff, she had no choice but to do as she was bid, and she had been bid to personally serve this member of royalty. He stopped right in front of her and as their eyes locked, she thought she saw a glimmer of recognition from him and an ever so subtle double take. But with her hair bound and wrapped, he didn’t have a chance to see the color of her matching tresses. 

In his full set of armor, Daemon looked huge and intimidating. Without a word, he handed her his helmet, a silent directive that she was to assist him with his armor. She set to work, hands trembling slightly as her fingers worked deftly to undo the numerous clasps and buckles that held the armor together. At last, when she was done, she bent to gather his things when he caught her unexpectedly by the wrist, sending electricity coursing up her arm and straight into her heart as her eyes jumped back to his.

“Clean it well, little one,” he said, in a much more gentle tone than she had anticipated before he immediately turned and strode from the room without a backwards glance.

She didn’t remember making it to the washroom with all of his armor, she didn’t remember anything for the next few hours. All she could think of was his face, the way his eyes bore into hers, the way he seemed to see through her. Inexplicably, she knew from the moment her eyes landed on Daemon Targaryen that she was one of them, that the notorious Rogue Prince himself could quite possibly be her father. Intrigued, she longed to mention her suspicions to the matron, but the memory of the matron's reaction whenever her father was mentioned gave her pause, and she thought it best to keep it to herself for the time being. 

Daemon didn’t linger at Harrenhal for very long; she suspected the witch had something to do with that. With each passing day, the shadows under his eyes grew darker and he seemed increasingly on edge, flinching at the slightest loud noise. The young handmaid suspected it was her behind his growing distress, likely attempting to drive him away from the castle just as swiftly as he had arrived.

During the course of his stay, he didn’t show any further signs of recognition as she carried out her duties diligently. Her heart was full of hope and fear, constantly questioning if she should say something to him. On the last night of his tenure in the castle, she entered his room, carrying freshly laundered clothes and unexpectedly found him sitting by the fire. He was gazing into it without really seeing and her presence seemed to break his trance as he beckoned her forward.

“Set that on the bed,” he said with a careless wave of his hand, the silver rings on his thick fingers shimmering in the firelight, “and come here, little one.”

She did as she was bid, heart thundering in her chest as she took her place before him, eyes cast downward, hands clasped in front of her.

“Take off your scarf,” he instructed softly. She hesitated; the matron had strictly forbidden her from removing it, no matter who asked. But she knew that this was the moment she had been waiting for, a spark of fate, of destiny. And so, with trembling fingers, she untied the scarf and shook out her long, silver mane, eyes flicking nervously to meet his gaze.

His violet stare was so intense, it was like looking directly into the sun as he studied her appearance, a deep frown on his low brow. She tried to stand tall and proud but, ultimately became too intimidated to maintain eye contact, lowering hers to the floor by his feet.

“No, child, please,” Daemon said as he stood, towering over her and reached out to gently lift her chin so their eyes met again, “You look just like her,” he whispered, sounding awestruck. His thumb traced her jawline paternally, a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was remembering another time. Her heart thundered in her chest, was he referencing her mother?

“We have much to discuss, little dragonseed, but there isn’t any time,” he became serious, adding, “I have some important matters to attend to now, but I shall return for you.” Her heart swelled with his confirmation, she had just known she belonged to him. 

He dismissed her shortly after, leaving her no time to ask any of her questions. In the dead of night, the hauntingly shrill cry of Caraxes sent a shiver up her spine and she knew Daemon had departed the castle. She cried herself to sleep, desperate to go with him and join her greater destiny, not understanding why she had to wait. She cursed the witch under her breath for purposefully driving Daemon away faster…if only she just had a little more time with him.

But little did the handmaid know that another Targaryen relative would soon arrive at the castle. Within just a few days of Daemon’s departure, an unexpected thunderclap echoed through the clear blue sky, though it wasn’t a precursor to a storm. A dark shadow fell over Harrenhal and another great dragon descended from the sky, its immense wings blotting out the sun. Atop the dragon's broad back, a tiny blond figure could be seen—barely more than a speck from the ground.

The castle’s inhabitants paused in their activities, gazing upward in awe and trepidation at the tremendous size of this giant, much larger than Caraxes had been. Whispers spread quickly as the dragon landed with a thud that shook the ancient stone walls. The blond figure leapt gracefully from his seat to the ground as the castle’s gates prepared to receive yet another army, but this time the banners that approached were not the familiar black and red of Queen Rhaenyra but the green and gold of King Aegon II. The Prince Regent, Aemond Targaryen, had come to lay claim to Harrenhal, and unbeknownst to the little handmaid did she know what was next in store for her.

Part 2

[natimiles]

It’s alright (Roger x reader)

Summary: Walking in the cold rain without finding a single carriage, your frustrations got the better of you. That was when you heard a familiar voice calling out to you and saw Roger striding in your direction.

Words: 1212

Tags: established relationship; fluffy.

Notes: and with this I seal my destiny as a Roger’s lover. It turned out to be a mini series. I divided it into chapters that can be read separately. This is part 1. To read more, check out my masterlist or Freya’s masterlist for her event.

For @judejazza Follower Event: An Invitation To Crown — prompt: rain kisses

Congrats on your 300 followers! 🤍🤍 

“Great,” you sighed audibly, the frustration evident in your voice as you made no attempt to conceal it.

You had spent the entire day in town running errands. Once finished, you decided to treat yourself by stopping at your favorite bakery to pick up some goodies to take back to the castle and share with everyone. As you completed your purchase of the baguettes, the beautiful sunset sky suddenly turned gray, and rain began to fall.

However, you hadn’t fretted; you had your umbrella with you.

With a confident smile, a pack of baguettes in one hand, and the umbrella in the other, you had stepped out of the bakery to head back to the castle. However, you hadn’t taken into account the strong wind. Despite your efforts to maintain a tight grip on everything and quicken your pace, the wind intensified. And before you could react, your umbrella had turned inside out.

You shrieked and ran under a canopy in an attempt to protect yourself, but without your umbrella and under the pouring rain, it took only two seconds for you to be completely soaked.

“Fucking great,” you sighed again, running your hand through your wet hair to pull it away from your face. At least you saved the baguettes. You hugged them tight while running, so they should be... “Oh, come on!”

Opening the bakery package, you saw the damp mess inside, and your mood dropped to zero in a heartbeat. Your clothes were already uncomfortably clinging to you, your hair kept falling in your face, and the rain didn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. For a second, you thought about sitting on the floor and crying out your frustration, but it wouldn’t be helpful. Plus, it might lead everyone to worry that you were taking too long to return to the castle, prompting them to arrange a search party for you.

No, you would fight through this.

Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath before opening them again. You could walk all the way back home if needed. You’d have to walk a part of the way anyway, but it was harder in this rain. The best thing would be to find a carriage to take you halfway there. With a string of curses leaving your lips, you dashed to the nearest trash can to throw away the ruined baguettes, then began to walk around, searching for a carriage.

To be fair, you tried really hard not to start crying. But after a few minutes of walking in the cold rain without finding a single carriage, your frustrations got the better of you. The streets were emptying with every passing minute, people running to seek shelter, leaving you practically alone.

Rubbing your eyes, which began to well up with tears, you kept walking, now considering if it wouldn’t be better to run back under the canopy and wait for the rain to pass. On the other hand, you were already soaked from head to toe, and the rain wasn’t so intense anymore, so you could probably make your way back home on foot. Then again, it was a very long walk, and you were already so tired…

That was when you heard a familiar voice calling for you. Whipping your head around, you saw Roger striding in your direction. By the looks of his clothes, he didn’t have an umbrella either — or maybe his umbrella had also broken.

“What are you doing here?” you asked when he stopped in front of you.

“I finished some business when I thought I heard you cursing the whole world about the rain,” he chuckled. “Came to check. What are you doing standing in the middle of the rain? Trying to catch a cold?”

“Oh, well…” You averted your gaze.

“Hey, are you okay?” He took your chin in his finger and lifted your face so he could take a better look at you. Your eyes were red; he knew you had been crying, and he frowned. It wasn’t much fun when the reason for your tears wasn’t him.

“My umbrella broke,” you started with a shaky voice. “The baguettes I bought got wet and ruined. I decided to run in the rain to find a carriage to go back home, but…” Your voice cracked, and Roger gently took a strand of hair stuck to your face, tucking it behind your ear. “But the rain was heavy, and I regretted stepping out from under the canopy after my first step, but I also didn’t want to give up. And then…” you sniffled, your quivering lips and choked voice squeezing his heart. “Then I heard you calling me, and… And now we’re standing in the middle of this rain, and I’m really, really cold—”

He interrupted you with a soft kiss on the lips, and you lost your train of thought, blinking at him.

 “It’s alright, lil’ lady,” he spoke with his face still close to yours. “I’ll take you home, and you’ll be fine.” 

Roger stepped back and tilted his head slightly to the side, trying to discern the various sounds around in an attempt to pick up the sound of a carriage. It would be unlikely to find one in this rain, but he had to take you back home and to a warm place before you caught a cold — if you hadn’t already.

“Ah! Got it. C’mon.”

He grabbed your hand and turned around to walk in the direction of the carriage, but he stopped when he felt you squeezing his hand and making no attempt to move from your spot. His confused expression lasted for a second when he noticed your heartbeat increasing and the redness on your cheeks.

With that unnerving smirk plastering his face, he turned fully back to face you. You didn’t say anything, just let go of his hand to timidly hook your fingers on the lapels of his vest, looking at him with that wanting gaze, a slight pout forming on your lips. He looped one arm around your waist and gently brushed his hand across your face to remove the wet hair sticking to it.

He kissed you again, and this time passed his tongue along the seam of your lips to deepen it. You promptly accepted it, sliding one of your hands to his shoulder and squeezing him. His lips were incredibly warm against yours, his tongue caressing yours in a sensual dance that only he could perform. His hand held you firmly by the neck, his fingers entwining in the strands of your hair, lightly fisting it.

The rain was still falling, but for a moment, it was as if you couldn’t feel anything but his warmth. It already felt like being back home.

When you two pulled away from the kiss, out of breath and with heat in your eyes, he smiled again — the soft one, dedicated only to you, and you returned it.

“Let’s go home, lil’ lady,” he said as he grabbed your hand again and started walking, and this time you followed suit.

“Alright,” you muttered under your breath, feeling incredibly calmer now.

“We’ll finish this when we get there.”

And just like that, your calmness vanished. You couldn’t wait to arrive at the castle.

Masterlists

[smolgloves]

The Wizard and The Herbalist

Summary: Gale and Freya put their skills together for the perfect potion

Tw: mentions of crushing? Nothing too crazy, this is all fluff

I think I got it!” The wizard exclaimed as he paced around his tent with a book in hand. Curiosity had taken hold of Freya near the campfire, Gale was so engrossed in whatever he was reading that he was absentmindedly walking around for the past hour. She didn't dare go near him during his trance lest she wanted to get stepped on, he normally was more aware of the borrower's presence but after that one time involving the fish barrel… Pushing those thoughts aside, Freya ambled over to Gale.

“What are you on about?”

Gale smiled down at the borrower. “Ah Freya, I was just about to look for you.”

“I was near the campfire.” She giggled, then raised an eyebrow at him. “But tell me, why were you going to look for me?”

Gale knelt down on the terrain, stifling a groan along the way down and flipped the book over to Freya. She noticed the images of Sylvan stone and a Gauth eye. “I think I have found a way to make the size reduction spells more effective!”

Freya cocked an eyebrow. “Effective how?”

There was a joyful gleam in the wizard's eye. "I could reduce the height of one of our companions to a range closer to your height.”

She stared up at Gale with wide eyes. There wasn't many times others had shrunk down; if they needed to sneak into any place that required crawling through a crack in the wall, Freya was always the first to volunteer, but when they shrunk, they still towered over her. Freya only reached their knees, which was less daunting than the usual, but it still wasn't like talking to a borrower. She missed being able to talk to someone in the eyes without craning her neck or being able to wrap her arms around someone in a full embrace. As comforting as it can be to be held in a hand, physical contact was still so much different than before, she never would have realized how much she would miss the little things like that. “You're kidding.”

“Quite the contrary.” Gale pointed at the eye on the page. “The Gauth eye is said to make spells much more potent. So say we add ingredients that are used to make potions that deal with size shifting and I drink it….”

“Then you can do a more powerful reduction spell!” She beamed.

“Spot on.” His smile grew. “And I think I know of a little herbalist who could help me.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let's get to it!”

~~~~

Back at home, Freya spent time in the greenhouse making potions and salves all day, but she never brewed anything beyond healing elixirs before. Skaars Hollow never had any type of ingredients that could let her experiment with doing anything as advanced as transmutation! Gale gathered the supplies and went to work grinding up the gauth eye and sylvan stone, while Freya oversaw the progress of it all, making sure the ingredients were mashed to perfection before they began the potion brewing.

At last, the potion was complete, it stood tall over the borrower, holding an orange liquid within. Freya stared at with wide eyes. “Do you think it's ready?”

“I believe we gave it enough time to settle.” Rubbing his chin, Gale tentatively grabbed the bottle and popped off the lid. “In a normal trial, one would run tests to make sure this was safe to drink… but I trust your expertise.”

Freya couldn't help the grin that stretched across her face. “You're the one who did the work.”

He smiled. “True, but your guidance was instrumental to the success of this.”

Despite the swelling pride growing in her, Freya couldn't help but shy away from the praise. “I think you should talk less and drink the potion.”

Gale laughed under his breath before pressing the bottle to his lips. The orange liquid disappeared down his gullet, no drop was left behind. Gale took a breath. “Not the worst potion I've drank, but the taste is left to be desired.”

“But did it work?” The anticipation in her voice was palpable.

“There's only one way to find out.” With a flick of the wrist, Gale's hand lit up, a pale blue light snaked down from his fingertips to his palm. He pressed his hand to his chest and with a smile, he uttered a phrase: “Diminue.”

Gale dwindled in size before Freya's very eyes, she watched as he disappeared beneath the table, normally a larger one would just reach a low table such as the one by the wizard's tent. Freya dashed to the edge and peered over it. There Gale was, waving up at her at tiny height, this needed to be seen up close! Freya undid her grappling hook and descended down to the rocky ground.

It almost felt like a dream walking up to Gale; a larger being now reduced to five inches. This should have been a work of fiction, but when she reached out with a shaky hand and brushed against his arm she realized just how real this was.

“Gale, you beautiful bastard, you did it!” The shrill joy could not be contained! Freya pulled him into an embrace.

“Well this certainly is more comfortable than staying on one's knees for an extended amount of time.” Gale said with a titter.

“Or constantly looking up.”

Gale pulled away, glancing around the world around them, his tent loomed over like a building, his books became towers, and rocks became boulders. “I must say, the world feels vastly different from your point of view.”

Freya raised a brow. “Care to elaborate?”

“Sometimes, this world feels small, like you could explore Faerun before your life is over.” Gale fixated past the sandy beach to the murky waters ahead, his brown eyes wide with wonder. “But at this height, I'm looking at a world I'm familiar with, and I'm coming to the realization that there is so much more to this world than I have ever known.”

“I'd agree with you, but I've only ever known this perspective of the world.” Freya stood beside Gale, his wonder had spread to her. “Maybe one day you could show me that side of the world.”

“It would be my honor.” A smirk spread across his face. “But first, I want to explore the campgrounds through your eyes.”

“But of course.” Freya began walking, motioning for him to follow her. She was accustomed to walking around this rocky terrain, stepping over pebbles that would have been missed by larger beings. If only Gale was as aware. He stepped onto some loose rubble and nearly stumbled into Freya. Immediately, he began to revert back to his normal height.

Freya gasped out, for a moment, she feared the wizard would fall into her but he fortunately braced himself, his arms on either side of her and his face a mere inches from the tiny lady.

“Gods, I'm terribly sorry, Freya.” Gale quickly sat up to give her some space. “It seems this spell requires more concentration than a normal reduce spell.”

Despite the near death experience, Freya couldn't help but laugh. The spell was short lived but there was hope. “I think we'll have to do a few more trials before we attempt that again.”

[rin-fukuroi]

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 [𝐃𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐜]

Please do not translate or publish my works without my permission.

The originals of my works can be read here

Fandom: Genshin Impact

Pairings: Diluc x fem!reader

Warnings: just comfort holiday’s fluff!

▶• ılıılıılıılıılıılı. Freya Ridings - Ultraviolet

Note: English is not my native language, so I apologize if there are errors in the text qq

art: @eea9a9

«You know you're always welcome at the distillery»

You burrow deeper into your warm voluminous scarf, replaying Diluc's words over and over in your head, like a mantra to calm down, which still cannot calm the excitement. This is the first time a man has invited you to his house for such as… Family activities. You felt awkward even when he just voiced his proposal with the same stoically serious expression on his face, typical for Diluc, so what is going on in your head and heart now when you approach the door of his luxurious mansion is hardly possible to describe in words at all.

Of course, the reason for most of your panic is the feelings that you have been desperately trying to hide for several long years, during which the friendship between you and Diluc seems to have become stronger, but this is absolutely not what you really want. And, as a good friend and a girl who never seems to dare to declare her feelings out loud, you simply had no right to refuse an invitation.

Outside, the snow-dusted distillery is already decorated with bright flashing lights, and a charming Christmas wreath flaunts on the door. This place has always seemed cozy to you, but now the warmth seeping out from the walls of the estate feels even brighter than usual on a slightly frosty pre-holiday day.

You hesitate, hesitantly clenching your fingers into a fist before knocking softly on the heavy door. You hear the soft click of heels, recognizing Adelinda in painfully familiar steps, who opens the doors in front of you, spreading a friendly smile.

— Lady Y/N, — the woman bows, stepping aside and letting you into the manor.

— Come on, Adelinde, we've known each other for years!

— Ha-ha, it's true. I suppose I could even call you a member of the young Master's family.

— Wh-what are you saying? — you mumble sheepishly, unwinding the scarf around your neck before handing it to the maid along with your coat. — Is Diluc in his office?

— No, it seems that Master has already started decorating the Christmas tree, — the woman grins, motioning you to go further into the living room. — I think he's going to need your help anyway.

You turn around, running your gaze around the spacious room, noticing Diluc standing in the corner, dressed in his classic trousers and shirt, thoughtfully peering into a large box standing on the coffee table. His hair is tied up in a high ponytail today, and you can't help but smile a little, remembering how you once mentioned that you like it. Not far from the puzzled red-haired man, on the right side of the fireplace, there was a tall Christmas tree, on which still no decorations were noticed, while you slowly crossed the living room, approaching your friend.

«And this is called "started decorating"?»

— As I see, you really can't do without my help here!

Your voice snaps Diluc out of his thoughts, and the man turns around, meeting your undisguised curiosity when you try to look behind his back.

— You're late, as always, so I decided to start without you.

— How rude! Moreover, apparently, so far your endeavors haven't been crowned with success, — you again glance at the bare Christmas tree, and Diluc sighs heavily, turning away towards the box.

— Of course. I have just started, and the selection of jewelry takes a lot of time.

You roll your eyes, standing up on your toes and looking over Diluc's shoulder. The box you are interested in is filled with a wide variety of toys and tinsel so much that your eyes run away. It seemed that this box had been filled for several decades with various decorations that had been passed down from generation to generation. Red, green, white and gold balls are neatly stacked on one half, while colorful tinsel and garlands are arranged on the other.

— Wow, you really have a lot of toys! — you take a step to the side, standing next to Diluc. — But I still don't understand what you're thinking about. Let's just hang them the way we want!

Diluc presses a relaxed fist to his lips, slightly clearing his throat.

— It was usually Adelinde who did it.

—Oh, — you nod knowingly, before a stunning realization gradually comes to you, and your face takes on a surprised look. — Wait, then why did you decide to do it now?

— There's no particular reason, — the man looks away. — I just found some free time this year.

— Is that so?

There is silence between the two of you for a few seconds before you break it with a thoughtful chuckle, after which your hands reach for the huge box.

— What are you doing? — Diluc asks anxiously, noticing how hard you are trying to tear the box off the table.

— It seemed much lighter in appearance! I thought it would be more convenient if we put the decorations next to the tree, so… — you giggle, making another futile attempt to lift the box, when suddenly it becomes surprisingly light and rises by itself in front of your eyes, making you cry out in surprise.

— You could have just asked me right away, — you feel Diluc's forearm touching your chest as he snatches the box from your hands, and instantly give up your desperate attempts, jumping aside.

And why did he take it into his head to do it now? Your heart is so restless again now, and you can feel the blood inevitably rushing to your face, fortunately, at the moment when Diluc is already turning away, easily transferring the jewelry box to a small bench in front of the fireplace. You always knew he was strong, but now his displays of masculinity make you even more nervous.

— T-thank you … — you move closer to the tree after Diluc, taking a deep breath to at least sort out your chaotic thoughts a little, and put your fists on your sides, raising your head in satisfaction. — Well, great, we can start!

Time flew by unnoticed. The two of you were just chatting about everything and nothing, as usual, but this time it felt like this… In a family way? You've never felt so close to Diluc as you do now. He's a complicated man. You can almost see the heavy weight he has shouldered on his own shoulders, but he steadfastly and worthily withstands his weight day by day, although he looks insanely lonely when you look at him from the outside. As a friend, you should have tried to lighten his burden, but you never made such attempts.

He doesn't need it.

For some reason, you have the strong impression that Diluc is one of those people who don't need words, don't need help. He just needs someone to be there for him, even though he will never admit it out loud. That's why he invited you, that's why now his face is decorated with a modest barely noticeable smile, that's why he doesn't even try to argue when you're running this little event organized just for the two of you. Therefore, his ruby eyes sparkle when he watches you enthusiastically inspect the tree from all sides in search of an empty place where you can hang another ball.

You are the most ordinary girl — that's what you and, perhaps, most of your friends think, but Diluc sees you differently. You have the power that he can't have. You are free, carefree, still retaining the interest and craving for life that Diluc lacks, and which you unknowingly share with him whenever you spend time together.

And he just… so tired.

Day by day, his childish naivety and thirst for adventurism, which still live in your heart, melt away before your eyes, replaced by a sense of banal duty. That's why he wanted to see you today, wants to see you tomorrow and every day of his dreary life after that. After all, you bring colors to his gray days, like those with which you decorate the once boring and nondescript Christmas tree near the fireplace in Diluc's living room, breathing life into it.

— Have you finished yet? — Diluc gets up from his chair, approaching you when he notices you taking a few steps away from the decorated Christmas tree, giving it an appraising look.

— Yes, but… something is missing.

Diluc follows you with his eyes as you hurriedly run to the front door, fumbling in your bag hanging on a hanger.

— I wasn't sure if you didn't have something like that, so I didn't get it out as soon as I came in.

You return to Diluc as cheerfully as you ran away, opening a small box in front of him, in which the top of the Christmas tree in the form of a red star lies neatly.

— Why the red one? Shouldn't the star be yellow?

— Well, there really were a lot of different yellow stars in the store, but as soon as I saw this one, I immediately thought that it reminded me of the color of your hair! — your lips stretch into a radiant smile when you look up at Diluc.

— Really? Did you buy it for such a silly reason?

You were almost pouting and were about to take offense at Diluc's words, when suddenly you saw his face for the first time in all the many years that you spent together, decorated with a genuine sincere smile, followed by a quiet laugh, muffled by his big palm leaning against his lips.

For some reason, this sight made you feel such indescribable lightness and… happiness?

Yes, indeed. If you were ever happy, it was at this moment when Diluc managed, even if only for a miserable moment, to let go of everything that burdens him. And it was you who caused it.

— Well, that's it, stop laughing at me already! — you turn away from Diluc, trying to hide the blush tingling your cheeks, and head for the tree, awkwardly rising on tiptoe in an attempt to reach the top of the tall tree.

You don't even notice how Diluc's quiet laughter subsides behind your back, and his hands are on your waist, catching you off guard even before your feet suddenly lift off the floor.

— Wh-what are you doing?! — you cry out, feeling Diluc's fingers pressing into your ribs in close proximity to your chest, while he just holds you up effortlessly, like you're a light little kitten.

— Didn't you need help?

— Y-yes, but… — you swallow nervously, hoping he doesn't feel your poor heart pounding. — Thanks.

It's so awkward, but so insanely pleasant that you're ready to squeak with delight, barely restraining your gusts of happiness while your trembling hands place a red star on top of the Christmas tree.

— You can let go, — you reluctantly signal to Diluc, actually wishing that he would hold you like this for at least a little longer.

Which he does.

You feel him slowly pulling you closer to his body, so much so that you can feel his breath on your lower back as he gently lowers you to the floor, just holding his hands on your waist for a few moments before letting go. You freeze, trying to record this moment in as small detail as possible in your memory, when you hear Diluc embarrassedly clearing his throat behind your back, forcing you to turn around and see how he looks away.

— Well… it seems that's it now.

— Oh, yes, — you take a step back again, standing next to Diluc and just admiring the result of your joint work. If you weren't involved in the process, but you still saw what this tree looked like before you both decorated it with balloons and garlands, you would be amazed at how much it has transformed, now really imbued with the Christmas spirit. — In my opinion, it turned out well!

Diluc also raises his head, scanning the elegant Christmas tree with ruby eyes, and if you put your hand to his chest now, you could feel his heart skip a beat. One look at it was enough to take him back to his childhood, when he decorated the Christmas tree with his father and brother in the same way. A peaceful, carefree and happy time, the warmth of which settled back into his soul thanks to you.

— Y/N, — you look up at Diluc, but he still doesn't take his eyes off the iridescent multicolored lights burning on the Christmas tree. — Come to us… no, to me for Christmas.

And this time he let you see how the pale skin of his face turned slightly pink when he said those words.

You just freeze, not taking your eyes off the beautiful man, who now looks even more charming when the twinkle of a garland is reflected in his scarlet eyes. Your lips open, ready to make some kind of barb or shower Diluc with awkward questions, but you just smile, twisting your own fingers behind your back before nodding gently.

— I'll definitely come.

[peakyltd]

Guardian Angel

John Shelby x reader

A/N: I have arrived, ready to break your hearts just like I broke my own while writing it. This was inspired by a prompt I found, I kept thinking about it so I decided to write it but I gave it my own twist. The prompt is added at the end so there won’t be any spoilers just yet. 

I put on a sad playlist to get inspiration. One song stood out and really helped me write it, I just had it on repeat at some point. I think it fits well so if you’d like to listen to it while reading, it’s this song:

Lost without you by Freya Ridings 

Warnings: Death, mentions of blood, guns, swearing, mentions of their almost hanging in S4, I added a few canon things in here but it’s not really canon. You’ll recognize them. In summary: ANGST (I take NO credits for the phrases/scenes that were used in the series)

Word count: 5462

Every time things took a turn for the worst, there was somehow a way out. Except for now. 

(Y/N) and John met each other in 1912 while she unintentionally and unwillingly became a part of John’s theft of cigarettes and too expensive whiskey, saving him from a lot of trouble that afternoon.

He never forgot the girl who helped him. Or well, he might’ve forced the help just a little when he ran past her and crammed the cigarette packages and bottle in her already full basket. He fled immediately because he was still being followed by a furious shop owner. 

Nobody would expect such a beautiful girl to help out someone like him, so he knew his loot was safe.

John went looking for her when the commotion had settled. Thinking she might went home but soon enough found her on the corner of the street, looking angry and helpless at the same time. His eyes twinkled and a big grin grew on his face when he had approached her. “Thank you for that.” 

The girl didn’t return any of it, she was fuming. “How could you do that? You could’ve got me in trouble!” She snarled as she crossed her arms. “But I didn’t and you saved me from trouble. I’d call it a win-win.” He confidently stated as he took the cigarettes out of her basket.

She turned her basket away from him so he wasn’t able to grab the bottle. “How exactly is this a win-win situation?” She asked him, an annoyed but slightly confused tone in her voice. 

“You got me out of trouble and I...” He paused mid sentence, as he looked at her. His lips turned into a smile. “I met you.” 

She rolled her eyes and turned around to walk away from him. He swiftly caught up with her and blocked her path with his body. “Wait.” He began. “What.” She cut him off, the young man was getting on her nerves. “Maybe we can share it?” He pointed at her basket. “That bottle I mean.” 

“No, thank you.” She took the bottle out of her basket and handed it to him. Before (Y/N) was able to walk away once again, John stopped her by gently putting his hand on her upper arm. “Listen, I’m sorry.” 

She sighed as she looked up at him. He seemed nicer than she thought he was and his blue eyes who had a confident, mischievous glint in them had turned much softer and held warmth and kindness. “Apologies accepted. I have to go now.” She replied, a little less annoyed this time. 

“I’m John.” He introduced himself. His eyes scanned her face, hoping she wouldn’t be too upset with him. “And if I may be so bold, I think you’re beautiful.” He added with a smile. She was a taken aback by his bold move. A shy smile tugged on her lips, not really sure what to say

“What’s your name?” He asked her, trying to make some kind of conversation to make her warm up to him. “I’m (Y/N).” She eventually gave in. “Nice to meet you (Y/N). So, what are you thinking?” He questioned again while lifting the bottle. A soft sigh fell from her lips. “I don’t have time now but we could meet tomorrow afternoon at the market, at 2?” She suggested, she wouldn’t admit it but his determined attempts to make her stay made her curious.  

“I’ll promise I’ll be there to make it up to you.” He smiled kindly at her. “See you tomorrow then.” Her lips turned into a radiant smile, lighting up her whole face and a bit of John’s heart. He watched her walk away until she suddenly turned around to look at him. “You don’t necessarily have to bring the bottle!” She chuckled before continuing her way. “I’ll keep that in mind my guardian angel!” He laughed.

Although their first meeting wasn’t the best start they soon began to hit it off very well. They had spend most of their free time together, enjoying each others company. John was a funny and charming guy, although trouble seemed to follow him, mostly caused by himself. Luckily for him he found himself someone who looked out for him. 

They had been together for only a few months when John proposed to her. He knew he wanted nobody else but her in his life. She was hesitant at first, besides that they were both pretty young, she was afraid that she got herself into something she wasn’t ready for. He promised her that he meant it, that he was an honest man and that he loved her like he loved nobody else before. 

Her eyes stared into his, unsure what to do. She loved John, more than she ever told him but uncertainty and doubts plagued her mind. 

He was convinced she would say no, already mentally taking his loss, until a sweet smile appeared on her face. As a soft yes fell from her lips, his eyes widened and a beaming smile followed quickly after. She was going to be his forever.

Their wedding was modest, with only their families and a few of their closest friends. Exactly the way they had wanted it. They both knew, when they saw each other for the first time that day, they had made the right decision. 

After their wedding they had moved to Watery Lane where John had gotten him and (Y/N) a house. Even though they had needed some time to get used to their new life, it turned into something natural very quickly. Two months after their wedding (Y/N) surprised John by telling him their family was expanding. The nerves that were rushing trough her body when she told him soon made place for butterflies when she was met by a cheerful John.

“No way!” His eyes were wide and his jaw had dropped. “Are you serious?” He asked her, wondering if she might be joking. “I am serious.” She smiled at him, her fingers fumbling with each other. He grabbed her face gently as he kissed her lovingly. “We’re going to be parents, love.” He smiled at her, his hands holding her waist. “A little Shelby... I can’t believe it.” 

The Shelby’s were working hard in their betting shop to make a living out of it. John was running the books, he loved the work and it made enough money to support his growing family. It was going well and the shop started to grow. 

Due to the growth of the shop it also began to attract the wrong kind of people and with that the amount of trouble John got himself into, grew as well. 

Fights were obviously no exception, (Y/N) lost count on the times were he came home bloody and bruised. John knew she wouldn’t be happy to see him like that but she always took care of him without saying anything about it. Except for a certain look she gave him, to show her disapproval. 

Her soft touch on his face made him relax and his jokes made her feel better about the situation. “You should’ve seen the other guy.” Was one of the phrases he used regularly. Obviously she heard it hundreds or even thousands times before but she couldn’t help but giggle while looking at John’s battered face. 

“I guess they look even worse than you do now?” She played along with him. “Oh trust me, they do.” He smirked while placing his hand on her knee, squeezing it softly. 

“Please be careful the next time.” She told him when pressing a kiss on his plump lips after she finished cleaning his face and taking care of his cuts. “I have my guardian angel to protect me, don’t I?” He replied, followed by a cheeky grin of the Shelby himself. 

After their daughter Katie was born, John promised to be more careful. For as long as it lasted. A few months later he and his brothers had signed up for the Warwickshire Yeomanry. (Y/N) tried to convince him to think at least twice about it but John had made up his mind. 

He would never forget her face when she waved her goodbyes from the train platform. The wind blew trough her hair as tears ran down her face. Their little daughter safely in her arms, not aware of anything that was going on.

In that very moment he realized that it could be the last time he would see them but there was no going back.

While he was away she wrote him as much as she could, hoping every single day that he would still be able to write her back. She wrote him about all the little silly things that happened in their daily life, pretending that the threats of war didn’t exist in that moment. Hoping that it would take his mind off the terrible things he was going trough, even if it was for a second. 

John wrote her back whenever he could. Starting his letters with “Dear Guardian Angel,” which had became his little pet name for her, although he really believed she was one. 

In one of his latest letters he told (Y/N) that they got attacked and that he was injured. He didn’t tell her how bad it was and how it could’ve ended for him but he did tell her he survived because he was thinking of her and their daughter. 

In reality, he was critically injured and for a moment they had lost him. In that moment his mind wandered to her. He thought of her beautiful eyes staring into his, her beaming smile that could light up every single room and her soft touch on his skin when she held him. He thought of the many memories they shared, how their witty comments drove each other crazy sometimes and how much they could make each other laugh. 

Oh, to hear her laugh again. 

He wanted to see Katie grow up, to see how much she looked like her mum and how much of his mischievousness she had. He didn’t want to miss out on any of that.

Doctors were able to save his life, giving him the extra time he so desperately wanted. Although he wanted nothing more than go home, he agreed on staying in France after he recovered. He fought, every single day until they heard they were finally going back home. After years. 

He would never forget the moment he finally held her in his arms again. The smell of her favorite perfume filled his senses, her soft touch on his skin made him almost melt and her eyes were still as beautiful as ever. “I missed you so much.” Her soft voice broke the silence between them.

“I missed you too, love.” He mumbled against her hair. His strong arms held her tightly and made her feel like everything was going to be okay. The tears were falling down her face again, this time because he was finally back home. Safely. 

Katie hid behind (Y/N)’s legs, shyly looking up at John. He kneeled down and smiled at her. “Daddy’s finally home, darling.” (Y/N) said as she wiped away her tears and smiled kindly at her. She kneeled down as well, placing her hand on Katie’s back. John reached out his hand. “That has been a long time, hasn’t it love?” He smiled at the little girl who was a bit hesitant on what to do. 

John glanced down at something she was holding tightly in her hand. “What’s that?” He curiously asked while pointing at her hand. “Show daddy what you have there.” (Y/N) encouraged her. 

Katie shyly showed John a picture of himself. “Daddy.” She softly said. “Yes.” John swallowed down the lump in his throat, trying to not cry in front of his little girl. “And now I’m right here” He cheerily said, still holding out his hand for her. 

Katie carefully placed her hand on top of his. She glanced him up and down before hugging him tightly. “Daddy.” John wrapped his arms around her tiny body, hugging her as he stroked her hair. He took a deep breath before looking at (Y/N) who’s tears began to stream down her face once again. 

It would take some time but they would become the family they had always intended to be. 

Years went by and their family grew by 4. Three boys and one girl. (Y/N) spend most of her time to take care of her kids but occasionally helped in the betting shop. John worked hard for the company but still kept himself busy with gang related business, led by his older brother. 

John had changed since the war, becoming more violent and in some situations his emotions got the best of him, causing him to react before even thinking. He was reckless, didn’t care about any danger. He knew better but he loved to see how far he could go. His violence and outbursts went far but never reached his family. 

Despite all the trauma and troubles, he took good care of them. He only wanted the best for them and would do everything to provide it. 

They had moved from Watery Lane to a bigger countryside home. Life was better, they enjoyed all the good the things the countryside had to offer. It was much calmer than the streets of Small Heath and it was a perfect place to clear their heads. The kids often played outside until it got dark, John liked to go hunting with his dogs and (Y/N) loved the overall peace it gave all of them. 

Peace that was suddenly disturbed by John’s arrest and the hanging that would follow. When the guards came to get him, he had tried to fight them off but he couldn’t take them both. As they dragged him trough the halls, his shouts and insults bounced off the concrete walls. The shouting turned into laughter until he saw Michael’s terrified face and found Arthur’s angry one on the other side of the bars.

Doors opened and they were led to the space that was separated from them before. Revealing three gallows that were waiting for the three men. Hope had left him the moment saw them, knowing his last minutes were ticking. Once the noose was tied around his neck, he heard Arthur mumble “In the bleak midwinter.” A sigh escaped his lips as he repeated him. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see when they were going to pull the lever. 

It was over for him. He would never be able to see (Y/N) and their children again. He remembered her face when he got arrested, the fear in her eyes that had mixed with pure hate towards his brother, the desperate screams that were coming from her mouth. 

The thought of her hearing that he was gone without saying their goodbyes, pained him. He would never forgive himself for the heartbreak he was going to put her trough. 

He snapped out of his thoughts after hearing a shout coming from the halls. He opened his eyes and saw a man running in with a letter in his hand.

He still got some extra time. 

1925

Peace had eventually returned to John and (Y/N)’s home. Every time things took a turn for the worst, there was somehow a way out. John still believed that the thoughts of his wife had saved his life once again. Like she always did. When he finally returned after another traumatic experience, he broke down like a little child when he saw her. It was one of only a few times she had seen him in such a vulnerable state and it broke her heart. 

He had spent a lot more time at home to be with his family. Lots of walks, picnics and evenings under the stars helped him clear his head. They helped him heal, although the scars would never disappear. 

Months passed by and he started to feel better. He had just returned home from a walk with his dogs when he picked up the post from that day. He moved to the living room to open the enveloppes. They received multiple Christmas cards from friends and family, he knew (Y/N) would love them. As he opened another enveloppe and read the card, his heart dropped.

“John would you like some tea as well?” (Y/N) walked up to him. Her sudden presence startled him. “Tea?” He blurted out, his widened eyes found hers. She noticed the expression on his face. “Yes, tea...” She said suspiciously while looking at the card in his hand. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes. Was just reading the Christmas cards we got.” He handed her the other cards. She took them from him as she pointed at the card in his hand. “Whose that?” 

“Tommy’s.” He lied to her, putting the card back in the enveloppe. She scoffed. “Tommy’s? And what did he write us?” She asked while narrowing her eyes. “He wishes us a merry Christmas.” He stuffed the card into his jacket but she snatched it from him before he had the chance. 

“Give it.” John sternly told her, trying to get the card from her. (Y/N) quickly moved away from him. “If it’s really from Tommy then it would look nice in the fireplace.” She shot back at him. 

“Give it here!” John barked at her. He tried to grab her arm but she pushed him off. “Tell me what this is John!” She yelled back at him. “It’s a fucking Christmas card from Tommy!” He shouted at her, backing her up into a corner.

(Y/N) ripped the envelope off the card and opened it, finding a Black Hand inside. “What is this?” Her voice softer than before as she looked up to John. He looked at the card before his eyes met hers. “A Black Hand.” 

“It’s from Luca Changretta. Arthur killed his dad.” He continued. “It was Tommy who kil-” (Y/N)’s sentence was cut short by John who’s voice had raised immediately after hearing it. “It was fucking Arthur who pulled the trigger!” 

"It was mercy but it was Arthur.” He added on a softer tone. “Anyway, it makes no fucking difference. For the wops, it’s family.” John rubbed his face. “They’re coming for us all.” 

(Y/N) stared at him in disbelief, an anxious feeling washing over her. “For fucks sake, John.” He took the card from her but she stopped him by grabbing his wrist. Not knowing what to say, he just stared at her. The distress in his eyes visible, not fully comprehending the situation they were in. 

“We’re going to be okay.” She said but it sounded unsure. She didn’t know if she was trying to ease his feelings or her own. 

That evening she decided to have a few drinks when John came in with lots of guns and rifles. She looked at him, feeling fuzzy from the drinks she had. “Are you gonna teach me how to use those?” She asked him jokingly. “I think you already know.” He smirked while putting them down on a chair. 

“What did we got ourselves into, John?” She slurred slightly, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. “I don’t want to know.” He confessed while looking at her. “Me neither, I just want us to be alright.” She sighed softly as she filled her glass once more. 

He leaned against the chair and watched her. “Me too.” He mumbled, pointing at the empty glass next to hers. “I need one as well. Situations like this make me thirsty.” He joked, trying to ease his tensed mind.

(Y/N) giggled softly and filled his glass. “I’m happy you haven’t lost your ability to joke about things like this.” She responded as she looks up at him. “Makes me feel much better. 

“Come here.” He reached out for her hand. “I can think of something else that makes you feel better.” He said teasingly as her hand grabbed his. “Lets forget about it for now.” He smirked while pulling her up. Her other hand found its way to the back of his head, pulling him closer as she crashed her lips onto his. He eagerly kissed her back. 

Lifting her up, he moved over to the sofa to sit down, breaking their kiss for a moment. She straddled his lap, her hands roamed over his chest while staring in his eyes. “I fucking love you.” She breathed out, her lips close to his. “I fucking love you too.” He grinned before kissing her again.

“I’m going to get some wood for the fireplace!” John called out before leaving the house to fetch wood from the shed. “Okay!” (Y/N) yelled, she was busy with baking a cake. The delicious smell had already filled the kitchen. 

Their morning was much more relaxed than she had expected after receiving Changretta’s card. She still felt tensed but John’s calm demeanor assured her that she didn’t have to worry. At least not too much. 

Footsteps approached the shed John was in. He was wary of the situation and took his rifle. As he opened the door, he immediately cocked it, pointing it at the person that was coming closer. “Oh, fuck, it’s you.” He mumbled while unloading his rifle and putting the barrel down. “Got nothing better to do on Christmas morning?” He asked Michael who was standing in front of him.

“Tommy wants everybody at Charlie’s Yard, now.” Michael informed him. John closed the door of the shed and walked him back to the house. “What is going to happen on fucking Christmas, man?” He questioned, wondering what the sudden urge to go to Charlie’s yard was. “John come on, we don’t have time for this. We have to go.” Michael pleaded, knowing the treat they had received was serious.

“Come in to the house, have some food.” John offered as he opened the door. (Y/N) looked up and saw John with another man standing at the front door. Recognizing Michael, she decided to approach him. “What are you doing here?” 

“Tommy said that they could come for us today.” He answered her as she came closer to him. “Oh, where does the sudden worry come from? Tell Tommy he can fuck himself.” She harshly told him, the anger getting the best of her. 

“It’s the mafia we’re talking about (Y/N)!” Michael yelled at her. “As if we don’t know that!” She barked at him. Michael decided to focus his attention on his cousin. “John come to the meeting. And if you want to leave, then fine.” He desperately tried to change his thoughts. “It’s Christmas, Michael. We’re staying here.” (Y/N) sneered.

The sound of hooves came closer, John turned his head and saw a horse with a carriage stopping in front of them. A bale of hay was pushed off the carriage, revealing a man with a gun. John immediately cocked his rifle and pointed it at the man. “Get in the fucking house!” 

Michael pushed (Y/N) to the door. “Go!” Shots were fired as Michael tried to warn John when men with automatic rifles revealed themselves. “John!” (Y/N) yelled as she approached him again. “Get the fuck inside!” He barked at her, shooting at the men. “John, please!” She begged him, knowing he wasn’t going to win this on his own.

He kept shooting at the men as he gave her a firm push. “Go! Get the fuck away from here!” He yelled at her, desperate for her to leave the scene.

“(Y/N) GO-” His sentence was cut short as the impact of the bullets that entered her body caused her to fall on the tiles in front of their house. A burning sensation rushed trough her, followed by intense pain. Tears rolled down her cheeks while she gasped for air.

The rain of bullets stopped not long after, leaving them in complete silence. She heard Michael’s faint groans but John was quiet. She tried to turn her head carefully but her body didn’t let her do much. 

It took her a while to adjust her eyes to look out for John, finding his body laying close to her. A soft sob escaped her mouth. “John...” Her voice was barely a whisper.

Her eyes were searching for John’s blue ones. More tears spilled over her cheeks. The eyes who once held so much life and looked at her with so much love were now empty, replaced by an endless stare. Blood was slowly dripping from his mouth. 

She wanted to scream. Scream at him, to tell him to wake up. All she wanted was to hold him and maybe, just maybe she could save him. 

But she couldn’t. She tried to reach out for his hand with the last bit of strength she had. Her hand on top of his, that was all she was able to do. Hopefully he somehow felt it, so that he knew that he wasn’t alone.

Her breathing slowed down. She took a glance at John as the pain in her body slowly started to fade. Her eyes found his once more before her sight went blurry. 

Every time things took a turn for the worst, there was somehow a way out. Except for now.

(Y/N) wandered trough the unfamiliar place. She didn’t recognize it although it was pretty and felt peaceful. She stopped to take in the surroundings and to adjust her dress that looked a bit different than she could remember. After a brief moment she decided to continue her walk.

“Mrs. Shelby?” A voice suddenly came closer. (Y/N) turned around and noticed a young woman who was looking at her. “Yes?” She answered questionably. “Come, follow me.” The woman smiled at her. Her eyes examined her appearance. Not too sure if she could trust this woman.

"Can I ask you something?” (Y/N) questioned her. “Yes, of course.” She kindly replied. “Where exactly am I? And where are-” She stopped mid sentence as she heard someone yelling in the distance. 

“It’s not my fucking fault, do you think I fucking planned it?!” John yelled at the man who was standing in front him. “Mr. Shelby we made an agreement. How could you let this happen?” The man asked him sternly. 

“Do you think this is something I wanted?! For fucks sake!” He spat angrily at the man. “We got fucking ambushed! I did what I fucking could!” 

A gasp left her mouth when she realized it really was her husband. She pushed past the woman to get to him. “John!” She called out his name but was stopped by the woman who was holding onto her wrist. 

“You can’t go there.” She warned. “Why not? He’s my husband. Let me go!” (Y/N) angrily yelled, pulling on her wrist. 

“You can’t go ma’am. They’re discussing a very important issue.” She answered her calmly. “I don’t care! Who even are you?” She finally got out of the woman’s grasp before giving her a furious glare. 

“(Y/N)!” A very familiar voice had called out to her. Turning her head in the direction of the voice, she saw John coming in her direction. “John!” Not wanting to waste any more time, she ran to him as fast as she could. “John...” She repeated softly when her arms finally held his body tightly against hers, tears falling onto her cheeks. His arms found their way around her right away.

The warmth of his body made her feel at ease. They held each other tightly until John grabbed her face to look at her. His beautiful, loving blue eyes were staring into hers. Happiness filled his senses as he saw that she was okay. 

Happiness that lasted until realization struck him. “You’re not supposed to be here.” He told her, guilt dripping from his words. “What do you mean? I don’t even know where I am.” She told him, confused by his sudden remark. 

“I told you to go inside.” He said softly, not having the heart to tell her the actual reason she was here. “I wanted to protect you.” She answered him. “You had no chance.” John sighed, carefully letting go of her face. 

“You didn’t either.” (Y/N) looked at him, remembering his body, the blood coming from his mouth, his empty eyes. Silence fell over her, as she stared at him. Her brain started slowly to comprehend what had happened.

She touched his cheek carefully, her fingers slid slowly over his freckled skin. His eyes were focused on her face. “Are you in pain?” She asked him quietly. John shook his head. “No.”

Her hand moved down to his neck and slowly down over his chest. He didn’t seem injured. “I saw you.” She whispered as she looked up at him. “I know, love. I’m sorry.” 

“(Y/N) I’m so sorry. I-” John was cut off by the man who he was just arguing with. “Mrs. Shelby, my apologies.” She looked up at him, switching her gaze between him and John, not knowing what to say. 

The man shifted his attention at John. “Do you want to tell her or should I?” John gave him a glare before taking her hand, leading her away from the man to a more enclosed space. 

“John, what is going on?” He looked down and took a deep breath as guilt washed over him, knowing he had failed her. “John?” Her soft voice made him look up at her again. 

“I-” He sighed before continuing. “I had made an agreement but I fucked up.” Her eyes fell on his fingers who were nervously playing with his cufflinks. “I don’t understand. You made an agreement with who?” 

“That man who apologized to you.” He pinched the bridge of his nose before taking another deep breath. “Listen, remember when I wrote you when I was in France? That I was injured?” (Y/N) nodded, remembering it all too well. 

“Do you remember that I told you that it wasn’t bad and that I was fine?” He asked, trying to make sense. She nodded again. 

“I lied. I didn’t want you to worry about me. Not more than you already did.” He sighed. “They lost me for a moment there. That’s when I met that man. He gave me a second chance.” He confessed, his eyes staring into hers. 

“I told him I couldn’t leave you and that I wasn’t ready to go yet. He could only give me a second chance if I promised to him that I would look out for you.” He looked down while taking a deep breath.

“You were always my guardian angel, remember? I agreed on being yours from that day.” Tears had slipped from his eyes, down his freckled cheeks.

“And I’m so sorry, (Y/N). I’m so sorry I failed you.” He felt her arms around his waist as he heard her quiet sobs. He held her, stroking her hair gently. “I really thought I could protect you.” 

“You did. You always did.” She looked up at him. “We both knew we had no chance.” She assured him as he wiped the tears gently off her cheeks. “I don’t blame you John.”

"The fucking wops killed you and I’ve let them.” He mumbled. “Our kids lost their parents. You have every right to blame me.” 

“Are the children okay?” She carefully asked, afraid of the answer. “They’re okay. They’re safe.” He assured her, his heart hurting at the mention of their kids.

“They’re not injured?” She whispered. “They’re not. I promise you, they’re fine and taken care of.” He sweared as her eyes turned glossy. “Are you sure?” A breathy whisper fell from her lips. “I am, love. I really am.” He assured her again as he watched her tears fall down from her cheeks. 

She leaned her head against his chest as silence fell over them. He held her tightly, feeling her hands slowly stroking his back. Both lost for words. 

(Y/N) let go of him after a while, grabbing his wettened cheeks between her hands, her own tears still falling. He looked down at her, a remorseful glance in his eyes. 

“We have to look out for them from here. So it hasn’t been for nothing.” She said with determination in her voice. 

She gently wiped the tears off his cheeks. “I know they are proud of you. Their dad protected them and he will always continue to do so, even from heaven.” A small smile appeared on her face before pressing a soft kiss on his lips. “You’ve always been our guardian angel after all.” 

✧ Idea from this prompt , like I mentioned before I gave it my own twist.

[sofasoap]

Bookmarks

Warning: None. little fluff and interaction between Uncle Nikto and Anya.

Note : This is start of a little series of Birth of Anya, Death of Nikto, from the start of Anya's little life until the death of Nikto. interactions between the two.

Might make more sense if you read this part first.

Thank you @connorsui for the ideas/inspo

Anya is my little OC, daughter of Nikolai Lt. Olga 'Zhar' Samoilova belongs to @nrdmssgs

Master list

“Дядя!” 

“Anya.” Nikto stiffens as Anya runs up and gives him a big hug. “What… are you doing here.” 

“Picking up a few things, before Papa takes me back to the estate to pack my luggage.” Anya took a step back, flashing him a big smile. 

“Packing?” Nikto cock his eyebrow.

“I’m moving to Denmark. To study Logistics.” 

“Ah.”

“But don’t tell my parents. They think I’m going there to study business.” She giggles. 

“Why.” 

“Why what?” Anya tilted her head. 

“Logistic, and not engineering.” Nikto has an inkling he knows the answer to the question. Nikolai’s little princess always expresses interest in joining Chimera. He thought with her obsession with aircrafts since she was young, Anya would have joined an aviation academy or studied engineering. 

He has witnessed a few heated arguments between the father and daughter, Nikolai refusing his daughter to follow his footstep while Anya is determined to continue on her parent’s legacy. 

“You are not getting your hands into this.” Nikolai warned his daughter.  “I just want to help you and Ma…” “I've been trying to get your Ma out of this mess for years!” He slammed the desk. “I am not letting you into danger again after what happened to you two all those years ago!”  “Then WHY is Lachie allowed to fly with you!!! Why is HE allowed to learn from you and I am not!” Anya shouted back.  Nikolai took a step back, clenching his fist. He didn’t have a good enough response for his daughter’s question. 

The commander will always be in a sour mood for weeks after his argument with his daughter. 

The little princess will always be crying to her aunties about the unfairness. And she will disappear for weeks, refusing to see her father’s face. Until Freya pulls both of her husband and daughter together into the office, forcing them to reconcile. 

The little princess that has been around the base since she was a toddler, charming all the soldiers.

The little girl who gets excited when her Papa takes her for a ride in the new flying machine.

The little girl who is growing up, leaving home. 

Is she going to remember you when she leaves?

Is she going to remember her Дядя?

“... wait here. Stay.”

“Oh?” Anya tilted her head, confused, but stood patiently in the corridor as her Дядя walked off towards him and Olya’s shared room, and appeared again minutes later. 

“Here. Take this with you.” he pressed a little piece of something into her hand, before turning away with no explanation. 

“Wait… what..”

Leaving her standing there dumbfounded. 

“Anya.”

“Oh тетя.” 

“What are you staring at?” Zhar sat down beside her adopted niece, nodding towards her hand.

“Дядя gave me this….”  she looked at the simple pressed flower bookmark in her hand. Little daisy and lavender awkwardly arranged on the little cardboard piece of paper.

“Your Дядя kept all the flowers you picked that day.” Zhar smiled. “He kept every little item you gifted him throughout the years.”

“.... “ Anya blinked a few times, eyes watering. 

“Your Дядя really cares about you.” Zhar hummed.  “ I have seen him staring at the tin box many times, shifting through the flowers.” Zhar led her into the common room. “I found him hunching over the desk one day, glasses on, sticking the flowers onto the papers one by one.” 

Carefully. One by one. Zhar remembered. Into little book marks.  

Sealing up for memories.

The little toddler that waddled up to him without fear. 

Accepting who he is. 

Months later Zhar saw Nikto sitting in the corner of the room, a faint smile on his face as he read a letter from Anya, with a little dry little daisy in his hand. 

[dice-sociation]

Girls Who Don’t DnD

Quick Info

Audio Quality: High-Quality Audio, Effects, Music. (Occasional fan-submitted recordings)

Vibes: Throne of Glass, Doctor Who, Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Princess and the Pauper

Extras: Patreon rewards, Discord Community with Book Club, and more!

System: 5e DnD

Campaign/ Show Length: Long Term Campaign

Average Episode time: 1.5 Hours (varies a bit)

Uploads 1 episode a month. 

Diversity: Majority Women

Platforms: Podcast, Audio Only. 

Number of Episodes This Review is based on: 30+ 

** If you want the TLDR, scroll to the bottom of the post **

Why Girls Who Don’t DnD?

How often have you said to yourself, “Man, I wish I could experience that for the first time again?” While we can’t reset your brain, you can live vicariously through the Girls Who Don’t D&D podcast. 

If you're looking for a podcast with relaxed gameplay, fantastic humor, great editing, and effects, you should read on to learn more. This wonderful adventure showcases the beautiful experience of watching three girls fall in love with Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). 

Starting the Pod

The podcast starts with Cory, the Dungeon Master (DM), explaining that he has invited three girls, Indy, Alana, and Stacey, who have never played D&D, into his world of Kalee with premade characters. If you, the listener, haven’t played before, you’ll learn a lot just from listening. Cory purposely doesn’t edit out explanations of how to play. I’m confident my experience was better because I was still learning to play the game myself as I started listening.

Right from the start you will hear how much work Cory puts into editing and pre-recording. He recruits people to voice-act for non-player characters (NPCs) or to play out memories or scenes. Some additions are just for the listeners, giving us a little extra information about the lore of the world. This includes the origin of magical artifacts, gods, and sometimes an NPC’s perspective that the players don’t get to hear.  It feels like listening to an audiobook and honestly, I think “booktok” would love Girls Who Don’t DnD. 

We learn that the three player characters, Freya, Kaa'Riin, and Morrigan, have lost their memories and need to recover them. The story and the discovery of who the player characters are and what happened to them work in tandem with the players themselves learning the game in a beautiful way. 

Power gamers and hardcore strategy? We don’t need that here. (Tosses book over shoulder). This group is made of story-tellers who usually choose to progress the narrative over strategy. At first, it's like watching Without A Recipe or the British Bake Off challenge where they have no clue what they are supposed to be making. This makes it all the more special when the players get more comfortable with the gameplay and more grounded in their characters. 

About the Team

Cory, "(who owns all the books but hasn't read them)"* completely absorbs the chaos the girls bring to the table and somehow also keeps them immersed in the story. He holds onto the rules of D&D loosely, letting his players use their abilities in different and unique ways. You still get full epic fights with no pulled punches, yet they feel more cinematic than the usual D&D grind. Outside of combat, Cory introduces challenging puzzles and encounters that present more opportunities for his players to think outside the mechanics of the game.

I adore Alana, Indy, and Stacy. I have some difficulty with telling their voices apart, but I never felt like that took away from my enjoyment of the show. Over time they develop their characters and have different play styles. They all have so much personality and bring their own flavor to the table. 

Indy, playing Freya the Rogue, has to be the most classic of first-time players, starting a little hack-and-slash happy, but eventually, she gets really into the strategy of the game. Freya is a cheeky scamp of a character and Indy leans naturally into the rogue class.  

Alana, playing Morrigan the Sorcerer, is usually the most sensible of the group. She is a leader in a way. There is so much more I want to say but I can't think of anything that isn't a big spoiler. Playing a sorcerer for your first time playing D&D is never easy, but Cory was able to ease her into the role and she runs with it.

Stacey, playing Kaa'Riin the Bearbarian (Druid with some Barbarian), has some epic combat moments. She can change from one animal to another without reverting to humanoid form, which deviates from traditional Druid rules. This decision, as well as other tweaks of the rules, help the pacing of the overall production. 

And sure, you're probably thinking their whole schtick is that they don't know D&D, so wouldn't it lose its charm after they get better? Absolutely not. Not even a little bit. This table is casual, silly, charming, and gripping. They make me feel like I am with my best friends playing our chaos gremlins together. 

A special shout to Mia Stegner (https://www.miastegner.com/) who composed and performed the opening and closing songs. It’s the cherry on top of this podcast sunday.

*Referenced from the Podcast Description. https://www.girlswhodontdnd.com/ 

About the world

“There is a saying among the good people of Kalee, when you know what is right, do what is right, and then deliver it all into the endless sea” From Episode 1: Throw it Into the Sea, Aug 16, 2021.

Cory presents a world both complex and informed by the player's choices and features some of the more bizarre parts of typical High Fantasy settings. 

There is just something so satisfying about learning the characters' backstories and how their stories are expertly baked in the many-layered cake that makes the world. Flavors include; wild magic, strange and whimsical characters, Evil Queens, “timey-wimey” stuff, super cute plans, snails, Gods, magic crystals, trapped souls, and Alan (the real star of the later episodes).

Extras

There are so many Patreon perks! You get behind-the-scenes talks, recipes from Indy, DMing tips, Lana's book reviews, and more! You can also join their Discord server where Cory is pretty active and they encourage community gaming and have a book club.

TL;DR: 

This podcast is about girls learning to play D&D using premade characters with amnesia. The girls learning to play parallels the story’s progression as they regain memories. 

Reliving the experience of learning to play for the first time all over again. 

Loosely follows the rules of 5e to keep the pacing up.

DM Cory recruits people to voice act for NPCs or to play out memories or scenes. Some additions are just for the listeners, giving us a little extra information about the lore of the world.

It's a little hard to tell the girls apart, but I don’t think it takes away from my enjoyment at all. 

Wild magic, strange and whimsical characters, Evil Queens, “timey-wimey” stuff, super cute plans, snails, Gods, magic crystals, trapped souls, and Alan. 

DM Cory presents a world both complex and informed by the player's choices and features some of the more bizarre parts of typical High Fantasy settings.

Special thanks to Artax of Who's Taking Watch for helping with editing!

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