#i can imagine gale raising his eyebrow too it's perfect

[emahriel]

WE GOT GALE'S!!

(source: x x)

[emmy-dekarios-bg3]

Heart of the Weave - chapter 22

The numbness of my body feels incredible; it’s so refreshing not feeling the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion anymore. No fatigue. No pain. No illness. Just an eternal life earthside with the ones I love. I feel alive, powerful, and invincible, as if I could crush a boulder with my bare hands. It’s a sensation I never imagined I’d feel, especially after countless traumatic events during our gruesome adventures. I thought I’d lose myself after becoming immortal, but I’m thankful for another day of being my true, authentic self.

Gale and I try to go to sleep, but it’s so challenging with the intense energy we have that seems to never fade, whereas Jenevelle has no problem falling asleep. Maybe it’s because she’s not aware of immortality and thinks nothing of it? I have no clue. It’s the middle of the night, where owls are lurking about in the skies and not a peep to be heard from the outside. I take a deep breath, admiring the luminous light of the moon shining through our window, feeling the energy flow through my body. Gale and I are just lying in our bed surrounded by tranquility and peace without a worry in our minds. This is what contentment is, huh? Well, despite the fact our little baby won’t ever get to grow up. It’s not exactly an idea we can easily part with.

“Isn’t it wonderful? Lying awake in each other’s company while the aura of the midnight moon beams through our bedroom window?” Gale murmurs poetically as he’s gazing into my eyes. We’re embracing one another in the calm of the late night as we’re snuggled naked under the blankets.

“Being with you keeps me going, and to just enjoy our time in the presence of the night… I don’t want anything more,” I whisper, twirling his brown hair with my index finger. I know Gale is trying not to think about when Mystra will eventually confront him about abandoning her to sell his soul and I’m not exactly keen on the idea of my goddess confronting me either. Both of us turning away from them was an unbearable but necessary choice we had to make to keep our daughter safe. For now, we are escaping the thoughts of the harsh reality and enjoying the ‘now.’

“I love you.” The whisper of his voice in my ear brings chills up my spine. It’s like a song you can’t quit listening to, the sound of a certain melody that makes your brain relax, the touch of a feather.

“I love you too.” I smile and place my hand on his face as I lean in to kiss him. Our lips touch as he places his hand on the back of my head, our tongues intertwining with one another. I gently moan as he begins to kiss down my neck while his hand has other plans. I decide to roll over on top of him so his naked, warm body is beneath mine, begging for my touch. The silence is loud; he wants me. His eyes are locked on mine as he traces his fingertip down my torso, causing me to shiver from the relaxing touch. I feel him inside me as I grind upon him with my hips, feeling every sensation within my body. I grab his hands and place them on my bare breasts.

“You’re perfect,” he moans, proceeding to roll me over and position my body beneath his. He stares intimately into my eyes as I’m pinned to the bed. I bite my lower lip as I pull my legs up next to my head, allowing him to make his next move. He raises an eyebrow, but gives me that smile as he thrusts himself within me; the one I fell in love with when we first met. Each thrust feels incredible, causing my eyes to roll to the back of my head. He turns me over and I plead for more. He pulls my hair back as I feel him grind from behind, my ass in the air hoping to receive the most he has to offer. As he continues, bliss and satisfaction overwhelm every inch of my body. I grip the sheets with my hands as I feel the intensity of my climax take over my body.

I lie here on my back, realizing it’s always been him that I want. I don’t need the weave to feel the magic. Before I know it, morning has arrived and while we aren’t sleepy, our bodies are actually exhausted. Sex as an immortal is a wild ride that I can’t begin to describe.

“That lasted longer than I had originally anticipated,” Gale murmurs as we just lie here on top of the comforters.

“I’m not complaining at all. Our session was something else for sure, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.” We gather our thoughts as we try to find the motivation to get out of bed, but then Jenevelle can be heard from her room. That didn’t take long.

“I’ll go get her a bottle ready,” he says as he stands up and pulls his pants back on. I smile, pursing my lips as if I’m demanding a kiss. He chuckles and kisses me, then wanders out of the room and to the kitchen. I slip on my gown and make my way to Jenevelle’s room to get her dressed for the day. She appears happy and ready for the morning ahead.

“Good morning little darling,” I tell her, a smile growing on my face as I watch her light up with joy. She kicks her feet as I reach down to pick her up from her crib, then smacks her lips repeatedly knowing damn well it’s time for a bottle. While she is immortal, I do know she needs her milk to sustain her energy and mood.

As I change Jenevelle, Gale trots into the room, prepared to feed her.

“How is our little girl this morning?”

“She seems to be rather happy today, thank the stars.” I hand her over to Gale and gently kiss her soft forehead. She gives him a certain look as he gets ready to feed her; a look of admiration and contentment, like she idolizes him. She has so much love for her daddy, and for that I am forever grateful. I realize out of the blue that today is the day Shadowheart and Astarion adopt their little one, which I plan on stopping by to bring them a gift basket full of necessities and self-care items. I know she’ll need it, especially since this adoption was completely sudden and they’re both clueless on what to expect; it will be the beginning of a rough yet fulfilling road ahead.

I step into the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror mindlessly, realizing how much has changed in my life. Not just recently, but since the beginning of our adventures. From finding out about my pregnancy to Karlach getting married to Wyll, Shadowheart adopting a child with Astarion, and becoming an immortal being…nothing is the same. Change is always expected, but who knew it would happen so quickly? Myself, I’ve also changed. I used to be such a people pleaser, trying to ensure I don’t make anyone mad and please them so they’ll stay. Now? I’d die for my family. I’ll stand up to bullshit. I won’t be dragged around anymore.

[viladlind]

without the company of her friends, she's felt powerless. it's just like her, she thinks, that she would get used to them so quickly. the teasing banter during their journey, the words of advice during their search for counsil, the strength protecting her during their battles. she'd tried her hardest to protect them in turn, to make decisions that benefitted them in any way possible. leading them wasn't her plan, but it's where she ended up anyways, and she wasn't about to abandon people when they were looking to her for help.

   the idea of fighting back here seemed fruitless. the countless people on the island in the same boat as her, some coping better and some worse. she thinks back to what she said earlier— it wasn't her first time being abducted. and while this is more pleasant than being trapped in a pod while a mindflayer puts a tadpole behind your eye, it has its own difficulties.

   ' maybe i could teach you some, ' she offers genuinely. thinking back to the time that gale helped her connect to the weave, and the joy and intimacy the moment offered ... she's never taught somebody else, but it can't be too terribly hard, right? ' you might have a knack for it, who knows. there's plenty of people back home that learn magic just by sheer force of will. not me, i'm a natural, ' accompanied by a wink, ' but it might be worth a try, if you're interested. '

   he could even learn a bit of cure wounds. or a small healing word. might help him with his repertoire. though, she probably shouldn't critize his way of healing, since she quite literally just asked him for help with her own problems.

   ' leonard, ' she repeats, putting emphasis on the name. her forked tongue touches the roof of her mouth in an attempt to perfect it. the raised eyebrow doesn't stop her from turning back to flirty. is there also a saying about unapproachable men being more alluring? though he seems more of the unfazed type, he's been entertaining her notions well enough. ' that's pretty. it fits you. '

   taking a peek at the small screen attached to the ceiling of the train, trying to keep her stop in mind, she does want to secure another meeting before leaving the man. ' we could go drinking sometime! i won't have ale, but i'll treat you. and of course, one of those consultations you mentioned ... i'm free anytime, as you can imagine. you can come by my place, if you'd like. '

McCOY HAS SEEN A LOT OF WHAT HE WOULD QUALIFY AS 'UNEXPLAINED BULLSHIT' since boarding the Enterprise. Giant green space hands and whatever the hell a katra is supposed to be, and that only scratches the surface. Whether energy transference and telepathy are magic is something he feels someone like Spock would care more to debate than Leonard does at the moment— he can't do a lick of it, that's all he knows and all he needs to know.

"I could manage maybe two of those, on a good day," he reflects, not without some humor. Not the most technical way to view the universal translator or a cloaking device, but he'd like to think they're achieving the same goals. "Not here, but," sounds like in that regard they're in the same boat. He doesn't doubt that it's a deeper injustice, losing something inherent to you as opposed to just having your physical belongings snatched away.

He can't imagine what that's like, but he wishes he did. To be able to heal someone with a spoken word or by playing a tune. He feels close to teetering on the edge of uselessness here - all the information and experience stored away in his head and he's still stuck with scalpels and sutures, torture devices compared to what he's used to. To be able to mend it all without inflicting additional pain is all he could ever hope for, but of course nothing here could be that easy. It's unfair and infuriating and there's no one around he can give a piece of his mind to, because it's dreadfully unsatisfying to vent your spleen when everybody around you is in the same boat and doesn't care to hear it.

He spares her a glance sideways, considering the matter. It does sound a little too familiar. Watching the people close to you run into the fray without a spare thought given to their own safety while you pick up the pieces. They may not be hacking away at any enemies back on Enterprise, but their work is dangerous and oftentimes deadly. Above all, I must not play at god goes out the window real quick when all that's left after a mission is a body bag. He nods slowly, shifting his weight a bit. "Yeah. Guess our jobs aren't too different after all. Well, hey, you ever decide to go knock some heads together to get your stuff back, you can count me in. That's a real shitty thing to take from somebody."

If only it was that easy, of course. McCoy's missing belongings pale in comparison to losing something like that— even if he's been twitchy all week without the presence of his ring— but he'd do a lot more than just knock heads together if he meant he could get it all back or, even better, get himself back to where he was before. They all have to make do, but he's not about to start feeling happy about it.

"Leonard." He eyes the display with a raised brow - is that what they do wherever she's from, or does it come along with being a performer? "McCoy," he then adds, because you never know. "And I'll even take ale at this point. There's that old saying about beggars and choosers, or whatever it is."

[always-andshewrites]

This is how I imagine Madge’s “Box” looks like in “Another Way Out”.  This particular box belongs to my son, a Hanukkah gift from his grandparents a few years ago.  In place of “Happy Chanukah - 2018 - Love, Papa & Grandma”, imagine Madge’s initials... M. A. U.

| Madge |

 “Madge, hey Madge, wait up!” I turn my head to see who is calling my name.  After Katniss and Peeta left, I stopped by the mayor’s house for Kizzie’s piano lesson.  Mayor Kadinski offered to give me the day off because of all the festivities today, but I insisted it was okay.  Really, I did it more for myself than for Kizzie, as selfish as that is.  But with the stress of what my friends will be faced with, I needed my music.  I needed for my fingers to press the familiar keys and for my mind to be inundated with the soothing melody of Nocturne #20 in C Sharp Minor.  It is my go-to piece when I am stressed out.

 “Hey Rye, what are you doing all the way out here?” I ask him, slightly confused.  We are on the edge of town, almost in the Seam and pretty far from the bakery.

 “Sorry— let me— catch my— breath!” He huffs.  I stop walking to give him a minute to regain control of his lungs.  His hair is a disheveled mess, and he has that same goofy grin that he always wears.  “Geez, you walk fast.” He finally says after a moment.

 I raise an eyebrow, not sure what he means.  “I do?” ‘Well, I was on the track team, back when Katniss and Peeta were in school.�� I smirk silently to myself.

 “Yeah, I’ve been trying to catch up with you since the fourth house past the mayor’s mansion— which is when I finally decided to yell your name.”

 “Oh, okay.  Well, what’s up?”

 “Oh, yeah.  Right.  Um, so Peet said I could come find you and you would give me a key to his house.  He said I could stay there some while he was gone.”

 “Oh yeah.  Peeta told me you would probably ask for it.  If you want to follow me to my house, I can give it to you.” 

 “Okay, cool.” Together we continue walking, making our way to my house.  I am thankful for Rye’s constant joking banter, keeping away from any serious talk until I can just barely make out the silhouette of my house.

 “Madge, something is going on with Katniss and Peeta, and I think Haymitch might be in on it, I’m not sure.  But I’m worried about my little brother.  I know you have been friends with them for a long time, so . . . I don’t know, maybe this is a long shot, but do you know anything?  I swear, I’m not trying to be nosy, I’m just worried.  I’m actually— Madge, should I be worried?”

 His question takes me by surprise, it was the last thing I ever expected to hear from the school's number one jokester, Rye Mellark.  The shock freezes me in place for a split-second, but I quickly resume walking, refusing to meet his eyes.

 “Rye, it’s not safe to speak right here.” I whisper, keeping my eyes trained forward.  “When we’re in class tomorrow, I will tell you where we can meet to talk.”  I never look over to see if he heard me and then my heart accelerates when I realize my house is within a few steps.  “I really love the cookies at the bakery!” I chirp, finally meeting his eyes.  He nods, understanding the message I was trying to convey.

 I reach into my pocket, retrieving my house key and unlock my door.  Rye follows me inside, closing the door behind him.

 “This is really nice Madge.” Rye says, trying to be polite when he looks around at the tiny home.  I roll my eyes and make my way into the kitchen where I stowed Peeta’s key.  He asked me to keep it in a secure location in case either Rye or his dad were to ask for it.

 “It’s okay Rye, I know it’s shit here.  But I’m making it work.  I don’t need much.” I tell him, discreetly pulling the key from its secret location.  Just in case Rye saw it, I’ll have to move my box somewhere else.  I can’t risk anyone finding out about its contents.

 I walk over to Rye and hand him the key to Peeta’s house.  “Here you go.  Don’t lose it, I don’t have another one.”

 “Thanks Madge.  See you at school tomorrow?”

 “See you at school tomorrow.” I confirm.

 Once Rye is gone, I plop down on my couch and look around the house.  Where can I move my box? I ask myself.  My tiny little box, handcrafted by my very own father from the wood of an oak tree is no more than seven and a half inches wide, four and a half inches long, and about two inches deep.  For the moment, it only houses Katniss’ house key, my special book, a letter my father wrote me and two letters I found that my mother wrote me.  Rose gave me the first letter from my mother after they died.  In each letter, mama has left a trail of breadcrumbs leading to another letter; scattered throughout the district.  Oh, and there is also this coin my father left me.  I haven’t figured out its purpose, but it must be important, otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered keeping it a secret.

 I am constantly moving my box, afraid of someone finding it.  I alternate between a few hiding spots in a few select trees but having it in my house makes me feel safer.  Somewhere within reach.

 I stand up and begin pacing the floor of the living room.  “Why is Rye worried?  Did he see something?  Hear something?  Did Peeta tell him anything?” I ask myself, still looking for a new hiding place for my box.  Just then, the floorboard creaks under my foot.  I take a step back and it creaks again.  Curiosity overtakes me and I get down on my knees to inspect the plank, only to find it loose.  It’s loose, but not that loose.  Eventually, I am able to pry it up.

 “Holy shit!” I exclaim when I see what is hidden underneath the floorboard.  It is a hidden compartment, a perfect place for my box.  But there is something else here too.  It looks like someone else had the same idea as me.  It is a box, almost the exact same dimensions as mine, except it has a mockingjay carved on the face of it, where my box displays a tree, with my initials engraved on the inside.

 I switch the boxes out and replace the plank, sliding my couch over it.  No one ever comes over here, and if Gale happens to pop in, he will just think I rearranged the room.  As if on cue, the moment I am done, there is a knock at the door.

 “Gale.” I say, surprised when I see him.

 “Everything okay?” He asks, raising a brow.

 “Yeah, I just wasn’t expecting you, that’s all.” I tell him, trying to play it cool.

 “Can I come in?” He asks me.

 “Oh, yeah.  Yeah, of course.” I widen the door for him to come in and then wrap my arms around his neck, needing the security of his touch.

 Something is wrong though; I can sense the tension in the air.  I pull back to meet his eyes and ask, “Is something wrong?”

 “Vick said he thought he saw Rye Mellark over here.”

 “He saw right.” I confirm, nodding.

 “What was he doing over here?” Oh, I see, jealous Gale is coming out to play.

 “He came to get Peeta’s house key.”  His eyes narrow at my statement; I do not like where this is going.

 “Why did you even have it?” He demands, his eyes narrowing as he glares daggers at me accusingly.

 “What’s with the third-degree Gale?” I demand, narrowing my own eyes and furrowing my brows.  I can glare just as efficiently as he can; better even.

 “I don’t like Rye Mellark; I don’t want you talking to him.  He’s a townie, and bad news at that.”

 “I’m sorry, what did you say?  You don’t want me talking to him?  Who are you, my father?  And just in case you forgot, I’m a townie too Gale!” I scream at him, feeling the blood in my body begin to simmer.

 “He’s an asshole and I don’t want you talking to him Madge.  And you’re not a townie, you live here in the Seam, same as me.”

 “Okay, first of all Gale Hawthorne, I was born and lived in town up until six months ago.  I have “townie” friends that I’m not just going to abandon simply because of a change in venue.” I don’t realize it, but with each word that escapes my mouth, my voice seems to get higher; louder; angrier.  “Second of all, you do NOT tell me who I can or cannot talk to.  I am a big girl Gale; I can take care of myself and I think it’s time you left.” I walk over to the door and open it, motioning for him to leave.

 “Madge, I—”

 “GET OUT!” I scream even louder.

 His shoulders are hunched over as he walks out the door and then I slam it behind him just as he turns around and says my name.

 “Fucking shithead.  Asshole, mother-fucker!” I scream to no one.  “Who does he think he is, telling me who I can talk to?  I don’t think so, Rye is my friend and I’ll talk to him whenever I damn well please!” I rant; although no one is listening, it feels satisfying to yell the words out loud.  I wish Katniss was still here, I bet she’d march over there and slap him or something.

 “Pgh.  Tell me what to do, Gale Hawthorne?  I don’t think so.”

Read the whole story on my A03 page: (I hope I did this right!)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28679952/chapters/72665136#workskin

[spork-guitar]

Lucky Lady Chapter 16

@sapphicsovereign @gingerdaile @catsssmeow

Let me know if you want to be tagged!

Based on a prompt by @gale-of-the-nomads

Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.

So I know what I said last time, but here’s another chapter four days later??? 

Gabriel is creepy and Emilie might be also? As a wise young princess once said, “Your imperfections are beautiful!” 

By the time Ladybug pulled up to the mansion, any remaining tension had pretty well dissipated. Externally, at least. Adrien shot her a prize-winning smile when she opened his car door, and they walked up the stairs together. As far as she could tell, there were no traces of discomfort or confusion anywhere on his stupidly gorgeous model face.

As soon as the grand doors opened, Nathalie was there, seemingly so occupied by whatever was on her tablet that she couldn’t look at either of them.

“Lunch will be ready in fifteen minutes, Adrien. Go shower off.” Ladybug and Adrien glanced at each other. It wasn’t unlike her to be stoic and stern; in fact, Ladybug pretty much expected it. Still, she usually at least made an attempt to ask how their days had been, or at the very least, greet them.

“Nice to see you, too, Nathalie,” Adrien tried, met with the slight raise of a plucked eyebrow, sitting atop a pair of dull blue eyes. “Okay, okay, I’m going.” Partially out of habit and partially out of wanting to be anywhere else, Ladybug followed him.

“Come with me, Ladybug.” Nathalie’s command stopped her in her tracks, and she had no choice but to go with her. Ladybug hesitated, foot poised on the bottom step of the foyer staircase, overwhelmed by the feeling of no, don’t go. Shaking her head, she ignored the feeling and followed.

“M. Agreste has requested to see you.” Ladybug swallowed, staring at the door looming in front of her. Stop, a little voice in her head said. Turn around. Leave. She pushed the door open, wincing as it creaked slightly, and stepped into the atelier, her footsteps echoing despite her effort to be light on her feet. Cautiously, she walked farther into the room, automatically searching for an exit. Main door, side door, two windows. 

“Hello, Ladybug. I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you in person as of yet. As you can see,” He gestured to his computer screen, which she could not, in fact, see. “I’m a very busy man.”

She bowed her head, jumping as the door slammed shut. “Yes, monsieur. It’s an honor to meet the famous Gabriel Agreste.”

Eyes never leaving the screen in front of him, he continued. “I’ve been pleased with your work so far. Of course, I should expect nothing less from a member of the most prestigious line of bodyguards in the country.”

“Of course, monsieur.” Gabriel left his computer and began to pace around the room, hands clasped behind his back as he walked circles around her in measured steps. She summoned what she hoped would appear as courage, standing up a little taller. He stopped in front of her, looking her straight in the eyes.

Get out. She hadn’t breathed for a while, perhaps since she entered the atelier. Every cell in her body ordered her to move run leave go hurry but she stood there, head held high as her own frightened expression taunted her in the lenses of Gabriel Agreste’s glasses.

A hand reached out, past her line of vision, towards her… ear?

“Exquisite earrings,” he commented in a tone that only increased her panic. “Family heirloom?”

“Yes, monsieur,” she had long since dropped the façade of confidence, voice coming out as merely a whisper. After a few excruciating seconds of eye contact, he returned to his computer, not even a trace of emotion anywhere on his face or in his remarkably neutral body language. Ladybug could usually identify how people were feeling from the way they reacted to situations, but Gabriel remained cold, as if challenging her to try to figure him out.

“Tell me, Ladybug, how long have you been training for this position?”

Ladybug paused, unsure how to correctly answer the question. “I had two months to prepare for this specific job guarding your son. As a member of the Lucky Ladies, I have been training since I was seven years old.”

He hummed, but she couldn’t tell if it was because she gave the right answer or the wrong one. “How do you pick a lock?”

She furrowed her brow, confused by the line of questioning. “Most locks can be opened with a wrench and a pick, which can be made from household objects, like hairpins and paper clips.”

“In a fight, is it best to be the primary attacker or to defend yourself?”

“That’s a loaded question, M. Agreste. If my hypothetical assailant started this fight, I would be forced into a defensive position first, and I suppose I would stay there until I could learn my opponent’s fighting style and find a way to trip them up without injuring them if possible. If I was on duty when this fight took place, I would likely have another person to protect, and that would take precedence over nonviolence. I would use whatever means necessary to keep my charge safe.”

Another hum, no more revealing than the last. Silence settled over them, long and suffocating, like breathing but each inhale is shallower than the last, until you’re gasping for air. And just when consciousness is about to slip away, “Do you care for my son?”

It wasn’t the relief she had been hoping for. There was no breath of fresh air for her. What was the correct answer to such a question? The emphatic yes that came to mind definitely wasn’t what he was looking for. 

“I was hired to protect him. I know him enough to care about his well-being.”

The disturbing shadow of an emotionless smile crossed his face. “You remind me of my late wife. Surely you’ve heard about her?” He gestured behind him to a familiar work of art on the wall.

There she was again. Emilie Agreste, larger than life, framing Gabriel’s body on all sides. The fractals of gold caught the light, bouncing off in every direction, as if she didn’t look radiant enough in the dark. The portrait was beautiful, stunning even, but it filled Ladybug with such a sense of dread, and for no apparent reason. Everything in the room did.

She was too divine, too flawless, too… perfect. The portrait, the atelier, Gabriel himself, they were perfect. No piece of furniture out of place, no papers strewn about, not a speck of dust anywhere. It was faultless, and alarmingly so.

“I’m glad we could get to know a little about each other, Ladybug. I look forward to speaking with you again.”

“As do I, M. Agreste.” That was a lie. Ladybug never wanted to get anywhere close to him or his atelier ever again. Even being in the same house was somehow off-putting.

“If you won’t keep me from my work, I won’t keep you from yours.” She took that as an invitation to leave, and she cursed her short legs for not being able to get her out any faster. 

Automatically, she reached for the pin in her pocket on her way to the dining room, rubbing its worn surface as she imagined being back in the parlor with Fu, drinking herbal tea and meditating during her breaks between training sessions. A few deep breaths had her feeling a bit more grounded.

“Hey, Ladybug.” All of a sudden he appeared in the doorway, fresh from the shower and handsome as ever, just flawed enough to take her breath away.

[niconekonyan]

Milk and Honey

A Calling Lucky Seven Special Chapter

Pairing: Jackson x Irene

A/N: I wrote a Filipino Social Media AU on Twitter and migrating all the SMUT scenes here in Tumblr. This is written in Taglish.

Disclaimer: This chapter is more descriptive compared to the previous JackRene smut scene. But I didn’t go all out yet because this is my first-time writing smut for actual people (I used to write for anime and book characters.) Not meant to offend any of Jackson or Irene’s fans. I love them both.

🔥🔥🔥

  "You may now kiss the bride,” the priest says and Jackson has never heard more beautiful words.

He looks at Irene- his wife- and the woman he fought hell to be with. He smiles at her before kissing her gently on her lips, cheers from their friends erupting. Irene raises her eyebrow at him when he broke away. She was used to his passion, to powerful and breathless kisses.

Jackson wanted to kiss her that way too. But their friends are here.

Irene on the other hand didn’t care. She grabs Jackson’s nape and pulls him in, this time for a deeper kiss. Their friends cheered louder- Bambam and Yugyeom making those weird sounds.

“Mamaya ka sakin,” Jackson whispers to Irene after they break apart.

Irene had the audacity to smirk at him, as if saying “bring it on.”

 The reception went smoothly. It was an intimate gathering- a far cry from the wedding expected of an heiress. But Irene has chosen to turn her back on the life of luxury.

Sure, she’s still part of the company. But she will be working just like any other employee and rely on her salary instead of their family’s wealth.

And Jackson started working as a fencing coach.

He looked around once again thanked Lady Luck for saving his new found family. They were complete. Bambam finally found someone who would settle him down, Yugyeom started going to medical school to become a doctor with Wendy’s help. Youngjae was finally going out and talking to more people with Joy’s help. Mark smiles more. He wished Jinyoung was here too but he understands. Jisoo could give birth any moment now. He’d want to be there when she does.

And their beloved leader- JB survived death once again. He was sitting there laughing with the members, Seulgi on his lap.

Does Seulgi ever use a chair?

He was pulled out of his reverie when Irene slides her hand on his thigh.

“Uwi na tayo?” she whispers.

“OKAY GUYS,” Jackson stands gaining the attention of his friends, “MAHAL KO KAYO ALAM NYO YAN. PERO MAS MAHAL KO ANG ASAWA KO. SA PAALAM!”

He leans down and carries Irene bridal style and leaves the restaurant to go to their hotel room.

“Galingan mo, Jack!” Bambam calls out.

“Don’t disappoint Irene!” Youngjae bellows.

He walks away to their laughter, a smile on his lips.

 Jackson sits shirtless on their bed, his back against the headboard.

For some reason, he feels nervous, which is stupid. This isn’t his first time, nor is it his first time with her. While they never went all the way before they have done a lot of things.

He slaps himself just in time for the bathroom door to open.

He looks up, ready to smile, but he froze upon seeing Irene step out of the bathroom. Steam was coming out of the door which made the perfect background for Irene walking towards him like a goddess.

A goddess wearing a sinfully red lingerie, barely hiding anything really.

Jackson’s mouth waters.

Irene bites her lip.

She walks towards him.

Jackson feels himself twitch.

“Galing to kay Seulgi,” Irene says, “Sabi nya mukhang magugustuhan mo daw. Ok lang ba?”

Jackson looks at the translucent material covering Irene’s breasts, barely hiding anything and follows the ribbon on the middle that dropped to her navel, a few inches above the waistband of her also translucent underwear.

“Wow,” was all he was able to say.

Irene smiles and kneels on the bed in front of him, “How do you want me?” she asks shyly.

“On your back,” Jackson says, and she immediately lays on her back, Jackson hovering on top of her.

She runs her hands over his chest before wrapping them around him. He leans down to capture her lips in a deep and passionate kiss. Jackson runs his hands from her face to her neck until it reaches her breast. He massages her mounds through her bra until her nipples harden.

He moves from kissing Irene’s lips to kissing her jawline down to her neck, nipping and licking her skin. Irene runs her fingers in his hair and grabs it as Jackson kisses her way down her body.

He licks the valley of her breasts and kisses he mounds, his hands travelling down her body until it reaches her legs and hitches them on his hips.

He goes down still, until he reaches her core. Irene expects him to finally remove her underwear, but instead she feels his tongue through it, the sudden contact making her back arch from the bed.

Finally, after teasing her through her underwear, Jackson removes it and kisses her directly. He has tasted her many times before, but every time he does, it still feels like the first. He marvels at her milky skin, her sweet whimpers, and her uneven breath.

Irene pulls his hair, wanting him to stop and wanting him to continue.

But as much pleasure this gives her, she wants something more, something that Jackson hasn’t given her yet.

The real reason why she asked for Seulgi’s help because apparently, she and JB never had this problem before.

“Jack, love, sandali,” she whispers pulling Jackson’s hair.

Jackson looks up at her, his fingers replacing his tongue in torturing her.

Irene gathers all her strength to final pull at the waistband of Jackson’s pajamas and putting her hand inside, feeling him harden more under her touch.

Jackson groans deep in her ear.

“I want this,” she whispers, “I want this now.”

Jackson looks at her then, at her half-lidden expression, at her milky skin covered in red marks from his kisses and the sinfully red lingerie.

“Please.”

Jackson growls and kisses her more, his tongue invading her mouth again. He takes off his pajamas and boxers and upon finally seeing him whole, Irene bites her lips.

He removes her remaining covers and positions himself between her legs.

“I love you,” he says between his kisses on her lips.

“I love you, too,” Irene responds, legs wrapping around his waist as Jackson enters her.

It was their first time and Jackson marvels at how Irene fits around him, as if she was made just for him. Irene closes her eyes- feeling full from Jackson’s love.

They dance together, finding the perfect rhythm, kissing every part of exposed skin they can reach.

Irene tightens when Jackson finally hits her spot. He reaches between them to stimulate her further sending her higher and higher.

She comes with a keening noise, saying Jackson’s name over and over like a prayer.

The sight of her blissed out is what pushed Jackson to his release, and with a moan, says her name with more love than she can ever imagine.

 🔥🔥🔥

They lay together now, a sheet covering both their naked bodies.

Irene’s head was on Jackson’s chest, drawing hearts at his bare skin. She sighs.

“Pagod ka na?” Jackson asks, his hands dancing on her arms.

“Nope,” Irene responds, “nag-iisip lang.”

She turns to face Jackson, “Do you remember that night? Nung nagpasundo ako sayo?”

Jackson nods.

“Bakit hindi mo tinuloy yung sex natin?” Irene asks.

Jackson hesitates a bit, but sees the remnant of hurt in Irene’s eyes. Although it doesn’t really hurt her anymore, Irene is still bothered by it. And that wasn’t the only time he refused to go all the way with her. They’ve had other encounters after but Jackson would always stop after making her come.

But they’re married now, and secrets are never a good foundation to long lasting marriages.

“Pag tinuloy ko kasi, I won’t have a reason to see you anymore,” Jackson replies.

“What?”

“I told JB that I was only seeing you to have sex with you” Jackson explains, “So hangga’t di natin ginagawa, I’d have more reason to see you. It’s stupid, I know. Pero ganun kami dati.”

Irene laughs at him, “That is actually weirdly sweet.”

She then proceeds to kiss him, gently at first.

But Irene had other plans. Her hands slowly travel from his chest, downwards. Until it reaches Jackson’s manhood.

“Irene, what?” Jackson breathes as Irene’s hands wrap around him.

“Honeymoon natin ‘to,” she says as she also descends down his body, positioning herself between his legs, “Sayang naman kung isang beses lang natin gagawin. Saka sabi ni Seulgi, you’ll probably enjoy this. And I’ve always been curious with how you taste so,”

The sight of Irene doing what she’s about to do wakes him up more. He makes a mental note to maybe thank Seulgi soon. But soon all thoughts disappear.

Because as Irene’s lips descend upon him, Jackson ascends to bliss.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Stay hydrated!

[absolute-art-attack]

It had been a week since Danny had run away. Jazz has been looking for him since the night that his powers short circuited in front of the entire town. Now, 7 and a half days later, Jazz found Danny on a floating island, with a dark castle with a night sky full of stars and a bright moon.

Danny changed a lot in the week that he was missing. A purple and black gale you replaced his hair, a slight wave to it. His usual t-shirt and jeans were missing, instead he had an almost royal appearance. Dark purple dress pants, a dark blue long sleeve button up shirt, and a pair of black vans. His complexion was brighter and the bags under his eyes were almost gone. His arms and stomach seemed fuller, like he was properly eating. All in all, he seemed almost like a different person.

“Danny?” Were the first words that were uttered from the mouth when her brother came into view. Shock passed through his face, and a shaky smile followed. “You look different. Healthy! And,” she took a slow spin around the castle they were in. “This is amazing.”

His smile softened, as he gently chuckled.

“Thanks. I guess this is sort of my layer, now. Everything just grew around me, anything I could imagine happen, right before my eyes.”

Jazz started to make her was up the stone steps, continue to talk to her brother.

“I’m sorry about what happened in Amity, Danny. You didn’t deserve what happened, if I would have stopped-”

Danny had raised his hands, almost to defend himself, and began to back away.

“No, it’s fine, really. It’s not your fault. You should start heading home. Really.” He had his hands awkwardly around in his pockets, an unsure look on his face. Jazz stopped walking, surprise in her voice.

“But I just found you.” Another step. Danny looked more nervous.

“But you don’t belong with ghosts. You belong with humans, in Amity.” Jazz's eyebrows furrowed. What did he mean by that.

“What are you talking about, so do you. You’re not-” She had stared up the steps again, set on getting to her brother.

“No, I belong here. In a place where I can live my life without endangering the people I love.” Danny looked directly into Jazz’s eyes at those words. A thought occurred to Jazz, something that she had been wondering about for a while.

“Danny,” another step forward, another step backward. “Danny, we were so close before everything. Why are we not anymore?” A frown rested on Danny’s lips, answer lost on him. Jazz crept talking. “We don’t have to be this was anymore. We can have the same relationship as when we were kids.”

Behind Danny’s eyes, scenes played like a projector. The moment where he almost killed his older sister. ‘Catch me!’ ‘Hold on!’ ‘JAZZ!’

“No.” Danny wrapped his arms around himself protectively. “We can’t. Goodbye Jasmine.” Danny began to walk upstairs. Jazz stood shocked for a moment. Danny never used her full name.

Jazz started up the, calling after him.

“Danny, wait!” Danny grabbed himself tighter.

“No, I’m just protecting you.” Jazz was running up the steps, Danny much faster.

[Jazz:]You don't have to protect me I'm not afraid

Please don't shut me out again,

Please don't slam the door

You don't have to keep your distance anymore

'Cause for the first time in forever

I finally understand

For the first time in forever

We can fix this hand in hand

We can head back to town together

You don't have to live in fear

'Cause for the first time in forever,

I will be right here

They were upstairs now, a large room with a balcony. It had a perfect view of all of the stars, and the bright moon. He turned around to meet Jazz’s gaze when she got up the steps.

[Danny:]Jazz,

Please go back home, your life awaits

Go enjoy the sun and pursue your fate

[Jazz:]Yeah, but -

Danny put his hands up in defense again, backing away to the door, turning around to open it.

[Danny:]I know

You mean well, but leave me be

Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free

Just stay away and you'll be safe from me

Pale light hitting his face made Danny close his eyes. Jazz walked up behind him, as Danny continued. When she got to him, he backed away more and walked be into the room.

[Jazz:]Actually we're not

That got Danny’s attention. He turned around, eyebrows scrunched.

[Danny:]What do you mean you're not?

[Jazz:]I get the feeling you don't know

[Danny:]What do I not know?

Jazz wring her hands in each other, nervous of his reaction.

[Jazz:]Amity’s being invaded by… ghosts

[Danny:]What?

Shock was present on his face. He didn’t mean for that to happen. Danny didn’t even know he could do that.

[Jazz:]You've kind of created little void demons… everywhere.

[Danny:]Everywhere?

[Jazz:]It's okay, you can just stop them

[Danny:]No, I can't, I - I don't know how!

Danny was getting flustered, and every time that happened, something bad happened. Jazz needs to leave, it just get away from him. Why didn’t she understand, why does she keep following him?

[Jazz:]Sure you can! I know you can!'Cause for the first time in forever,

[Danny:]Oh I'm such a fool, I can't be free!

Darkness was starting to creep up on Danny, slowly suffocating him. Around the Fenton siblings, it was starting to get darker, harder to see and think. There was a mass of darkness starting to condense around Danny, almost like a twister of black.

[Jazz:]You don't have to be afraid

[Danny:]No escape from the storm inside of me!

He was looking down at his hands. It was there flat that he was in this position in the first place.

[Jazz:]We can work this out together

[Danny:]I can't control the curse!

Controls your emotions. Controls you powers. Don’t feel them. Don’t feel them.

[Jazz:]We'll reverse the storm you've made

[Danny:]Ohhhh, Jazz, please, you'll only make it worse!

He was rubbing on his sleeves, rubbing his hands together, and doing anything to keep calm. It was so hard, though. This was what he was afraid of.

[Jazz:]Don't panic

[Danny:]There's so much fear!

Tears were sliding down his face, but he didn’t feel then. He could only feel the pressure in his chest, in his core. She was never going to understand, why was she trying so hard to?

[Jazz:]We'll make the sun shine bright

[Danny:]You're not safe here!

Get away from her before you hurt her. Get away before she ends up like before.

[Jazz:]We can face this thing together

[Danny:]Oh!

[Jazz:]We can change this dark teather

[Danny:]AHHHHH…

The dark was getting to be too much on Danny. He was going to explode. He needed to do something, or it was going to start eating him from the inside.

[Jazz:]And everything will be alright...

[Danny:]I CAN'T!

A mass of black magic ricocheted from his body, hitting everything in the vicinity. Jazz was struck, and felt the immediate sensation of fear starting to grip at her heart, causing her to gasp out.

Danny had a small sigh of relief, a pressure lifted off of his core, ever so lightly. He heard Jazz gasp out behind him, and turned his head to see her gripping her chest, her heart, and curling in on herself.

“Jazz?”

[sweetmemories2606]

Unforgivable: Gruvia and Jerza Fanfic (chapter 1)

So, I wrote this weeks ago as a one-shot and a prompt for Gruvia Week Day 2: Misunderstanding, but after a request from a reader (on ff.net), decided to turn it into a multi-chapter.

Title: Unforgivable

Pairings: Gruvia, Jerza, NaLu, GaLe, Jellal & Juvia friendship, Juvia & Ultear & Meredy friendship, Jellal &Ultear friendship, Gajuvia friendship.

Original Summary: Gray didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to face the truth that was right in front of him, because it was too hard. He stared at her in disbelief, eyes drawn to the bloody knife on her shaky hands and for a moment he worried that she might use it on him. Was this his fault? Had he broken her so much that she decided to work for Zeref?

New Summary: One awful night, Gray found Juvia standing over Erza's lifeless body; a bloody knife in her shaky hands. The question of why she'd done it led to many secrets; such as her real identity, her unknown connection to Jellal and the real reason why she found Gray. Can they figure everything out before Tartaros kills them all?

Timeline: This story is set during the Grand Magic Games Arc, more specifically, the Grand Ball episode. 

WARNING: This contains mentions of MURDER and SUICIDE. Therefore be cautious when reading.

Word Count: 6000 (chapters one and two).

Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12889561/1/Unforgivable

Here's chapter 1:

                                       Scarlet Betrayal

"You're working for Zeref." Gray didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to face the truth that was right in front of him, because it was hard. Harder than finding out that his parents had died on that awful night, or watching Ur sacrifice herself for him. No, this was so much worse.

He stared at the woman in front of him; her long blue hair was let down and she wore a beautiful gown. It used to be the color of the sky, but now there were red stains. Blood; he had noted.

Her shaky hands held onto the knife and for a moment he worried that she was going to use it on him.

"No." Juvia shook her head, tears streaming down her face and he was confused. Why was she the one crying? She had betrayed him. If anyone should be upset now, it's him.

"There's no use in denying it, Juvia. I'm not stupid." That wasn't entirely true. He had been stupid, and blind. His love for her had blinded him to the truth and now someone else had to pay for it. He really didn't know how he hadn't figured it out before, all the signs had been there.

The first one was a few days after they had gotten together, while they were training for the Grand Magic Games. She disappeared for a whole day and he had been worried sick. When she came back that night, she made up some excuse that the others were quick to believe, but not him. Gray always knew when she was lying, or at least he had thought so.

Then, on the second day of the Games, he heard Gajeel saying that he had seen her talking to a strange person, someone he didn't recognise. They had assumed it was perhaps a fan of hers, because Juvia had become quite popular ever since they returned from Tenrou Island.

She had made many pose ups for Sorcerer Weekly and after her relationship with Gray went public, the two of them became the it couple of Fiore. Only Sherry and Ren and topped them off.

On the night that Lucy was kidnapped after they found out about the Eclipse Gate, Juvia didn't seem as surprised as everyone else. Instead, her face showed sadness and guilt. Gray was suspicious, but once he asked her about it, she denied.

Later that night he had caught her talking to the same strange woman with long black hair and golden horns adorning her head. Natsu had been with him and he was able to overhear some of the conversation. All he was able to catch was the woman's threat to Juvie, before she suddenly disappeared. The words she spoke made him feel uneasy and he didn't like it one bit. "It must be done by midnight tomorrow, unless you wish for him to be harmed."

Gray knew that the woman was talking about him, but Juvia once again denied it when he asked. She told another lie; that the woman used to be a member of Phantom Lord and was trying to blackmail her in order to get money. Gray didn't know why he believed it, but he had trusted her. He loved her, after all, and he knew she loved him back, so there was no reason not to.

"I can't believe I trusted you." It was his turn to shake his head before he gazed at the body on the grass.

They were in the middle of the labyrinth consisting of the Palace Gardens and it was the night of the Grand Ball, as they had called it. A victory party to celebrate the defeat of the greatest threat to the kingdom of Fiore in centuries: the sudden reappearance of dragons about a week ago.

Most wizards were inside the palace; drinking, dancing and having fun. Gray had been having a great time with his friends, but then Gajeel told him he was worried about Juvia's disappearance, making the ice mage worried himself. They had agreed to meet at the party, yet over one hour had passed and she hadn't showed up.

So the two of them had teamed up to look for her and the dragon slayer had led them to their worst nightmare. They found her standing in front of the body, dress covered in blood and a knife in her hands. To say they were surprised was an understatement; they had never imagined she could be capable of murder.

Gajeel had stayed hidden, giving Gray the opportunity to confront her. He now wished he hadn't.

"I'm so sorry." Juvia was still crying as she let go of the knife. "I didn't... I didn't want it to end like this."

"Neither did I." He couldn't stay there anymore, couldn't look her in the eye. So he turned around with a sigh and began walking away.

"Wait." She called for him and he didn't stop. "At least let me explain." She sounded so sad, so broken. Not what you'd expect from someone who had just betrayed the person they loved.

"I don't think I want to hear it." Gray would never admit it, but he was afraid. He feared the reason she had chosen to change sides is because of him. Because of the way he had treated her before they got together, constantly ignoring her advances. What if he had broken her so much that she decided to work for Zeref?

"Still, you deserve an explanation." Juvia said and he froze. For a few moments, there was only silence as he considered his options. Should he hear her out? Or should he just walk away and save himself the heartache of knowing he was the reason she became evil?

He didn't have a chance to decide, for Gajeel chose that moment to come out of hiding. "You'd better have a very good explanation for this mess!" He glared at her and Juvia's eyes widened once she saw him. Sighing once again, Gray turned around and walked back to her.

"Why did you kill her?" He asked, glancing towards the body once again. Her hair was the same color as the blood that filled her dress and her big, brown eyes stared at them; a look of surprise forever etched on her face. Erza Scarlet was dead.

"I didn't want to." The water mage quickly said, her expression sorrowful. "But I didn't have a choice."

"Don't give me that crap! You're the one who loved reminding me that we always have a choice." Gajeel snapped and Gray wondered why he hadn't. He knew that he should be angry at her, but all he felt was sadness.

"Not in this case." Juvia replied before taking a deep breath. "I'm not working for Zeref." They stared at her, eyebrows raised.

"Seriously, you won't even admit it?" Now he was getting angry.

"I would never betray you like that." She firmly told them and Gajeel laughed without humour.

"Now that's rich." He shook his head while the ice mage remained frozen.

"You killed Erza. Don't you consider that a betrayal?" He reminded her.

"I was forced to do that after I found out..." She paused.

"What?" Gajeel asked, raising a brow while still looking furious.

"She was working for them." Their expressions didn't change.

"Do you seriously expect us to believe that?" Gray asked.

"I'm not saying she was a spy, but they were using her. Ever since the tower of Heaven, when they realized that she could be a great asset. So they placed a tracker inside of her; one that couldn't be removed even with magic. It allowed them to know everything they needed about Fairy Tail. They've been spying on us this whole time, just waiting for the perfect moment to make a move." She paused before looking back at Erza's immobile body.

"And that moment was tonight. They were going to destroy us by using Erza. They told me that they had developed the tracker so that it could be used to control her. I know Erza wouldn't have wanted that, so I did the only thing I could think of to stop them."

"You could have told us." Gray said after a few moments of silence. He was unsure whether or not to believe her, after all, she had lied to them about so much.

"Then they'd have killed you." Juvia replied calmly.

"Wait a second, why do you keep saying say 'them'? Weren't you talking about Zeref?" Gajeel quickly noted.

"They work for Zeref; they are his greatest allies." She took another deep breath before revealing a truth that could get them all killed. "Tartarus." Their eyes widened once they recognized the name of the dark guild.

"Tartarus?" Gray repeated, disbelief crossing his face.

"Yes. I managed to infiltrate their guild a few weeks ago." Their jaws dropped.

"Infiltrate?" Gray was having a hard time understanding what was going on. It seemed as if his brain decided to go on vacations.

"How?" Gajeel asked.

"It was Jellal's idea." She replied. "During the past seven years he found out that my mother had been a member of Tartarus until her death when I was five. Him and Ultear figured I might be able to infiltrate their guild and they were right. It took a while for them to trust me, but I managed to convince them that I had changed sides."

"So you've been pretending to work for them while trying to figure out their plan?" Juvia nodded. It was so unbelievable and yet, they believed her. Because they knew Juvia Lockser and the lengths she'd go to protect the people she loved.

"That's insane!" Gajeel stared at her in disbelief.

"You could've gotten yourself killed." Gray shook his head.

"It was a risk I was willing to take." A guilty look came upon her face. "I'm sorry I did this behind your back, but I didn't want to involve anyone else in this mess." He understood; if he was the one facing this situation, he'd have done the same.

"I understand." Gray paused. "But still, I don't think I can forgive you." She nodded sadly.

"I don't expect you to. I know that I'll never forgive myself for this, but it had to be done." She looked back at the body before kneeling down.

"You're an idiot." Gajeel said, frustrated. "You should have told us."

"If I did, they'd have killed you." She repeated. There was fear in her eyes and also sadness, regret. Gray had never been more sure in his life that she was telling the truth. But still, the question remained, could he forgive her after what she had done?

"Maybe. Or maybe we would've found a way to stop them and Erza wouldn't be dead." Erza had been like a sister to him, one of his best friends.

"I didn't want to risk it, all I wanted was to keep you safe." Juvia said before pausing as tears streamed down her face. "But I failed and now it's too late." Before either of them could understand what was happening, she had grabbed the knife from the floor and held it against her neck.

"No!" Gray screamed, taking a step towards her. He wouldn't let her do this. No matter how angry he was or how hard this was, he couldn't deny the fact that he still loved her. Even if she had been working for Tartarus, these feelings wouldn't go away so easily and Gray knew that there would be no pain worse than that of losing her.

"Don't do this." Gajeel pleaded. Juvia looked at them; so broken and so sad.

"I'm sorry. So sorry." She said while a shaky hand held the knife. "I don't want to do this, but it's too late for me now. They know I lied and they are coming after me."

"I won't let them hurt you, I promise." Gray took a few slow steps towards her. " I'll protect you." There was no way he'd let these monsters harm her. They were the ones responsible for this mess, he reminded himself. They had forced her to kill Erza, they gave her no alternative. They were the ones who needed to pay.

"That's the problem." Juvia sniffed, trying to stop the tears. "I can't let you get hurt because of me." He almost felt like laughing at the irony of the situation; wasn't it only a few days before when he was the one putting himself in danger to save her?

"Losing you will be worse than anything they could do to me." It was the truth. In that moment, Gray realized that even losing Erza couldn't compare to it. So he knew that, even though it might take time, he would forgive Juvia. He couldn't keep hating her for doing exactly what he would have done if he was in her place.

"But at least you'll be safe. They'll have no reason to hurt you if I'm not here." Juvia bit her lip as the knife inched closer to her neck, enough to draw blood. He started getting desperate.

"Please, Juvia." By then he was right in front of her and he knelt down. "Stay. Let me help you fight against them." Gajeel nodded, a furious look coming upon her face. He watched them silently, knowing that if someone could stop her from killing herself, it would be Gray.

"You can't. They're too dangerous; they'll get us killed." There was fear in her eyes, like he had never seen before.

"We won't let that happen." The ice mage took the hand that wasn't holding the knife and squeezed it. "We'll find a way to defeat them and Zeref. I promise you." He saw hesitation cross her face, but she didn't let go of the knife.

"I lost you once." Juvia gulped as memories of his death crossed her mind. "I can't go through that again."

"You won't have to, because I won't leave you again." He gazed into her eyes, letting her see the sincerity in his. "I love you, so please let go of the knife." He was filled with relief when her shaky hand finally let go of the weapon before falling to her lap. Gray wasted no time closing the space between them before taking her in his arms.

For a few minutes, he let her cry in his chest while he held onto her and whispered comforting words in her ear. They were so lost in each other that they didn't notice the moment Lucy, Natsu, Wendy and Levy joined them. They didn't hear the shocked gasps as the newcomers noticed the body on the ground or the thousand questions they directed at Gajeel, who didn't say anything.

Juvia pulled apart from the hug and attempted to dry her tears. "I'm sorry." She repeated as her eyes focused on him.

"It's okay." He whispered, a hand gently stroking her cheek.

"I love you too." A small smile graced his features before he leaned in. Her arms quickly wrapped around his neck and she brought him closer before they kissed. It was desperate and intense; she kissed him like it was the last time, tears still falling down her face.

"Seriously, what happened here?" Lucy asked after they pulled apart and the couple turned to her.

"It's a long story." Gray answered and Natsu raised a brow.

"We have time." He told them, crossing his arms.

"Okay." Juvia removed herself from Gray's arms and took a deep breath while she prepared to explain everything. He could tell she was nervous and scared, so he took her hand and squeezed it while giving her a reassuring look.

She was safe. No matter what happened, she was alright now and he vowed to keep it that way.

[lenfaz]

MissMatched.com, ch. 4 (4/9)

In a world where every dating site swears by their algorithms and databases to find the most accurate match with a high percentage of compatibility, a new site is giving them all a run for their money.

Missmatched.com promises no data or algorithm, just a few people that *know* how to find your best match based on their instincts and their vibes.

Emma Swan is hired to investigate if there’s a fraud involved with the site’s claim of not using any type of statistics. That path leads her right into the hands of Missmatched.com founder, Killian Jones, who promises her that he’ll prove he’s worth his salt by finding Emma her perfect match without any data or algorithms involved.

A new story by me, dedicated from the bottom of my heart to the wonderful @businesscasualprincess All the thanks in the world to my beta @sambethe

Ao3 FF.net Tumblr: 1 2 3

Ruby & Dorothy

Emma continued to peruse file after file in the loneliness of her own one bedroom apartment while she looked for another couple she wanted to interview. She’d also made a few calls to her contacts around the city, trying to see if she could dig up any rumors about the company. But other than the complaints from GoldenHeart and some sideways glances from other dating sites, there was nothing.

She’d finally narrowed it down to Ruby Lucas and Dorothy Gale, and quickly shot a message to Killian to set up the interview. He’d been the one to take on their case, so she was looking forward to seeing if his tactics were the same as his brother’s.

Emma arrived at MissMatched with a cup of hot cocoa in hand, eyes focused on the floor in front of her when a yelp from behind caught her attention. She turned to see two women hastily heading her way, blazing smiles on both their faces. From the pictures in their file, she recognized them as Ruby and Dorothy. They were a study in contrasts and complements. Ruby was a mix of leather, red streaks in her dark brown hair, and flirty smiles, while Dorothy a combination of pale blue clothing, honey blonde highlights, and a stern face. Their eyes were glowing and faces flushed from the chilly, winter morning.

“You must be Emma!” Ruby said by way of introduction when they reached her. “Killian described you perfectly!”

Emma stared at her, narrowing her eyes.

Ruby gave her a wide smile and shrugged a shoulder. “He said I’d find a striking blonde with a no-nonsense attitude.” She tilted her head and bit her lower lip, and Emma was left with the feeling she didn’t want to know what Ruby was thinking. Nor did she want to think about how her heart flipped at Killian’s description of her, instead she quickly shut down those racing thoughts and focused on the case she had in front of her. She had a job to do.

“Indeed he did,” Dorothy said, pulling Emma’s attention back to the two women in front of her, “but when is he wrong around these things?” Dorothy gave her a sincere smile. “I’m Dorothy, this chatterbox is Ruby. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Emma smiled and tilted her cup at them in greeting. “Pleasure to meet you too.”

Dorothy’s smile faded into something smaller, more polite. “I'm sorry, but I can't stay for the interview. I was called into an emergency case when we were on the car.” She took a sideways glance at Ruby and her eyes lit up. “But I swear, all this is real. Magical and real… it was like finding the home I never knew I was missing.”

Ruby smiled in return, squeezing Dorothy’s hand and nuzzling her nose. They shared a light kiss that left Emma feeling that the world just might be a better place than what she usually thought it was. She almost wanted to laugh at how sappy that thought was.

Dorothy looked at Emma one more time. “Be careful with this one, her teasing can be a little overwhelming at first.” Her fond exasperation was clear in her words, and it reminded Emma of dealing with a teasing Killian.

“It seems to be a recurrent affliction around here.”

“Tell me about it!” Dorothy chuckled. “Alright, I have to run. Have a nice day!”

She parted after another farewell kiss to Ruby, who stood for a few seconds and watched her go. Then she turned back to Emma, her wide, wolfish grin back on her face. “Well, let’s get started.” She linked her hand through Emma’s arm and pulled her through Missmatched’s glass doors.

“Now tell me, how you were lucky enough to end up with the plum assignment of following the charming Jones brothers around and snooping in all their secrets?”

Emma almost snorted the hot chocolate she was drinking. She’d read the descriptions Killian had made of Ruby and she was clearly living up to her expectations.

“The Chamber hired me,” she said briefly, not wanting to let Ruby get carried away with other thoughts.

They’d barely crossed the office entrance when they bumped into Killian, who was waiting for them in the lobby. He gave them both a dazzling smile.

“I see you’ve met one another.”

“Killian!” Ruby let go of Emma’s elbow to wrap him in a big hug. “How can you even formulate words with such a goddess asking you questions?”

There was a tiny, brief, almost blink-and-you-miss-it-moment where the tips of his ears turned pink and his cheeks flushed, but it was gone as soon as it had come and he looked at Emma with all the full force of his striking blue eyes.

“It’s been hard,” he said, pulling back and shooting Ruby a wink before dropping his voice lower, “but you know me, I love to talk to beautiful women.”

He sounded like liquid velvet and heat, his words full of promise. It was the type of voice she imagined he’d use in close quarters, whispered in ears and against skin. She could even picture his hooded eyes, dark looks given from beneath thick eyelashes, and the soft, breathy murmurs that would tingle skin beneath wherever his lips landed. Emma was taken aback for a moment, breathless, heart beating frantically in her chest while she tried to calm it. She was almost afraid her emotions were playing across her face. A pair of pretty blue eyes and a few charming words shouldn’t have her reacting like this. She’d seen a dime a dozen in her life, and she knew all the insincere sentiments that usually laid beneath them.

Yet she couldn’t avoid feeling rooted to the spot, kept there by the intensity of Killian’s stare, leaving her feeling like she was the only thing that existed in that room.

Ruby broke the moment. “Unf, one day your words are going to get you in a lot of trouble.” She waggled her eyebrows.  “And hopefully a lot of fun.” She linked her arm through his and blew him an air kiss. “Take us to the conference room so Emma can interrogate me in any way that she wants.”

Emma had to admit, Ruby Lucas could give Killian Jones a run for his money when it came to flirting. And she knew it.

Killian led them to the same conference as last time and made sure they had everything they needed before stopping at the door, offering a small wink to Emma before he pulled open the door. “Please don't hesitate to call if you need anything, or if you need rescuing.”

Ruby watched him go, and sighed the moment he closed the door. “He’s adorable, isn’t he? For a moment there, when he was working on my case, I thought perhaps he wanted - you know - but no, he was really taking his time to figure it out.”

“How did it work out?”

Ruby curled her hair around a finger. “I’m a flirt, as you can see.”

When Emma didn’t react, she cocked an eyebrow and Emma’s facade cracked. She laughed and nodded for Ruby to continue.

“I love to tease and most guys can’t take it. They all love it when it’s for them, but when I'm dating one of them they want me to be someone that I’m not.” Ruby put her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hand. “When I first met her, I thought Killian had gone crazy. While we hadn’t ruled it out, I always thought he was finding a man for me. And Dorothy, she seemed so stern, like she was made of steel and missing a heart. But the moment I made my first flirtatious comment, she burst laughing.” Ruby shrugged. “She doesn’t care that I flirt with everyone, she finds it endearing. She’s so sure of herself, and of me and what we have. It’s refreshing. Killian...” she trailed off.

“He really got it right.” Emma finished the sentence for her. She couldn’t have spent more than half an hour with Ruby, but she knew she was telling the truth. It was clear in her face, and in every word she spoke of Dorothy.

“He always gets it right.” Ruby winked before she focused on Emma with a serious expression. “I know it seems like they are bullshitting their way through this. Like their good looks are keeping everyone so dazzled and under a spell that they can sell you sand in the desert and convince you it was your idea. But they truly are the real thing. They just know how to connect people.”

“If you say so,” Emma offered, fidgeting with the edge of her notepad.

“Just… don’t be hard on him.”

Ruby’s words took her by surprise. There was such concern and fondness in her voice that it made Emma’s throat dry.  She raised one shoulder, trying to dismiss Ruby’s thought. “I’m sure he can take it.”

“That’s the thing,” Ruby said as she stood up and headed to the door. “Sometimes, I don’t think he can. I guess it takes one to know one and so you know, us flirty types are not made of steel.” She gave Emma a final look. “Not like you and Dorothy are.”

Emma was still staring at the door, trying to process Ruby’s words when Killian entered the conference room and placed a coffee mug in front of her.

“I’ve found from experience that a caffeine boost is needed after a round with Ruby.” He took a seat next to her. Emma took a sip of the coffee while his eyes never left her, making the hair at the nape of her neck rise.

“What?” She managed to ask after she put the mug back on the table.

“You can say it, Swan.” He waved his hand through the air. “You still don't buy it.”

Was she that transparent?

“You know,” she admitted, fidgeting again with the corner of her legal pad and avoiding his eyes, “I keep trying to find the trick here.”

Killian’s sigh held a hint of sadness in it, and Emma lifted her head to meet his eyes.

“There is no trick, Swan. There is no scam.” A lock of his hair had fallen to his forehead and Emma itched to put it back in place. “We are just good at reading people.”

He’d delivered the line with such passion, the air in the room seemed to have thickened around them. Her eyes fixated on his face, to that single strand of hair in front of his striking eyes. On the way his brow furrowed and how he stared back, looking like he was trying to unearth the very hidden secrets of her soul.

She swallowed and her eyes darted to his lips, her heart beat frantically in her chest. Her mind was unable to conjure any rational thoughts.

But the moment was lost when he leaned back and averted his eyes. “Tell me, Swan, are there any gender preferences I should know about?” He raised an eyebrow at her and Emma felt her previous tension ease, only to be replaced by an overwhelming need to tease the man in front of her.

“I thought you had a sixth sense for this. Didn’t you just claim to be good at reading people?”

He bit his lower lip to stifle a smile, the creases around his eyes deepening. “I do, but sometimes is easier than others.”

She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Are you saying I’m not an open book to you?”

He mirrored her, leaning in until they were just but a breath away. “Sometimes you are. Sometimes I think I have you all figured out…” He paused for a moment, his eyes searching her face. “And sometimes, you’re a complete mystery.” He gave her the smile that Emma had already catalogued as his charming salesperson smile. “So maybe you'd like to help me out here? I am trying to impress this badass PI who is investigating us.”

There in that moment, she knew she could fall for his charm. It was almost irresistible after all. Emma would bet all of the money in her meager account savings that he’d benefited from that smile’s ability to pry all sorts of information out of people. She knew she shouldn’t want to tell him all sorts of secrets. And yet…

She smiled back, tapping a fingernail on the coffee mug in front of her.

“But, Killian, what fun would that be?”

[emmy-dekarios-bg3]

Heart of the Weave - chapter 21

The numbness of my body feels incredible; it’s so refreshing not feeling the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion anymore. No fatigue. No pain. No illness. Just an eternal life earthside with the ones I love. I feel alive, powerful, and invincible, as if I could crush a boulder with my bare hands. It’s a sensation I never imagined I’d feel, especially after countless traumatic events during our gruesome adventures. I thought I’d lose myself after becoming immortal, but I’m thankful for another day of being my true, authentic self.

Gale and I try to go to sleep, but it’s so challenging with the intense energy we have that seems to never fade, whereas Jenevelle has no problem falling asleep. Maybe it’s because she’s not aware of immortality and thinks nothing of it? I have no clue. It’s the middle of the night, where owls are lurking about in the skies and not a peep to be heard from the outside. I take a deep breath, admiring the luminous light of the moon shining through our window, feeling the energy flow through my body. Gale and I are just lying in our bed surrounded by tranquility and peace without a worry in our minds. This is what contentment is, huh? Well, despite the fact our little baby won’t ever get to grow up. It’s not exactly an idea we can easily part with.

“Isn’t it wonderful? Lying awake in each other’s company while the aura of the midnight moon beams through our bedroom window?” Gale murmurs poetically as he’s gazing into my eyes. We’re embracing one another in the calm of the late night as we’re snuggled naked under the blankets.

“Being with you keeps me going, and to just enjoy our time in the presence of the night… I don’t want anything more,” I whisper, twirling his brown hair with my index finger. I know Gale is trying not to think about when Mystra will eventually confront him about abandoning her to sell his soul and I’m not exactly keen on the idea of my goddess confronting me either. Both of us turning away from them was an unbearable but necessary choice we had to make to keep our daughter safe. For now, we are escaping the thoughts of the harsh reality and enjoying the ‘now.’

“I love you.” The whisper of his voice in my ear brings chills up my spine. It’s like a song you can’t quit listening to, the sound of a certain melody that makes your brain relax, the touch of a feather.

“I love you too.” I smile and place my hand on his face as I lean in to kiss him. Our lips touch as he places his hand on the back of my head, our tongues intertwining with one another. I gently moan as he begins to kiss down my neck while his hand has other plans. I decide to roll over on top of him so his naked, warm body is beneath mine, begging for my touch. The silence is loud; he wants me. His eyes are locked on mine as he traces his fingertip down my torso, causing me to shiver from the relaxing touch. I feel him inside me as I grind upon him with my hips, feeling every sensation within my body. I grab his hands and place them on my bare breasts.

“You’re perfect,” he moans, proceeding to roll me over and position my body beneath his. He stares intimately into my eyes as I’m pinned to the bed. I bite my lower lip as I pull my legs up next to my head, allowing him to make his next move. He raises an eyebrow, but gives me that smile as he thrusts himself within me; the one I fell in love with when we first met. Each thrust feels incredible, causing my eyes to roll to the back of my head. He turns me over and I plead for more. He pulls my hair back as I feel him grind from behind, my ass in the air hoping to receive the most he has to offer. As he continues, bliss and satisfaction overwhelm every inch of my body. I grip the sheets with my hands as I feel the intensity of my climax take over my body.

I lie here on my back, realizing it’s always been him that I want. I don’t need the weave to feel the magic. Before I know it, morning has arrived and while we aren’t sleepy, our bodies are actually exhausted. Sex as an immortal is a wild ride that I can’t begin to describe.

“That lasted longer than I had originally anticipated,” Gale murmurs as we just lie here on top of the comforters.

“I’m not complaining at all. Our session was something else for sure, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.” We gather our thoughts as we try to find the motivation to get out of bed, but then Jenevelle can be heard from her room. That didn’t take long.

“I’ll go get her a bottle ready,” he says as he stands up and pulls his pants back on. I smile, pursing my lips as if I’m demanding a kiss. He chuckles and kisses me, then wanders out of the room and to the kitchen. I slip on my gown and make my way to Jenevelle’s room to get her dressed for the day. She appears happy and ready for the morning ahead.

“Good morning little darling,” I tell her, a smile growing on my face as I watch her light up with joy. She kicks her feet as I reach down to pick her up from her crib, then smacks her lips repeatedly knowing damn well it’s time for a bottle. While she is immortal, I do know she needs her milk to sustain her energy and mood.

As I change Jenevelle, Gale trots into the room, prepared to feed her.

“How is our little girl this morning?”

“She seems to be rather happy today, thank the stars.” I hand her over to Gale and gently kiss her soft forehead. She gives him a certain look as he gets ready to feed her; a look of admiration and contentment, like she idolizes him. She has so much love for her daddy, and for that I am forever grateful. I realize out of the blue that today is the day Shadowheart and Astarion adopt their little one, which I plan on stopping by to bring them a gift basket full of necessities and self-care items. I know she’ll need it, especially since this adoption was completely sudden and they’re both clueless on what to expect; it will be the beginning of a rough yet fulfilling road ahead.

I step into the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror mindlessly, realizing how much has changed in my life. Not just recently, but since the beginning of our adventures. From finding out about my pregnancy to Karlach getting married to Wyll, Shadowheart adopting a child with Astarion, and becoming an immortal being…nothing is the same. Change is always expected, but who knew it would happen so quickly? Myself, I’ve also changed. I used to be such a people pleaser, trying to ensure I don’t make anyone mad and please them so they’ll stay. Now? I’d die for my family. I’ll stand up to bullshit. I won’t be dragged around anymore.

[foreversillythings]

An Ocean Between Us Chapter 4

An Ocean Between Us

Sunday, April 14 Diamonds in the Sea

Madge woke with a smile, the feel of Gale still lingering against her lips. She was young, the sun was bright and possibilities stretched out before her in every direction.

Today, she decided, today will be a good day.

As always, Delly led them on a morning walk after breakfast and Madge once again found herself leaning against the railing overlooking the Poop Deck. Her gaze found Gale as if by instinct and he was chatting with that friend of his, looking effortlessly gorgeous with his arms folded across his chest and that perfect smile on his lips. The breeze picked up and Madge tightened her sweater around herself, her chill momentarily forgotten when Gale turned his head and their eyes met. He winked and Madge’s stomach flipped over itself, a smile starting to stretch out over her face. She peeked over at Delly, who looked red faced and contemplative.

“Are you okay?” she asked and Delly bit her lip.

“I think…I think I’ll go lie down. I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

Madge frowned but Delly cut her off before she could say anything.

“I’m okay, just sleepy. You don’t need to worry.”

“Are you sure? I could-”

“It’s fine. Really, I just want to nap. Sorry for abandoning you.”

Madge waved that away.

“As long as you’re okay.”

“I’m fine, honest. My brother’s snoring was atrocious last night, that’s all,” Delly assured her with a smile.

“Okay, if you’re sure” Madge agreed, “sleep well.”

“I will,” Delly promised and Madge watched her go until she was swallowed up by the other passengers on deck. Madge turned back around, her eyes settling on Gale yet again. The friend he’d been talking to (Thom?) was gone and Madge squeezed the railing.

Why not? It’s not like I have anything else to do until lunch.

She nodded to herself and pushed off the railing. She headed to the staircase and refused to listen to her doubts and every cautionary voice warning her of boys and what time with them might to do her. Being with Gale couldn’t be wrong, not when it felt so right. She exited the stairs on the Poop Deck and wondered if she was imagining the feel of everyone’s eyes on her. She moved through the crowd and tried to remember where Gale had been standing when she’d last seen him.

“Can I help you with something?”

Madge turned and there was Gale, grinning down at her with bright eyes. She smiled up at him.

“I think you could actually. I was looking for this boy, very handsome.”

“Oh? Don’t think I know any of those.”

“Pity,” she said and they just grinned at each other, Madge feeling warm straight down to her toes. Someone bumped into her from behind and she stumbled forward, Gale reaching out to steady her. He looked up over her head at the crowd all around them and frowned.

“Certainly packed up here,” he said and then suddenly smiled, holding out his arm. “Care to go for a jaunt somewhere a little less crowded?”

Madge took the offered arm.

“I would be delighted, good sir.”

Gale beamed.

“Well then, this way, my lady.”

Madge pressed her cheek against his shoulder as they started off and yes, today was definitely shaping up to be a very good day indeed.

“Have you done much traveling?” Gale asked as they rounded a bend in the ship and Madge shook her head.

“No, I’ve barely ever left Ballycotton.”

“Did you never want to?”

“No, it’s just that I never had the opportunity. Actually, I always wanted to go to Scotland.”

“Why?” Gale asked, his eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Madge smiled a little.

“My cousin Aoife lives there.”

“Really?”

Madge nodded.

“Mmhm, it’s really romantic actually.”

Gale bumped her hip with his.

“Oh, yeah?”

“About two years ago, she met this man, Ian. He was visiting from Glasgow and they just…they only knew each other for three weeks, but that’s all it took. My aunt and uncle were furious when she told them she wanted to marry him. I mean, she barely knew him and she was planning to go back to Scotland with him, not to mention he was a Presbyterian.”

“And she was Catholic?” Gale guessed.

“Of course. They told her if she married him, they’d never speak to her again, but she did it anyway. They eloped. Everyone said it was just lust, I remember Father Brown giving a sermon about it. I was fourteen, but I knew it wasn’t true. Aoife wouldn’t have left for just lust. I saw them together and they did love each other, I know it.”

Gale nodded and Madge smiled a little wistfully.

“ I’ve always missed her, and even though I can’t imagine leaving my parents, even for a man I loved, I don’t blame her for doing it. Our town was…it was always the same and everyone was always so involved in everything you did. They were beyond nosy. There was no opportunity, no change and her parents were always miserable, very cranky, somewhat opposed to fun. I get why she ran off with Ian, but still, I always wanted to go visit her. She did say I was always welcome.”

Madge sighed and Gale’s arm slid around her shoulders and squeezed her tight.

“Well, maybe you will. You’ll hit it big in America and sail back over to visit.”

Madge smiled and leaned into him.

“Maybe I will,” she agreed and there was a small, tiny part of her that thought maybe we both will.

“And you, have you done much traveling?” she asked and Gale snorted.

“Hah, I’ve never been outside London. Honestly, I understand how your cousin must’ve felt. If I didn’t have my family to worry about, I definitely would’ve run off with an attractive Scot too.”

Madge’s arm went around his waist and she grinned.

“Well, I’m you didn’t.”

“Hmm?”

“Run off with an attractive Scot.”

“That so?”

Her other arm went around him too and she hugged him, the two of them stopping their walk.

“Definitely.”

Gale smirked and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I’m glad too,” he murmured and then he kissed her, Madge smiling against his mouth. They started walking again, the tang of salt on the wind tickling her nose.

“I wanted you to meet Thom today,” Gale started and Madge felt her chest flutter. He wanted me to meet his best friend? “But then he off and disappeared somewhere. Tomorrow though, I’ll get him.”

“Maybe I’ll bring Delly,” she said and Gale nodded.

“It’ll be like a double date,” he teased and Madge giggled. She sighed into him happily and couldn’t help but think is this how you felt, Aoife?

Maybe, one day, I’ll be telling you about my own love story.

When it came time for lunch, Madge pulled away from Gale with reluctance.

“I’ll see you tonight?” he asked and Madge could have nodded, could have met him at the same time she always did, but something bold bloomed in her chest.

“You should come to my room, at dinner.  My parents won’t be there and I’ll just tell them I have a headache.”

Gale blinked at her, eyes wide and Madge felt suddenly shy, her gaze dropping.

“Okay,” he said and Madge looked back up at him, his smile making her knees feel a little weak. “I’ll see you then.”

She nodded.

“Yeah,” she replied, slightly breathless, “see you then.”

He kissed her goodbye and as she walked away, she was already counting down the hours until they’d be back together again.

Delly was smiling and rosy cheeked at lunch, her nap having worked wonders. Madge squeezed her hand over the table and Delly beamed at her, threading her fingers through Madge’s.

“Any plans this afternoon?” she asked and Madge shook her head.

“I was hoping to spend it with you, if you’re feeling better that is.”

“I,” Delly proclaimed, “am feeling radiant.”

Madge grinned.

“Then I’m all yours.”

“Excellent.”

They smiled at each other and Madge thought the sun through the windows might be shining brighter than ever before.

They’d decided to visit the racquetball courts and arrived just in time to see the most pompous of all men prepare to play, his nose raised high in the air.

“I must say, I have been playing for a great many years. I do hope you don’t find that intimidating,” he said to his opponent and Madge had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Delly squeezed her arm and the game was over quickly, Mr Snob losing easily. His neck had turned very red and Madge pressed a hand to her mouth.

“Yes well, I was trying to be nice, it wouldn’t be very fair if I’d actually tried.”

Delly snorted loudly and the man turned to glare at them, his eyes flashing. Madge grabbed Delly’s hand and pulled, the two of them clambering up the nearest stairs and up onto deck.

“Did you see his face?” Delly laughed and Madge nodded, her own laughter bursting out as Delly tried to imitate him.

“Not that he was trying though,” Madge said and Delly nodded, forcing her face to be solemn.

“No, otherwise he would have handily trounced his opponent.”

“Oh, definitely,” Madge agreed, her own tone serious. They stared at each other a few moments and then started giggling again, sudden warmth pooling in Madge’s belly. She flung her arms around Delly, hugging her tightly.

“I’m glad you’re here. And that we’re doing this together.”

Delly hugged her back.

“Me too.”

Neither of them said anything else, they didn’t need to. They both knew as they started off down the deck again, joined hands swinging between them, that they were best friends, that they loved each other, that this journey wasn’t nearly as frightening because they were together.

As long as they had each other, everything would be alright.

Madge could feel her heart beating against her ribcage thump thump thump as she waited for Gale. What was I thinking? Inviting a boy back to my room? If anyone finds out… She breathed in deeply and folded her hands in her lap. Its fine, it’ll be fine. She surveyed the room for the fifth time, making absolutely sure that everything was perfect. Stewards had already cleaned and straightened everything, but Madge had felt the need to go over it all again and again in her nervous flurry. She narrowed her eyes. Those pillows could probably be straightened a little-

Madge jumped at the sound of a knock coming from her door. She stood and smoothed down her skirt, her heart doing somersaults in her chest. She walked over and hoped she looked calmer than she felt, breathing in deeply before she opened the door. Relax. It’ll be fine. Gale was standing in the doorway and he smiled at her, butterflies erupting in her limbs at the sight.

“Hey,” he greeted, leaning towards her and all her nerves seemed to melt away like ice in the sun.

“Hi.”

They stared at each other for a few moments and then a door shut somewhere down the hall, startling Madge back into reality. If anyone saw her and Gale… She grabbed his arm and tugged him inside, shutting the door quickly behind him. He laughed a bit in surprise.

“Goodness, Miss Undersee, who knew you were so aggressive?”

She rolled her eyes and he grinned, his hands reaching out and settling on her waist.

“I missed you. Isn’t that crazy? I just saw you this morning,” he said and she nodded, even as she let him pull her in close, her arms finding their way around his neck.

“I missed you too,” she admitted and he smiled, the sweet, soft one that made her whole body into a bowl of pudding. He kissed her, hot and hard, and she could feel herself burning, every part of her kindling into flame beneath his hands. They found their way to the sofa somehow and sat down, still intertwined and wrapped around each other. His fingers danced across her back, her waist and then found their way to her thighs and she should have been appalled, should have pushed him away but everything felt so good, every touch sending sparks fizzling through her blood. She tangled her fingers in his hair, he kissed her jaw and she felt almost like she had a fever, except she never wanted this one to break. Lust is a sin she could hear Father Brown pronouncing gravely in her mind but then Gale kissed her neck and she decided that perhaps, just this once, she could be forgiven for going astray.

Gale’s hands slid over her thighs and then returned to her back, dipping lower and lower. She knew where they were heading, knew she was meant to stop him but she didn’t want to, wanted him to touch her absolutely everywhere.

“Madge,” he panted, pulling away just enough to speak, “is this okay?”

She nodded and tightened her grip on him, the word tumbling from her lips straight to his. “Yes.”

Gale kissed her again, drowned her in the taste of him and then his hands slid underneath her and lifted her up, settling her back down on his lap. This was so wrong, so anti everything she had ever been taught but still, she wasn’t sure she wanted it to end. They were pressed together, chest to chest and she pressed her lips across his jaw, that jaw that had made her swoon the very first time she’d seen it. Gale’s hands squeezed her waist and then he pulled away, a rush of cold air filling the space between them. She blinked at him in confusion and he wouldn’t meet her eyes, sudden fear seizing her. Had she done something wrong?

“I don’t want to say goodbye in a few days,” he said hurriedly, the words pouring out of him and she felt her eyes stretch wide. “I like…talking to you and being with you and…this. I don’t want it all to be over when we get to New York.”

Madge couldn’t answer, her heart doing gymnastics.

“I know you probably think it’s stupid and we’ve only known each other a few days, but-”

“I don’t think it’s stupid,” she interrupted and Gale stared at her.

“You don’t?”

She shook her head.

“No. I don’t want to say goodbye either.”

Gale grinned and kissed her, her body singing where it touched his.

“Then let’s not say goodbye,” he whispered against her mouth and she nodded.

“Okay.”

“When we get to America, we’ll stay in touch. We’ll figure something out.”

“This is crazy,” she laughed and Gale nodded, his forehead pressed to her.

“The best things usually are.”

She laughed again and this was crazy, completely crazy but she didn’t care. When they started this journey, America had seemed so dark and frightening. Now, at least, she thought she could see some sunlight peeking through the clouds.

“You know, some people call Titanic the ship of dreams,” she murmured and Gale nodded, tightening his hold on her. “If this is a dream, I never want to wake up.”

“You’re my dream,” he whispered and Madge reached up to pull his lips down to hers.

and you’re mine, Gale Hawthorne, the very best dream I’ve ever had

Madge fell asleep that night with a smile on her face.

Today was a good day, the best day.

(but here is something Madge should have remembered)

(even the best dreams have to end)

[everlarkingjoshifer]

Hello My dear lovelies. It is I back again with a one shot due to this amazing prompt hosted by @everlarkficexchange I’m sorry it’s a bit late. I would love to just say that this was super difficult for me, seeing as this is my first smut ever written. Please be kind. I would like to thank @titaniasfics for her amazing beta work and The biggest most ardent thanks to my baby doll @mega-aulover for helping me through everything and keeping my spirits up. Finally, I would like to thank my handsome hubs for the inspiration and patience. I made my own little banner. It isn’t much but I tried. I hope you all like this story. Please don’t forget to read and write a review, any kind of feedback would do. It would be much appreciated. 

Prompt: Canon-Divergent where Katniss realizes she loves Peeta the night before the Quarter Quell, she tells him and they have sex. In D13, she finds she got pregnant, and while she’s sad that Peeta isn’t with her, she’s happy to be carrying Peetas child. Because should he not return to her, she has a piece of him with her to love. It also gives her the strength to try to rescue Peeta. And to help him constructively recover from the hijacking :). [submitted by Anonymous]

  I can hear the muffled cheers of the Capitolites outside the window. They delight in their favorite Tributes and respective districts. Some might even be taking bets. Betting for which one of us would come out alive. Which of us is worth their sponsorship. Which one they would deem prettier or have a more tragic background so that they will give us a dim hope for survival, not realizing that no one comes out alive. Not if you count nightly terrors, and daily reminders of those we are forced to kill to ensure our empty continuity of life. Going about something resembling living but floating through it all with no feelings other than remorse and guilt because no matter how many times the Victor tries to convince themselves that everything was out of their control, you are left feeling as though it was somehow wrong to survive. You feel disgusted by whatever choices you made, no matter how inconsequential they may have been. You never forget the faces of the people who died by your hand. Unspeakable things that no one should be subjected to, but the Capitolites are so far removed to understand them.. So invested in hollow things such as drama, fashion and whether Peeta and I will last or keep on this charade of the star-crossed lovers. They don’t notice the despair that’s left behind. The bodies of children who never a chance to leave a mark on this world.

  I walk over to the window and watch as the Capitol children run around gleefully in their bizarre dresses and coats carrying sparklers, pretending to jab one another, imitating their favorite Tribute. The fireworks lighting up the sky and hearing the ‘oohs and the aaahs’ from the crowd. I turn back disgusted and sit on the sofa as I wait for Peeta to join me.

  Peeta, who once again tried to spare me when he convinced the crowd outside that I was pregnant. Me, who has done nothing more than to push him away. He has sacrificed himself more times than I can count. But, there he was on that stage, still trying to protect me.

  I didn’t intend for my little rebellion to generate such an uproar. For Snow to put a target on both our backs, for Peeta to be in danger. He doesn’t deserve it, he is far too kind and forgiving.

  I sigh and run my hands through the tips of my tousled hair  . There was no power on this earth to make me want to wear the abhorrent wedding dress for more than it was necessary. I smile and for once I felt a surge of pride remembering the way people’s faces changed when the wedding dress burned before their eyes and was replaced by the dark and exquisite dress that Cinna made. I would have loved to have seen Snow’s face, but for now I’ll content myself with my imagination.

  Peeta, on the other hand, was perfect. Pristine and handsome, and, dare I say it, even delicate in some way. His white tux made him look like a beautiful angel, too flawless to be touched, with his golden hair and crystalline blue eyes. Eyes so full of compassion and kindness. The kindness he had shown me when he fed me the burned bread despite the black eye he carried the next day. That was who Peeta was and perhaps Haymitch is right. I can live a thousand years but never truly deserve him. For I am the dark rebel. The one filled with fire and anger but I know I need the dandelion in the spring to gently quench of my own sorrows, my remorse, and fill my resentful heart. He is what I need and there would be no one to equal to him.

  I hear the door click and I look back to see a casual Peeta walking my way, a sheepish smile on his face. He shrugs and rubs the back of his neck as he nears the couch and walks to sit at the far end of it, hands clasped between his strong thighs. I look at him and contemplate his newly washed hair. Droplets of water cling to each  golden stand.

“What?” he asks.

I smile. “So we got married, huh?”

He nods, “Yep.”

“And I’m pregnant?” I ask slightly teasing him but wanting to hear his reasons for lying even though I know what they are.

Peeta clears his throat to cover his discomfort. “You look great!”

I raise my eyebrows.” Peeta.”

He flattens his back against the sofa. “I’m sorry.”

“Do you think they’ll stop the games?” I ask, worry still tightly wound in my heart.

He sighs, “No, I don’t think so but it was worth a shot.”

Time elapses  before I dare to speak again, the silence enveloping us comforting me

“So, about our marriage…” I begin to lay the groundwork for what I know will probably be the most uncomfortable moment of my life.“Yeah,” he asks slowly, suspicion pricking his eyes.

I gulp and take in a lungfull of air, “I do want to marry you.”

He rolls his eyes, “Katniss, we’re gonna have to at some point if we get out of this alive.”

I frown and move closer, hesitating on whether I should even try to hold his hands. I rub my sweaty palms against my sweatpants, “Uh no Peeta. I don’t want to get married to you because it’s something we must do to stay alive and convince people that we’re in love. I don’t have to convince anyone of anything….”

He stares at me, clearly baffled as to what I mean. I soldier on before I lose what little reserve of bravery I have, “I -I don’t want to marry you because…”

“So, you don’t want to marry me??” he asks slightly annoyed.

“No! I mean yes. I mean I don’t know…” I falter as I feel my bravery waning and my insecurities creeping up like a dark hooded figure.  

“What? What are you trying to say? I don’t understand what’s going on!” he fumed, getting up from the couch and pacing before me.

I’m panicking because I’m ruining everything again and I can only sit in silence instead of fixing it.

“Katniss, are you listening to me?” asks Peeta his eyes full of worry. Worried for me and all I can do is shake my head and stare at him. I’m losing him again and this time I won’t let it happen.

I get up off the couch, taking a step towards him before he leaves, “I don’t want to marry you because we have to. I want to do it because I really want to!”  

Peeta stops and turns back to look at me, confusion and even slight hope mirrored in his eyes. He slowly walks back to me and asks, “Why do you want to marry me?”

“Because I love you.” I muster to say in one big gulp. My heart races, my palms are sweaty. I have just revealed the very depths of my soul. I love Peeta Mellark and it was out there, and almost regret it. As Haymitch pointed out I didn’t deserve him.  

.

“You love me?” he repeats.

I nod as I feel my eyes prickling with tears but I try to hold them off lest he thinks I’m too weak to deserve him. It makes no sense to think he ever would consider me weak for crying but my stubborn head can’t find its way around weakness and emotional breakage. Who knows, maybe I’m already broken but then again, ‘who wouldn’t be under the current circumstances?’ At least that’s what I believe Peeta would say. Kind, understanding, benevolent Peeta. A man who loved a broken girl before she even knew she could herself.

Desperately, I caress his face softly, gazing at him. Remembering every nook and cranny of his face, every wrinkle, every nuance, every lovely feature, “I love you. I’m sorry I couldn’t say it sooner. I was too wrapped up on surviving the stupid games. Too wrapped up in my own misery that I forgot you were there with me too. Helping me, hurting with me, loving me. I don’t know what else I can say other than I love you and I probably always did, I just didn’t realize it until now. You saved me and now all I want to do is love you back as much as you do or did. I hope I’m not too late.” I smile and slowly let my hand drop but before my fingertips can lose what little contact it has, I feel his grip pulling me back and embracing me.

He pulls away and stares at me as though he were mesmerized and full of wonder. Then he smiles, “I do love you. I’ve always loved you. I always will.” He kisses me sweetly on the mouth.

I feel my soul glowing with happiness. A warmth unlike any I could describe fills me and all I can do is close my eyes and kiss him. Of course, I know I catch him off guard because he freezes for a moment before fervently rewarding me with his own lips. I feel his fingers gently running down my neck before settling under my chin while the other hand rests on my hip. His soft lips part and I feel his tongue begging for entrance. I willingly open and sigh contently as he explores me with an intimacy I hadn’t yet been privy to. I wrap my arms around his neck wishing the kiss would last forever because the fireworks that are running through my body couldn’t possibly be imagined. It’s so unlike kissing Gale, who’d inspired nothing when his lips touched mine. It was as though I were kissing an old friend goodbye. I’m moaning out little sounds of pleasure until we are interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

We spring apart as though someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on us. Haymitch leans against the doorframe with his eyebrow raised and a knowing smile while Effie stands next to him, frozen in place eyes wide and her jaw hanging open.

Haymitch pushes himself off the doorframe, “What’s this? Practicing in case there’s another set of people you have to convince?”

Effie closes her jaw and glares Haymitch, “Haymitch, that is most inappropriate. You know you can’t ask them why they do something. You’re overstepping your bounds.” She purses her lips unbecomingly and walks toward us, flashing a sweet smile.

For a moment, I’m left feeling a little suspicious considering how it’s usually Effie that ruins moments but I calm down once I see her reaching for both our hands and squeezing them affectionately, “I’m so glad you’ve finally come to your senses and seen what a great catch Peeta really is. He’s good for you, you know?”

Ah, there goes the Effie we all know and love. I look over at Peeta who is closely resembling a tomato and know that Effie would praise him above anyone else. She’s always preferred him to me and that suits me just fine.

Effie giggles and walks away on her precariously high stilettos. Haymitch is still looking at us suspiciously but something makes him saunter forward, “So, this is real then?” he asks pointing to both of us with his hands and linking his fingers together.

We nod and smile shyly. God, I wish the questions would stop. I’m becoming more mortified at being found in the way we did but I can’t blame them either. Of course, they’d want to know what was really going on. They are the people who fully witnessed everything between us.

Haymitch stares at us calculatingly and finally smiles as he slaps Peeta gently on the shoulder and walks away with “Well, can’t say I’m surprised. Not really, I knew this would happen sooner or later.”

Peeta and I look at each other one more time and come to a wordless agreement that we are now formally boyfriend and girlfriend. No words are needed to understand that we are no longer a benefit for the cameras or faking it in any way. We are together and the kiss I had experience solidified it. We lace our fingers together as we sheepishly walk over to join Effie and Haymitch for dinner.

“Baby bomb was a stroke of genius. Unfortunately, the games are still on.” Haymitch says in between bites of food.

Peeta and I glance at each other. We already knew they wouldn’t be cancelled but I can’t help but worry about our next step. I look back at Haymitch, “So now what?”

“Well, it’s a good thing you guys are really dating now, because we need to convince the public that you are in fact in love,” Haymitch replies and takes a gulp of his brandy.

“We are in love,” Peeta assures.

Haymitch looks at us both again before elaborating, “Well yes, you know that and we know that,” he says pointing to Effie and himself. “But Snow and the rebelling districts still think it’s all just for show.”

“So, what do you suggest we do?” I ask. I’m about to strangle him but Peeta squeezes my hand reassuringly and that’s enough to calm me down.

“There’s nothing we can do at the moment. The rebellion has already started and there’s nothing that can stop a man from wanting freedom once he’s been given the hope. You’ve already gotten engaged in front of the entire world and it still wasn’t enough to convince Snow.” Haymitch explains.

This time, it’s Peeta’s turn to lose composure, “So what you’re saying is that we have no hope of coming out alive? Are we to think that there’s no hope for either of us or even Panem?”

Effie chimes in desperately, “No Peeta darling it’s not what you think,” she shoots daggers with her eyes at Haymitch’s  direction, “What Haymitch is trying to say, is that though there’s nothing we can much do about the rebellion other than to see where it lands us. You certainly have a hope for survival. You see, you said that both you and Katniss got married and not only that but that she’s expecting. It may not do much for the other districts but the people in the Capitol certainly believed you and that’s more than enough. They are, after all, the ones who sponsor you,” she turns to look at me and smiles, “You don’t think us so cold as to believe we’d let a would-be mother die and lose her one true love, are you?”

“But only one of us is supposed to come out. How do you expect both of us to survive the Arena when we have no idea what the Gamemakers have in store for us?” I ask, my voice catching on a quiver of fear. I know that the possibilities of both Peeta and I surviving are inconceivable. They already made that mistake last year. They wouldn’t make it again and all I know is that Peeta must survive. He has to be the one to live and go on to have the life a true Victor deserves. If anyone should have a family and children, It’s Peeta and I’m prepared to die for it.

“Well, you’ve done it before, right? Who’s to say it won’t happen again?” answers Effie taking a delicate nibble of her dinner roll.

Once again it solidifies that Effie is one of the Capitolites. She is so far removed from the real issue that she doesn’t realize that it wasn’t Snow’s compassionate heart that allowed us to live. It was all a mistake. A mistake that I had inadvertently caused when I refused to live just for their enjoyment. It was an unknowing act of rebellion that caused the uprising of the destitute Districts. I gave them too much hope and like Snow said to me when he showed me proof of his monitoring of my life, ‘too much hope is dangerous.

“By the way, this would be our last few days with you both,” Haymitch says, filling the void of silence and choosing to ignore Effie’s words because he knows all the explaining in the world would be for naught.

“You’re leaving?” Peeta asks.

Effie nods. “In two days, I’m afraid. We’re no longer allowed to stay.”

“What about our training?” I wonder aloud.

“There’s no more training to be had with us. We’ve gotten far enough with the interviews and you’ll just have to make sure you’re picking the right tributes for alliances.” Haymitch answers.

I can feel myself filling with nervous energy until Peeta puts his hand on top of mine and begins to caress it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next two days pass by in a flash and suddenly I’m standing in front of both Effie and Haymitch who have their bags packed behind them. The Avoxes walk over to them and carry them off silently.

“Well I guess this is goodbye,” Haymitch says wrapping up Peeta in a one-armed hug and slaps his back affectionately.

“Presents for the boys.” Effie interrupts handing both men a black, shiny box.

“What’s this?” asks Haymitch.

Effie tuts. “Your token, remember? Hair for me, pin for Katniss,” she points to her hair, “Gold bangle for you, and for Peeta, the medallion that we talked about.”

“Thank you, Effie,” says Peeta with a somewhat forced grin. I know he’s trying to be positive for her sake despite the inferno we’ve to face.

Effie’s lips begin to quiver and her voice becomes shaky when she says, “We’re a team? Aren’t we?” Both Peeta and I nod and Effie’s eyes begin to glisten with unshed tears.  “ And I’m so proud of my Victors, so proud,” she musters in between hugs and stands back as she stumbles on her words, slowly losing what little composure she had mustered and begins to cry openly, “You both deserved so much better.”

I’m rendered temporarily speechless at the show of pure love before us from a woman I thought to be so vapid as to be incapable of such feelings. “Thank you, Effie.”

“I am truly sorry,” she says while holding my hands and sobs before she walking and crying her pain away.

I stare after her and Peeta Hugs him once more, “Thank you Haymitch, for everything.” he says patting Haymitch back with the medallion still clutched in his hand.

“Any last advice?” I ask.

Haymitch nods. “Stay alive.”

“Haymitch, wait,” I call before he can walk away any further.  I step forward to hug him and whisper, “Remember our deal, do whatever it takes to keep him alive. Promise me.”

Haymitch nods once I’ve backed away. “Okay,” he promises and before I could step towards Peeta he says, “Katniss, when you’re in the arena, remember who the real enemy is.”

I nod, not really understanding what he means but decided not to think more of it as I join Peeta once again.

We continue our routine of training and trying to prepare ourselves for the unforeseeable as I teach Peeta some wilderness survival techniques and he teaches me some self-defense moves. But at night after all our fleeting glances and appreciative gestures, we are exhausted and go to our respective rooms because Peeta would never try to impose his presence on me. I lie on my bed and toss and turn. It’s much too big and makes me feel so lonely. Having Peeta across the way was tempting. I was tired of sleeping alone, of not having his warm embrace. I came to the realization, I might never see him again. So, I get up and tip toe my way to his room as I’ve done many times before and stop at his open door hoping to gain access.

Peeta responds by opening his covers and I dash forward to snuggle underneath them. I snuggle myself as closely to Peeta as I can and smile contently.

“I love you,” mutters Peeta sleepily.  

I sigh wanting more.  But how do I get more. I wondered? I wet my lips and I say, “I love you too.”

He leans back and gazes at me with wonderment and all I can do is ask, “What?” If he knew my thoughts he wouldn’t think me pure. I want to slip my hands on his chest open his sleeping shirt and place dozens of little kisses there. I force myself from blushing. My legs rub together. This was more than lust, this was hunger I felt. The same type of love affair I felt with food.Peeta was as rare delicacy, to be savored.  

“It’s just, I never thought you would. That this could be true. That you could love me and for once it wouldn’t be a dream,” he clarifies, running his hand on my cheek lovingly.

I smile and move up to place a kiss on his lips. I meant for it to be a small, sweet kiss but I was unprepared for Peeta’s passion as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and softly runs his other hand through my hair. Internally I want to scream and jump for joy as my starved body rejoices. My heart races, my soul is enthralled, this is my home my mind repeats over and over again. I respond in kind, shyly and inexpertly, but once our tongues run across each other, all of my resolve is focused on loving this boy. My heart is as open as a window on a hot summer day. I kiss him with more intensity and clutch his shirt in my fists, my heart galloping at an alarming rate. I ignore the practical katniss and give in to the passionate one that has always brimmed under the surface. My curious nature takes over and I grow frustrated with the shirt and begin to run my hands underneath.’Finally’ I say to myself as my hands make contact with his warm skin. I caress his strong torso and he shivers. He looks at me pleadingly. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

I raise my eyebrow teasingly, “I want to.” I lean down and carry out my earlier desire. I plant hundreds of little kisses on his chest and enjoy listening to his groans and moans. My body over heats I can feel a wetness pooling in between my thighs. In the most seductive voice I can muster I say, “Besides, when I become your wife, we’ll be doing this on a regular basis.”

Peeta chuckles, though his breath is ragged. “I suppose you’re right.” He leans back to throws his discarded shirt on the bed, “I like thinking of you as my wife.” he says resuming his assault on my senses with his lips. My toes curl, his kisses causes fire to sweep through me.

He leans his head towards my neck when I lean back and pauses for a moment before he hesitantly presses a small yet sweet kiss at the juncture of my neck. My beautiful Peeta, gentle kind, has no idea he’s turned a shy recluse into a creature brighter than the sun.  My eyes flutter close and I sigh greedily wanting more. I can smell cinnamon and dill, A scent so uniquely him that all I can do is clutch at him lest I fall off the bed, but his strong arm have me securely in place. I’ve never been one to really notice many boys but I noticed Peet. His physical strength is not exaggerated. At least that’s not what the tight muscles under my fingertips can sense. I feel as though an electric current were running through me. It’s more of a pleasant hum rather than a painful shock, and I hold on to this feeling as it grows like an uncontrollable fire refusing to be extinguish.

“God, you’re so beautiful,” Peeta murmurs in between the kisses he plants along a hot trail from my neck and shoulder and all the way back. Once he’s back to the sensitive spot behind my ear he halts for a moment and licks it with the tip of his tongue. It’s so quick that I almost don’t realize the change until I feel the air cooling and drying the spot. He tries again with more confidence this time. I moan and I can feel him smile as he continues to swirl his tongue.

I reach for the hand playing with my hair and place it on my breast. Peeta stops and looks back at me. “Are you sure, this is okay?” he asks.

I gaze at him my eyes wild with fever, “Yes.” I whisper.

He returns to kissing me, but I feel the need to feel his skin on mine. The only way to do that is to remove the suffocating  layers of clothing I’m wearing. I am desperate I pull back and tear at my shirt and bra. His eyes widen but once he looks down at me, his eyes glaze over as though he were drunk. Our kisses become more fervent, more desperate as I reach down and cup my hand around his penis.

Penis?

Would that even be the right word for it? I’m certainly not used to using another word for what had been flaccid worm-like appendages that my mother and I had seen when curing one of our own men back at the Seam. However, what I was currently holding was not something that merited such a clinical word. It was certainly not flaccid or thin or anything of the form. I wrack my brains for an appropriate word but come up blank until I remember someone once calling it a cock during what should have been a private conversation but I was curious and I needed to know what they meant. That is until I felt the strength that I was currently holding. Yes, cock seemed to be an appropriate word for what I was holding. It felt large, too and I was sure that there would have to be considerable effort on my part if we were to consummate our would-be marriage. I hadn’t realized how long it had been but Peeta grunted painfully, “Katniss we should stop or we might be in for some embarrassment on my part.”

I look up at him questioningly and he looks down at my hand holding his cock. I give him a smile and continue my torture. Peeta groans and instead decides to remove his pajama bottoms along with his underwear so that I may fully appreciate what I had been rubbing.

I look back at him and my eyes widen as I look down and back up at him once more. He raises his eyebrows, smiling and goes back to kissing the juncture between my neck and earlobe. I don’t know how he found it but it was driving me mad and I could feel myself pulsating and pooling with wetness. My legs fall open wantingly, I grind up against his knee. I moan and grasp his cock firmly in my hand and run my hand up and down, testing the reaction I would elicit. I’m fully satisfied once Peeta hisses.

He takes my hand off and I whimper. Instead he decides that he has been tortured more than enough and now it was my turn. He pulls back once more to make sure I’m okay with what he was doing. His consideration makes me bolder.  I nod once more whimpering and he lowers himself, I offer my chest to entice him. His blue eyes glow and he puts his hand on my back. When skin touches skin we both groan in unison.  His eyes darken to a midnight blue, and I gasp, as he tentatively blows his warm breath on my sensitive breasts and licks one nipple. When I arch my back upward, he smiles and runs his tongue, making my skin fill up with goosebumps and my nipples bud up into little pebbles.  his hands were magic, I’d never considered his mouth. And he’s not finished with me yet. Ever the attentive one, Peeta begins his assault on my other breast and this time runs his teeth on top of them, making me moan. He smiles and returns to kissing me except this time his hand runs down my sides and he grasps my thigh tightening his grip as though he were holding back. For once I wish he didn’t. He raises himself just a bit and begins to touch me down there. His skillful fingers are drawing an elixir from me. Between his hands and his mouth I couldn’t stop the sounds that bursts from my mouth.  His finger swipes an undiscovered area. I instantly buckle my hips up and he looks back at me alarmed, “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” I whisper my body trembling . By god if I thought him licking my breasts was goosebumps-inducing than him running his finger in between my nether lips was tremor-inducing. I thought I would be prepared, but I had never known such intensity. It almost makes the practical me want to back out but the huntress, the girl madly in love is dying of curiosity.  This huntress wants to  explore his body, and she wants him  to continue exploring  mine.

He goes back to discovering my pussy with tentative fingers that only become bolder with every stroke. He inserts a finger inside and all I can do is try to cover my moans with the quilt rumpled next to me.

“God Katniss, you’re so tight.” he says pulling his finger back slowly making me feel empty until he pushes it back in intensifying the heat that threatens to overtake me.

Yes,vagina is definitely the wrong word for such a moment but I had no other names for it until I remember my mother having to refer to it by pussy. Either way whatever Peeta was doing is driving me over the edge. my toes curl and my back tightens. It’s as though I‘m about to be snapped and suddenly I feel myself letting go, fireworks erupts before. I lay on the bed listlessly feeling more relaxed than I ever have in my life. I wonder where that girl who didn’t like to be touched went. I guess I kicked her out of the bedroom. Being touched by Peeta broke all my inhibitions and emboldened me. I’m panting and I can feel sweat running down the sides of my forehead when glance up at him.

Peeta draws back and looks at me lovingly, “Did you like that?”

“Like it? I loved it. What more can we do?” I ask impishly.

I have no idea what just happened or how and I don’t care at the moment but all I know is that I don’t want it to stop. Curiosity gets the better of me as I wonder what his cock would feel like against my pussy and so I grasp his cock in my hands and guide it towards my lips and rub it around. Sparks of pleasure burst in front of me when I feel the head of his cock rubbing against my sensitive clit. I bite back a groan and gulp repeating the movement making Peeta groan and shake but lets me continue. His ragged breath turns me on. However, I’m unsatisfied with running the tip of his cock around me. I feel restless and I feel the need for more.I position his cock at the entrance of my pussy. I brace my feet against the bed and push my pelvis up. Peeta moans and begins to push in slowly. It hurts.

Immediately I regret my decision but It’s not fair to him. Besides, there must be something good about this if people are willing to do this often enough to have babies. So I persevere clutching at his arms and hoping the pain would go away. Once he’s fully seated inside me he stops and looks at me, “Okay?” he musters to groan out. I nod. “I won’t move until you tell me to.”

“Okay.” I reply nodding curtly. I’m touched by his concern that I lean up and give him a sweet kiss on his lips.

He lays there still, connected to me, refusing to move for what must be several torturous minutes and despite me still feeling a dull pain I begin to move slowly. Peeta, taking on my cue begins to move too, but slowly. Suddenly, the dull pain is replaced by a sensation I can’t quite pin on but  it’s good and my breath catches in my chest. “Oh” I whisper. I can feel myself winding up all over again, passion sizzling through my body. I put my hands on his ass wanting more,” Faster,” I groan as I pull him towards me humming, “Yes.” in between pants. Peeta complies, his moves becoming more desperate and he begins to kiss my neck as our moans reverberate against the walls mingled with little bursts of ‘yes’ in between. Our inexperienced touches become more fervent as our pants come in short spurts.

Peeta links our hands together and leans his forehead against mine, “Katniss, I’m not sure I can last much longer.” he says through his teeth. His jaw tightens and he looks to be in pain.

I hold on tighter onto him and kiss him. I want him to come, I want to see what he looks like when he comes undone. I know it’s dangerous, but the need to see him so thoroughly relaxed peaks my interest, “I need you Peeta.”

“Oh god.” He  as he grunts, his eyes closed so tightly it almost looks painful but  with one last thrust he comes. I look up at him and this time my eyes don’t just see fireworks but Peeta’s beautiful eyes. I feel warmth enveloping my insides and I’m more than content. He lays on top for a few seconds careful not to put his full weight on me, panting as though he had run a marathon, his sweat-filled body slowly begins to get up off me and I sigh contently as I see him walk away towards his bathroom to clean himself. He brings a warmth cloth with which to clean myself and throws it on the ground as he jumps into the bed and reaches for me. I stretch my back a little allowing for the hum of fulfillment to run through my spine like a small electrical current humming pleasantly throughout. Having been this close to Peeta was beyond intimacy I was used to. I’m bonded to him, first by the bread, and lastly by our physical intimacy. I thought it would be scary to be this open and vulnerable. I thought I'd become weak. But I'm stronger for knowing him, and yet i don't want to think about what will happen when we go to the arena but I have to.  

I gladly move over and snuggle close to him, reveling in his scent, “I don’t want to be with anyone else in there. Just you,” I say as I raise myself up on one elbow to look at him.

He knows that I’m talking about the other tributes and their supposed alliance, so he looks at me and nods. “If that’s what you want.”

“That’s what I want,” I say nodding my head and looking at him in the eyes. I lean back to snuggle back up again.

“I can’t believe this is real,” Peeta mutters, blinking slowly.

I smile and then frown. “By the way, how did you know what you were doing?”

He chuckles and shrugs. “I don’t really know to be honest. I just kind of guessed. I mean, I knew the mechanics of sex but to get there I wasn’t sure. I was just testing things around and seeing what you liked. Why, did you like it?”

I cover my face with my hands, feeling myself burning up with embarrassment, “Oh please don’t ask me that…” I moan.

Peeta chuckles. “All right, I won’t.”

Feeling a bit impish I get close to his face. “But you know what?”

“What?” he asks.

“I did. I liked it,” I say quickly and giggle as he smiles, satisfied with my answer.

I yawn and begin to doze off. “I’m so tired though.”

“Sleep darling. I’m here to guide you from any nightmares you might have,” Peeta says.

I frown and raise myself on an elbow on last time, “But you have to wake me up if you have nightmares too. It’s not fair that I keep waking you up with my own. Promise me.”

He smiles back at me and caresses my chin and kisses my nose, “I promise.”

I lean back down and make myself comfortable before finally dozing off to a dreamless sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“Let’s start simple, let’s start with what we know is true.” I say as I rock back and forth holding the sides of my face. My curled-up body wracked with pain, “My name is Katniss Everdeen. My home is District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. I escaped. Peeta, Peeta was left behind,” I desperately whisper to myself as my voice shakes with suppressed sobs.

Suddenly I can sense people coming into my little haven and calling my name. I try to hide from my captors as they tell me that it’s time for me to go back to my room, or rather my prison. The place where my guilt, my pain, my memories plague me, all day, every day. It’s been so long that I begin to question the reality of everything.

I try to make myself invisible as I press myself even further against the pipes but it’s no use, they find me and are now calling for me to join them, “I had a nightmare, just five more minutes.”

“You need to sleep,” a female voice advices.

I shake my head vehemently. No, I don’t need any more sleep. My demons are far more insistent and powerful when I’m sleeping. So, against all advice, I shake my head,” Just five more minutes.” I tell them as I whisper ‘no’ to myself because I can hear the guards getting closer.

The footsteps are next to me now, “No please, don’t please, I just---” I beg but they don’t listen as they reach down to haul me up and take me with them, “Don’t touch me. Don’t. No! Get off me!” I yell wildly as I try to free myself of their grasp but it’s no use.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I’m lying on the hospital bed having woken up from yet another nightmare in which I’ve failed Peeta once again. ‘My Peeta’ I think as I roll the dark pearl I fell asleep with in between my fingers. I’m gasping and looking around, trying to come to grips with reality as the white tiled walls greet me. Since there’s no point in going back to my little hole, I decide to visit Finnick. I walk around and easily locate his room. I stare at him as he’s sniffling and winding arope small piece of rope like a madman. He looks back at me and all I feel is disdain for the person who did nothing when the time came for alliances. He was supposed to save him. After all, he knew what the plan was all along and having been in one of the two who stayed behind to protect Betee it would only make sense that it would be easier for him to save my Peeta.  He was our ally and he failed us both miserably. I know it’s not fair to hold him to a sham agreement but he knew what the agenda was between some of the tributes and District Thirteen. Now, here I am. Useless to Madame Coin. To the entire movement because without Peeta I won’t do anything. He was the charismatic one. He could’ve gotten the rebellion going, not sour, prude me who is nothing but full of remorse and hatred. They picked the wrong person and for that they will pay.

“Finnick.” I  announced my presence.

He looks back at me, tears in his eyes. He looks as though he hasn’t slept in weeks, “I wanted to go back for Peeta and Johanna but I-I I couldn’t move.” His anguished-filled face is asking for a forgiveness I’m not ready to give, “They have Annie too. They took her.” he says returning back to rope. “She’s uh, she’s in the Capitol,” he pauses, “I wish she was dead. I wish they were all dead and we were too,” he mutters, not looking at me. All I feel is emptiness but a bit of compassion fills my heart for the man who,like me, lost his one true love. Taken by the Capitol to be tortured and in that we have common ground. Perhaps, we may form another alliance. However, this time I will make sure to know every detail of every mission. I doubt it though, I have lost what little trust I had in him, I refuse to go in blindly and Finnick has to understand that.

Days pass. I don’t know how many but I float about, trying to convince Coin and Plutarch that they have the wrong Victor. That it’s Peeta they should’ve saved. I believe I’m beginning to convince them. But when I see Haymitch my numbness disappears only to be replaced by a fire of pure hatred.

“Katniss,” he calls after me.

I turn to look at him and stare daggers into his soul. When he asks me to ‘say it’ I look at him annoyed. “Say what?”

“We’re gonna have to work together okay, so you might as well get this off your chest.” Haymitch says and I know he wants an answer as to why I’ve been so particularly nasty with him.

I purse my lips, seething. “You promised me you would save Peeta.”

Haymitch nods regretfully, “I know.”

“Now you say it,”. .

“I can’t believe you let him out of your sight. Y-you gotta stop moping around. You think I want to be here? I want a bottle so bad, I’m ready to distill my own turnips. But I’m here, and you know why? Because Peeta’s still alive. He’s not dead yet and neither are we. We’re still in the game, Katniss. Okay?” Haymitch says, ignoring my own discomfort. For as much as I hate him right now he is right. We must work together for Peeta’s sake. At least he hasn’t given up hope that Peeta might still be alive even, though we have yet to see or know anything about him.

Days pass by and I believe I may have gotten sick because I have this incessant need to vomit every morning, but somehow, I seem to be fine once I’ve had breakfast. Except if breakfast includes scrambled eggs. Just the smell alone is enough to take me straight to toilet to empty myself, even though I think there’s nothing left to empty on a hollow stomach. I seem to be losing weight and I’m sure a lot of it has to do with the depression the doctors diagnosed me with. I’m well into my last bite of oatmeal when Gale plops himself next to me with a huge helping of scrambled eggs, “Hey Catnip!”

I look at the yellow, spongy, greasy confection and try to swallow the bile that’s threatening to rise up my throat. I gulp a few times, my mouth waters unpleasantly and I cover my mouth in order to keep my breakfast in.

“Katniss, are you okay?” asks Prim from across me, reaching out to get my attention.

I shake my head, getting up and running to the nearest toilet, leaving a worried Prim and a puzzled Gale. Some of the few people I managed to catch a glimpse of were either surprised or had a knowing smile plastered on their faces but at the moment I didn’t care as I felt my breakfast coming up.

I hurl violently into the porcelain bowl and collapse on the floor looking at what had been my breakfast. I sigh, reaching for something to clean myself with, but instead I see my sister’s hand offering a wet towelette towards me. I take it and weakly thank her.

“Katniss, what’s going on?” she asks.

I shake my head, “I’m not too sure, I think I might’ve caught a bug.” I lift myself up off the floor and walk over to the sink to throw some cold water on my face.

“Those symptoms are not a bug-worthy ailment.” Prim explains as she stands next to me leaning against the sink.

I turn the faucet on, “Then what do you think it is little duck?”

“I think you’re pregnant.” Prim says. Then she frowns, “But I don’t understand. I thought your romance with Peeta was for the benefit of Snow.”

“It started out that way but I fell in love with him. I was actually planning on marrying him for real,” I answer shivering a bit.

“I see,” mutters Prim thoughtfully.

“How would I even know if I’m pregnant?” I ask.

“Well, first I need to know if you’ve slept with Peeta,” Prim asks.

I frown, “Of course I’ve slept with him. I did so every night so that I wouldn’t have as many nightmares as I usually do.”

Prim tries to hide a smile, “No Katniss, I mean if you’ve had sex with him.”

I freeze and look at her water dripping off my face. I instantly blush, “How would you know?”

Prim giggles, “Sometimes I wonder who’s the youngest one between us.” She sobers up quickly, “I’m asking this because if you have then it looks to me like you’re pregnant. So, I’m gonna ask you again, did you sleep with Peeta?”

My cheeks feel hot and when I look at myself in the mirror,my embarrassment is reflected, “Yes.” I mutter avoiding my sister’s eyes.

“I think you should go make sure. I can test you myself.” Prim offers. She’s being so kind that all I can do is nod.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After much prodding and convincing, generally from Prim. I find myselfsitting on the toilet waiting for my test to reveal its results. Prim takes the small stick and looks at it with a huge smile, “Well, looks like I’m going to be an aunt.” She turns to look at me, radiant smile and all, “Oh Katniss, I’m so glad it’s Peeta. He’s always loved you.”

“How did you know?” I ask.

“Because silly, he was always looking at you. Never at anyone else, and when he did, he always looked as though you were perfection. Although, we all know you’re not. You snore.” Prim joked.

I stickmy tongue out at her, “I would’ve welcomed him with open arms as my brother in law, as I know mom would too.” Prim wistfully daydreams. She looks back at the door of the bathroom, “I have to go. I won’t tell mom until you’re ready but you have to say something before it’s too late,” she says and runs out the bathroom.

I stand up from the toilet and stare at myself in the mirror once again. My hair looks healthier and despite all the purgin,g I’m glowing. Or rather sweating. I look down at my flat stomach and place a hand on top. I still can’t believe I’m pregnant with Peeta’s baby. I smile, feeling my hollow heart began to  glow with renewed hope but Prim is right. I should tell my mother before I begin to show. It would hardly be correct to hide my condition when she’s one of the best midwives of District twelve. As the grandmother, it would only be appropriate for her to look after my pregnancy, “Just hold on a little longer, Little Bean. I’ll bring your father back home.” I whisper to my unborn child and walk out of the bathroom, feeling happier than I’ve ever felt being stuck in this underground hell-hole.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When dinner rolls around. I am about to sit on one of the open benches next to Gale when suddenly, the Capitol Logo flashes on the television position in the middle of the lunch room for all to see. I look up at it intrigued and freeze in place when I see an intact Peeta sitting across Caesar Flickerman. My eyes widen and I move closer to the screen just to make sure that I’m not dreaming.

Peeta speaks about what our experiences were like during the Quarter Quell and how we managed to survive. When Caesar tries to convince Peeta that I was the one who shot the arrow that ultimately destroyed the arena because I was rebelling Peeta loses the calmness in his voice and fervently defends me. There he was, being subjected to a stupid interview, most likely pressured by Snow and he was defending me. Just as he’s always done. I place one hand on my flat stomach and the other on my lips, “You’re alive.” I whisper. My once dim glow of hope   becomes a a fire of determination. He’s alive and there’s still a chance for me to get him back. I stand  mesmerized as I listen to him until he urges the districts to lay their weapons down and the masses in the lunchroom   jeer and boo him, calling him a traitor. I can’t hear all the negativity because I know it’s not something he is saying freely. This is Snow’s agenda and he is using someone who was once the most beloved Victor to deliver his message and I’m disgusted.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

It’s night again and I’m sleeping when suddenly I wake up screaming and looking around wildly. The door open and in runs a worried Peeta.

“I’m sorry, it’s just a nightmare,” I explain as I try to calm myself.

“It’s okay, I get em’ too.” Peeta replies, “Well, good night.” He begins to walk away.  

“Peeta?” I call and he stops to look back at me.

“Yeah?” he asks.

“Will you stay with me?” I ask sounding like a frightened little girl.

“Yeah,” he complies climbing into my bed and wrapping his arms around me. His thumb runs up and down my shoulder, “Always.”  he whispers.

I wake up from my dream and look around the room hoping not to have woken up my mother and sister.

Prim looks back at me, “Hey, can’t sleep?”

I shake my head and she unwraps herself from the covers she shares with our mother only to climb into my bed and lie down facing me. “Tell me what’s happening. I can keep secrets, even from mom.”

I smile, “No one hates the Capitol more than me. And I want to help. But I just keep thinking even if we win this war, what happens to Peeta? I know he’s not safe there but he’s definitely not safe here.”

“I don’t think you know how important you are to them. If you want something, you just have to ask. You could demand almost anything, and they’d have to agree with it.” whispers Prim.

I hadn’t thought of that, “I should wake you more often, little duck.” I whisper back pushing Prim’s hair behind her ear.

“Now get some sleep.” Prim encourages.

I nod and doze off easily knowing what my next move will be.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Next morning, I wake up and write down all my demands on a piece of paper. I wrap it up in my pocket and walk purposefully to Coin’s office. Coin and Plutarch look up at me expecting for me to say something.

“I’ve decided I’ll be your Mockingjay. But I have some conditions,” I announce bringing my piece of paper out, uncrumpling it. “Peeta and the other Tributes, Johanna Mason and Annie Cresta, will be rescued at the earliest opportunity. If and when Peeta is liberated, he will be granted a full and unconditional pardon. No punishment will be inflicted. And the same goes for the other tributes.”

I look at Coin expectantly, “No,” she says and goes back to reading her documents.

“It’s not their fault you abandoned them in the arena. They’re doing and saying whatever they can to survive,” I try to reason.

“Individuals don’t make demands in Thirteen. There will be a tribunal and a fair judgement. Thank you,” Coin dismisses me.

My nose flares and my eyes flash angrily at her. She can’t dismiss me now. I won’t allow it. My child needs its father and I will not give up until I can have him rescued. I leaned forward and put all my weight on my arms supporting me. “The Victors will be granted immunity. And you will announce that in front of the entire population of Thirteen. You will hold yourself and your government responsible or you will find another Mockingjay.”

Coin stares at somewhat startled when Plutarch decides to speak and points at me. “That’s it, that’s her. Right there. Isn’t that who I promised you? She wears the costume, gunfire in the background, a hint of smoke. Our Mockingjay. Madame President we’re losing ground because the people are losing heart. This is worth the risk. She’s worth the risk. Pardons, tribunals. Power of the people. It can all be the new bedrock for the new Panem, but, in wartime I think even the noblest of causes can be bent a little bit, right?”

I look at Coin my resolve unwavering. “Do you have any other conditions?” she asks.

I look down at my piece of paper. “My sister gets to keep her cat.” I answer.

Coin nods approvingly and I walk out of the office feeling triumphant, “Don’t worry Little Bean. I’m getting your father back. Just be patient with me,” I whisper to my child as I run my hand against my stomach and walk back to my barracks.

[emmy-dekarios-bg3]

Heart of the Weave - A Baldur’s Gate Fanfiction - Part 2

CHAPTER 1 - {WARNING: contains adult content} **NOW AVAILABLE ON AO3**

The numbness of my body feels incredible; it’s so refreshing not feeling the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion anymore. No fatigue. No pain. No illness. Just an eternal life earthside with the ones I love. I feel alive, powerful, and invincible, as if I could crush a boulder with my bare hands. It’s a sensation I never imagined I’d feel, especially after countless traumatic events during our gruesome adventures. I thought I’d lose myself after becoming immortal, but I’m thankful for another day of being my true, authentic self.

Gale and I try to go to sleep, but it’s so challenging with the intense energy we have that seems to never fade, whereas Jenevelle has no problem falling asleep. Maybe it’s because she’s not aware of immortality and thinks nothing of it? I have no clue.

It’s the middle of the night, where owls are lurking about in the skies and not a peep to be heard from the outside. I take a deep breath, admiring the luminous light of the moon shining through our window, feeling the energy flow through my body. Gale and I are just lying in our bed surrounded by tranquility and peace without a worry in our minds. This is what contentment is, huh? Well, despite the fact our little baby won’t ever get to grow up. It’s not exactly an idea we can easily part with.

“Isn’t it wonderful? Lying awake in each other’s company while the aura of the midnight moon beams through our bedroom window?” Gale murmurs poetically as he’s gazing into my eyes. We’re embracing one another in the calm of the late night as we’re snuggled naked under the blankets.

“Being with you keeps me going, and to just enjoy our time in the presence of the night… I don’t want anything more,” I whisper, twirling his brown hair with my index finger. I know Gale is trying not to think about when Mystra will eventually confront him about abandoning her to sell his soul and I’m not exactly keen on the idea of my goddess confronting me either. Both of us turning away from them was an unbearable but necessary choice we had to make to keep our daughter safe. For now, we are escaping the thoughts of the harsh reality and enjoying the ‘now.’

“I love you.” The whisper of his voice in my ear brings chills up my spine. It’s like a song you can’t quit listening to, the sound of a certain melody that makes your brain relax, the touch of a feather.

“I love you too.” I smile and place my hand on his face as I lean in to kiss him. Our lips touch as he places his hand on the back of my head, our tongues intertwining with one another. I gently moan as he begins to kiss down my neck while his hand has other plans. I decide to roll over on top of him so his naked, warm body is beneath mine, begging for my touch. The silence is loud; he wants me. His eyes are locked on mine as he traces his fingertip down my torso, causing me to shiver from the relaxing touch. I feel him inside me as I grind upon him with my hips, feeling every sensation within my body. I grab his hands and place them on my bare breasts.

“You’re perfect,” he moans, proceeding to roll me over and position my body beneath his. He stares intimately into my eyes as I’m pinned to the bed. I bite my lower lip as I pull my legs up next to my head, allowing him to make his next move. He raises an eyebrow, but gives me that smile as he thrusts himself within me; the one I fell in love with when we first met. Each thrust feels incredible, causing my eyes to roll to the back of my head. He turns me over and I plead for more. He pulls my hair back as I feel him grind from behind, my ass in the air hoping to receive the most he has to offer. As he continues, bliss and satisfaction overwhelm every inch of my body. I grip the sheets with my hands as I feel the intensity of my climax take over my body.

I lie here on my back, realizing it’s always been him that I want. I don’t need the weave to feel the magic. Before I know it, morning has arrived and while we aren’t sleepy, our bodies are actually exhausted. Sex as an immortal is a wild ride that I can’t begin to describe.

“That lasted longer than I had originally anticipated,” Gale murmurs as we just lie here on top of the comforters.

“I’m not complaining at all. Our session was something else for sure, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.” We gather our thoughts as we try to find the motivation to get out of bed, but then Jenevelle can be heard from her room. That didn’t take long.

“I’ll go get her a bottle ready,” he says as he stands up and pulls his pants back on. I smile, pursing my lips as if I’m demanding a kiss. He chuckles and kisses me, then wanders out of the room and to the kitchen. I slip on my gown and make my way to Jenevelle’s room to get her dressed for the day. She appears happy and ready for the morning ahead.

“Good morning little darling,” I tell her, a smile growing on my face as I watch her light up with joy. She kicks her feet as I reach down to pick her up from her crib, then smacks her lips repeatedly knowing damn well it’s time for a bottle. While she is immortal, I do know she needs her milk to sustain her energy and mood.

As I change Jenevelle, Gale trots into the room, prepared to feed her.

“How is our little girl this morning?”

“She seems to be rather happy today, thank the stars.” I hand her over to Gale and gently kiss her soft forehead. She gives him a certain look as he gets ready to feed her; a look of admiration and contentment, like she idolizes him. She has so much love for her daddy, and for that I am forever grateful. I realize out of the blue that today is the day Shadowheart and Astarion adopt their little one, which I plan on stopping by to bring them a gift basket full of necessities and self-care items. I know she’ll need it, especially since this adoption was completely sudden and they’re both clueless on what to expect; it will be the beginning of a rough yet fulfilling road ahead.

I step into the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror mindlessly, realizing how much has changed in my life. Not just recently, but since the beginning of our adventures. From finding out about my pregnancy to Karlach getting married to Wyll, Shadowheart adopting a child with Astarion, and becoming an immortal being…nothing is the same. Change is always expected, but who knew it would happen so quickly? Myself, I’ve also changed. I used to be such a people pleaser, trying to ensure I don’t make anyone mad and please them so they’ll stay. Now? I’d die for my family. I’ll stand up to bullshit. I won’t be dragged around anymore.

LINK to my fanfics {both part 1 and 2}